Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Attorney Leanna Hamill provides Estate Planning and related legal services to clients of all ages, with a focus on the needs of older individuals and their families. Based in Hingham, Massachusetts, Attorney Leanna Hamill provides the following services:

• Estate Planning
• Estate Administration
• Guardianship and Conservatorship Services
• Comprehensive Estate and Medicaid Planning Evaluations
• Medicaid Advocacy

Leanna works with her clients to plan for and face life’s exciting changes, unexpected challenges and inevitable transitions. By listening to her clients’ needs and helping them identify their goals, Leanna is able to provide solutions to the issues facing today’s families and seniors.

ATTORNEY PROFILE

Leanna graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School, and has a degree in Sociology from the University of California, Davis. Prior to practicing law, Leanna worked at Tufts Health Plan, in the Appeals and Grievances Department, for over seven years. Leanna lives in Hingham and is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the South Shore Coalition of Workers with the Elderly. Leanna is also one of the co-founders of the Women Attorneys Network of the South Shore ( http://www.wanss.org/ ) and can sometimes be found on Weymouth Community Television doing yoga with Back to Your Senses.

PRACTICE AREAS

Estate Planning

Leanna provides estate planning for clients of all ages and circumstances. For young families this can include selecting a guardian for minor children and planning for their future, while for older families or individuals this can include long-term care and disability planning, or simply updating their previous estate plans to reflect their current situation. Leanna works with clients to draft Wills, Trusts, Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and Living Wills that that take into account each client’s particular needs and wishes.

If necessary, Leanna can refer her clients to a trusted network of financial planners, accountants, geriatric care managers and other professionals to ensure all of her clients’ needs are met.

Estate Administration

Leanna provides full representation of fiduciaries administering estates. Probate administration includes filing the petition for appointment of the personal representative, preparing and filing the inventory of estate assets, paying decedent’s debts, distributing assets, filing tax returns, and filing accounts with the Probate Court.

Guardianship and Conservatorship Services

Leanna represents clients seeking guardianship and conservatorship of relatives who can no longer manage their personal or financial affairs and assists family members in fulfilling the duties imposed by these new roles.

Comprehensive Estate and Long Term Care Planning Evaluations

Leanna begins her representation of many clients with a comprehensive estate and long-term care planning evaluation. This evaluation determines the best planning strategies to pursue in order to meet the estate planning and long-term health care objectives of the client. Leanna examines all aspects of the client’s financial well-being and issues a follow-up letter which summarizes the client’s unique situation, reviews the law, and explains her recommendations for the best possible estate plan for the client.

Medicaid Advocacy

Leanna prepares or assists in the preparation and submission of the Medicaid application to the appropriate long-term care unit of the Division of Medical Assistance (DMA). At the client’s request, she co-ordinates all communications with the DMA, thereby removing the individual as much as possible from the tedious and often frustrating application process. If needed, Leanna can represent clients in connection with Medicaid appeals in administrative hearings before the Board of Hearings.

I established my own practice in October of 2007, after spending several years working for firms in and out of the Worcester area. I grew up in Clinton, Massachusetts, and graduated from Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts.

I am currently pursuing my L.L.M. (Masters in Law) in Elder Law and Estate Planning, from Western New England College, School of Law. I also received his J.D. from WNEC in 2000. Less than 5% of attorneys go on to receive a L.L.M. degree.

I practice in several areas:

Residential Real Estate- I have represented banks, credit unions, mortgage companies, lenders, buyers, brokers and sellers over the past several years. I have personally been involved in over 1000 real estate transactions.

Elder Law and Estate Planning- I currently have less than one year left in my studies for my L.L.M (Masters in Law) in the areas of Estate Planning and Elder Law. While one does not need this degree to practice in these areas, I feel like this degree provides me more knowledge in this area, and will make me an expert in these fields.

Personal Injury- I take all personal injury cases, whether they be auto accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, and medical malpractice cases. I have been involved in million dollar judgments in the past.

Bankruptcy-I represent debtors in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases.

Animal Law- I am beginning to accept clients in this area. This area can run from providing trusts to provide for pets upon their owners death, to vet malpractice, to representing families at dangerous dog hearings.

I also accept clients on a limited basis in these areas:

Landlord/Tenant cases- I have represented both the landlord and the tenant in these cases.

Divorce-I have been involved in both contested and uncontested divorces here in Massachusetts.

Valedictorian law school honors graduate - S. New England
Attended Harvard University's Graduate Management Program.

Creative, energetic, result-oriented attorney with substantial legal experience. Focus on real estate and business transactions, elder law, estate planning, and municipal law.

Seventeen year member of the Massachusetts Bar.

Town of Petersham:
- Nine year member/attorney for the Zoning Board of Appeals.
- Eight year member/attorney for the By-law Revisions Committee.
- Six year member/attorney for the Affordable Housing Partnership.

Board of Directors - Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust (2001 - 2004)

Accomplishments include:

-Drafted the Petersham Affordable Housing Plan (approved by the Mass. Dept. of Housing & Community Development - 08/2005.)

- $1.4 million client settlement.

- Defeated multi-billion dollar and multi-milliion dollar commercial developers.

- Drafting and strategically garnering community support/adoption of municipal by-laws.

- Helping people keep their homes in the event of foreclosure or nursing homes

Melissa R. Victor is a well-respected attorney in Southeastern Massachusetts. She is an expert in the areas of Estate Planning, Probate an Trust Administration, Guardianships, Elder Law, Medicaid and Real Estate matters. She graduated from the State University of New York College at Oswego in 1994. She then attended New England School of Law in Boston, where she graduated Cum Laude in 1997. Attorney Victor is admitted to practice law in both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York.

Attorney Victor is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She has been a guest speaker on the show "Legal Beagles" as well as "Hometown Talk" on 1530 AM. She has also been quoted in various newspapers including the Metro West Daily News. She is currently an Adjunct Professor at her alma mater, New England School of Law, where she teaches Wills, Estates and Trusts II. Attorney Victor has also presented hundreds of estate planning seminars for religious organizations, non-profits, social groups and such financial organizations as Merrill Lynch, H.R. Block, Bridgewater Savings Bank and Advest.