Elder Law

Our team of attorneys and paralegals at Hickman & Lowder handles a variety of legal issues faced by the elderly. This area of practice focuses on the needs of older clients and those with disabilities. Elder Law is a special area of law which demands that an attorney be dedicated to practice primarily in this area to keep tabs on the up-to-the-minute changes in the law. Our attorneys are dedicated practitioners who put their clients’ needs first.

Although considered only one area of the law practice, Elder Law involves many different areas such as Medicaid planning and consultations, Social Security and retirement income and disability planning, long-term care and nursing home care and other housing options, such as assisted-living and residential homes for the elderly.

A significant part of our Elder Law practice ensures that our clients are educated and informed of their financial and health care decisions through the use of durable powers of attorney, living wills and advance directives, probate and estates, revocable living trusts and wills, and so on.

Janet L. Lowder, David A. Myers, Sandra J. Buzney and Amanda M. Buzo are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a professional association concerned with improving the availability and delivery of legal services to older persons. There are now more than 3000 NAELA members in every state of the United States.

Janet L. Lowder and David A. Myers are each certified as an elder law attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. Elder Law is a legal specialty which has been formally recognized by a few states, including Ohio. To apply for certification, an attorney must have been practicing Elder Law at least five years. The attorney must have handled a certain minimum number of cases in the practice areas that make up Elder Law, and must have taken 45 hours of continuing legal education in Elder Law in the three years preceding the application. The attorney must also take a one-day written exam and provide names of at least five references who are familiar with the attorney's work in the area of Elder Law, at least three of whom must be certified Elder Law attorneys.

For more information regarding elder law issues, please contact:

• Janet L. Lowder
• David A. Myers
• Sandra J. Buzney
• Amanda M. Buzo
• Lisa M. Montoni

Frequently Asked Questions about Elder Law

Elder Law News and Upcoming Events

Useful Links to other web sites