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Searching for a lawyer who can help you or a family member with an elder law issue may seem like a daunting task. But with a little help, you or your family member should be able to find several qualified lawyers to choose from. Here is a list of seven resources for locating an elder law attorney in your state or the state where your family member lives.
- Ask your financial advisor for a referral
Your financial advisor or that of a family member should be a great source of information for you, including finding a qualified elder law attorney. Many advisors view planning for long term care and estate planning as essential parts of their clients overall financial goals, and so these advisors have one or more elder law lawyers that they will refer their clients to depending on each client s individual needs. If your advisor has not discussed elder law issues with you (including long term care planning, Medicaid planning. and estate planning, to name a few), then be sure to bring them up with your advisor. Also, go ahead and ask your advisor who did his or her own personal estate plan - the answer may be just who you are looking for.
Ask your accountant for a referral
Many elder law attorneys turn to accountants for help with estate, trust and income tax issues that affect the aging population. Thus, chances are your accountant or that of a family member can recommend one or more elder law attorneys to assist with the elder law needs of you or your family member. Likewise, many accountants seek out elder law lawyers for their clients since accountants have direct access to their clients financial information and family situations and can uncover the need for long term care planning, Medicaid planning and estate planning. And go ahead and ask your accountant who did his or her own personal estate plan - the answer may be just who you are looking for.
- Ask other attorneys you have worked with on other legal matters for a referral
Chances are a lawyer you or a family member have worked with in setting up a business, buying a home, or reviewing a contract will know one or more qualified elder law attorneys. And lawyers are always quite happy to refer their clients to other lawyers who do not practice in their area of expertise because this will promote referrals back the other way. Aside from this, go ahead and ask your lawyer who did his or her own personal estate plan since many non-estate lawyers will not even attempt to create their own long term care and estate plan (the saying, A lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client certainly holds true for elder law issues). I have quite a few non-estate lawyers as clients, so chances are your lawyer will have a long term care plan or estate plan that was drafted by another local lawyer who specializes in elder law matters.
Contact your state or local bar association for a referral
Each state has a bar association and lawyers located in a certain city or county may also have their own bar associations. Many of these associations maintain a list of their members and their practice areas, and some even offer certified referral services to the public. Check your local telephone directory or online for a referral service in your area.
Check advertisements in your local telephone directory or newspaper, or on the internet, radio or television for a referral
Many lawyers, including elder law lawyers, advertise through various means, including in print, on the radio, on TV and on the internet. All states regulate attorney advertising, so only ads that pass the strict scrutiny of the state bar association are allowed. This insures that the attorney is not making false claims or promising unattainable results.
Contact your local probate court for a referral
This may not work for you - particularly if you live in a large city - but in smaller communities the court clerks know all of the local attorneys and which ones are easy to work with and which ones the judges like. Since I practice in a smaller city and have a good working relationship with the court clerks and judges, I have received several referrals this way and consider it one of the highest compliments.
This list is really only a starting point and does not even attempt to address the vast amount of information you can find about professionals, including elder law attorneys, on the internet. Sometimes, however, too much information is just that, and so you need to stick with some basic methods. These seven should help.
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