Attorneys may be Certified as Specialists in the field of Elder Law, and recognized as such by the Ohio Supreme Court. Jesse is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, and is a Certified Specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. He is one of only two Elder Law certified specialists in the Miami Valley.
What is Elder Law? The field of Elder Law is relatively new. What is included, or not included, in an Elder Law definition often depends on who you are asking. Some Elder Law attorneys focus on one or two areas, while others consider Elder Law to be a simple extension of estate planning.
The National Elder Law Foundation, recognized by the American Bar Association, includes the following legal areas in describing Elder Law:
- Health and Personal Care Planning
- Pre-Mortem Legal Planning
- Fiduciary Representation
- Legal Capacity Counseling
- Public Benefits Advice
- Special Needs Counseling
- Advice on Insurance Matters
- Resident Rights Advocacy
- Housing Counseling
- Employment and Retirement Advice
- Counseling with regard to age and/or disability discrimination
- Litigation and Administrative Advocacy
Most Elder Law attorneys do not practice in all of these areas. What is most common is an emphasis on Medicare and Medicaid benefits, as applied to long term care and special needs. You should confirm that the attorney(s) you contact has experience in the area of your concern.
