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.

Danielle G. Van Ess is an experienced attorney with a growing solo practice, "DGVE law." She helps clients with such legal matters as residential real estate transactions, and preparation of Wills and related documents, including naming guardians for minor children. Danielle provides her clients personalized attention to address their specific goals offering them customized solutions and advice. As a wife and mother herself, Danielle understands that the process of seeking and obtaining legal assistance can be intimidating for many of her clients, who tend to be parents of young children. She prides herself on helping them through their particular matters in a friendly and relaxed manner. To foster her clients' comfort, Danielle charges a flat, rather than hourly, fee for most work. Her clients know they can engage her in ongoing, regular dialogue to answer their questions, address their concerns, and explain legal jargon, without fear of incurring further expenses. They also know they can turn to her for assistance whenever the need arises.

HOWARD S. GOLDMAN concentrates his practice in business law for closely held companies, real estate, litigation, conveyancing, condominium law, civil litigation, and financing. He is a lecturer for the National Business Institute and the Institute of Real Estate Managers, and is the editor-in-chief of The Community Association Institute and The Professional Planner. Mr. Goldman has been admitted to practice in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He is an active member of the Boston, Norfolk, and Massachusetts Bar Associations, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, Real Estate Bar Association, and the Attorneys Committee of the Community Association Institute. He is also a mediator for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program at the Boston Municipal Court. Mr. Goldman is currently serving on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Needham.

Website: http://www.GoldmanPease.com

Peter C. Herbst Jr. joined Baker, Braverman and Barbadoro, P.C. in September of 2008. Attorney Herbst concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial real estate, estate planning and estate administration. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Herbst was a partner in the firm of Herbst & Herbst, LLC where he concentrated on residential real estate, estate planning and land use.

Mr. Herbst is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut. Mr. Herbst graduated cum laude from Vermont Law School where he served as a member and Managing Editor of the Vermont Law Review. Mr. Herbst was also active in the Student Bar Association serving as its Webmaster and IT Coordinator. During his third year of law school, Mr. Herbst taught Legal Writing and Reasoning to first year law students. As an undergraduate, Mr. Herbst attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources and the Environment. He is also an alumnus of Phillips Andover.

Mr. Herbst served on the Board of Directors of LARC, Inc., a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Mr. Herbst also served as a Zoning Hearing Officer for the City of Torrington, a position appointed by the City's Mayor.