Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Susan M. Charles, J.D., LL.M. (Elder Law)

Attorney Susan Marie Charles is an attorney practicing in Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg, and Tampa, Florida. She provides comprehensive legal services to people in the Tampa Bay area who need assistance with estate planning, Medicaid planning, guardianship, and trust and estate administration.

A native of Rockville, Maryland, Susan enjoyed a 10-year career as an international travel consultant in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Tampa. A King-O'Neal Scholar, she graduated first in her undergraduate class, receiving her Bachelor's Degree Summa Cum Laude from the University of South Florida Honors College in 2002. She received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Stetson University College of Law in 2004, and attained her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Elder Law from Stetson University College of Law in 2008. Susan Charles is one of only a handful of attorneys in the United States to have earned the prestigious LL.M. in Elder Law. She is licensed to practice law in Florida and in the District of Columbia.

Professional and Community Involvement

Susan is a member of several professional associations, including the Florida Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, the American Bar Association, the St. Petersburg Bar Association, the St. Petersburg Bar Foundation, the Clearwater Bar Association, the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, the Pinellas County Estate Planning Council, and Wealth Counsel.

She is active in the community, serving as an advisor to the board of Suncoast Voices for Children Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting abused and neglected children through the Guardian Ad Litem Program in Pinellas and Pasco counties. She is also an active member of the Professional Advisors Committee of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay.

Committed to Educating Others

Susan's primary practice areas are estate planning, probate, Medicaid nursing home planning, guardianship, and other elder law issues. She provides free seminars to educate the public about the estate planning options available in Florida, explaining the pros and cons of each estate planning strategy, as well as the associated costs and tax ramifications. Her seminars also include discussion of estate taxes and asset protection methods, as well as the most common mistakes the elder community makes when planning asset protection and probate avoidance without the professional oversight of competent legal counsel.

Susan Charles is the host of "Florida Law Live," a call-in radio program during which attorneys discuss legal issues and answer legal questions live on the air. "Florida Law Live" is broadcast throughout Florida on Sunday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on WWBA News Talk 820 AM. "Florida Law Live" can also be heard around the world by visiting www.wwba820.com and then clicking "Listen Live" on the WWBA homepage.

Offices in Clearwater - Largo - St. Petersburg - Tampa

Steven C. Ruth is the managing- trial attorney at Beltz & Ruth, PA. For over 30 years he has exclusively represented thousands of families in successfully obtaining compensation for their injuries or wrongful death due to the negligent conduct of individuals, corporations, and insurance companies. He conducts jury trials involving auto, truck, and motorcycle accidents, as well as defective products, elderly abuse, and medical malpractice. He is admitted to practice before all state courts in Florida and Minnesota, the Federal Middle and Southern Districts of Florida, the Federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, the Supreme Court of the United States of America, and the United States Court of Federal Claims.

Mr. Ruth maintains a prestigious "AV rating" by Martindale-Hubbell, the preeminent national publication in the legal field. This honor is bestowed upon a comparatively small percentage of lawyers and law firms. It is the top rating available for any lawyer or law firm in the United States. The AV rating reflects that an attorney has reached the height of professional excellence, is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity, as well as numerous years of experience in the legal field.

Mr. Ruth attended Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania where he was president of Phi Delta Theta and studied at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University School for International Studies in Bologna, Italy. After graduating with his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science, he went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Mr. Ruth has been successful in protecting and fighting for the legal rights of his clients against large insurance companies and corporations for over 30 years. His knowledge of the law and devotion to his client’s interests has solidified his reputation in the legal community as a successful litigator and negotiator who seeks to get justice for his clients by recovering money damages for the wrongful injuries inflicted on them.

Memberships:

The American Bar Association
The Florida Bar Association
The Minnesota State Bar Association
American Association for Justice
Florida Justice Association
Minnesota Association for Justice
Hennepin County Bar Association
St. Petersburg Bar Association
Pasco County Bar Association
Hillsborough County Bar Association
Manatee County Bar Association

Serving Belleview, Summerfield, Lady Lake, Oxford and The Villages since 1997. Handling estate planning including Wills, Trusts, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Proxies. Handling Probate matters including Will Contests.