Six attorneys have split from an Annapolis law practice to create a firm they believe can be a major legal player and launching pad for for the next generation of female attorneys.

The new firm, McKenna Russo, is made up of attorneys who came from Council Baradel, the largest law firm based in Anne Arundel County. Maria Worthington McKenna, who worked at Council Baradel for more than 17 years, is the firm's managing partner. The practice opened Monday and already has 23 employees, 20 of whom are women. One of McKenna's primary goals with the firm is to mentor younger female attorneys, even if they end up leaving.

“I want to be that helping hand so they can land where they want to land, and be a contact for them,” said McKenna. “Whether you are here or elsewhere continuing your career, being a mentor is very important to me.”

McKenna Russo’s attorneys specialize in estate planning and estate and trust administration, as well as business law, real estate and general litigation. McKenna will run the firm’s estate and trust practice, while her co-founder and former Council Baradel colleague Michael Russo will run the firm’s real estate and business practice.

The firm has a 5,600-square-foot office near the Annapolis Mall . The space is big enough for the firm’s staff, which includes six attorneys, five of whom are partners. McKenna Russo also has two law clerks who are about to graduate from law school, and about a dozen office staff. The firm, however, didn’t want to commit to too much office space, because it wants to allow new hires to work remotely or on a hybrid schedule.

The firm formalizes the working relationship that McKenna and Russo have had for decades. The two originally met at Council Baradel when McKenna was a paralegal, and she said that Russo has been a mentor during her career, even convincing her to go to law school instead of pursuing a career as a psychologist.

McKenna ended up becoming an attorney and decided to work with Russo at Council Baradel. She spent the last 17 years of her career at the firm, and a few months ago started talking with Russo about starting a firm of their own.

Russo envisions McKenna Russo becoming a “comprehensive” firm that eventually can offer a broad array of services. Russo and McKenna both spent a lot of time at Council Baradel, which, as the largest firm based in Anne Arundel, offered more of a big firm feel. That can mean attorneys have focused practices and that lawyers have specific areas of focus.

Russo wants the new firm to allow attorneys a range of options so they can really grow.

“We wanted to try some ideas that you can’t always try in more established environments,” said Russo. “We want our lawyers to provide broader services and think this model can work well with Maria’s vision.”

The firm is also making a point to hire younger attorneys to carry the torch once McKenna and Russo retire. Russo is in his 60s and said he has about a decade to go before he considers retirement.

The firm will take some time to establish itself before growing, but Russo said it will be important to hire paralegals and younger attorneys who can continue the McKenna Russo legacy.

“We want to make sure this firm has stability, generationally, moving forward,” said Russo. “We want to take three years to figure out how we grow, but we have a real vision for growth.”