Jill A. Adkins

Jill has 30 years of legal experience in assisting clients with their estate planning goals or helping clients face a health crisis or a death in the family. Jill makes the legal system as understandable and efficient as possible for her clients.

Jill works with clients of all ages to create an estate plan that is tailored to each client's situation. Clients with young children need Wills that name guardians and include a mechanism for managing the children's inheritance. Older clients may wish to transfer a cabin or family farm to the next generation. Clients of all ages need advice to reduce or avoid estate taxes upon death. Proper estate planning can reduce the need for expensive court proceedings and help avoid family disputes after a death. Jill appreciates working with a client's financial planner or insurance agent to ensure all aspects of the client's estate plan, including beneficiary designations, are properly coordinated.

Estate planning includes planning for the possibility of incapacity. A car accident, head injury or serious illness can render a person of any age unable to make medical or financial decisions. If an incapacitated person had not previously signed a health care directive or financial power of attorney, the family may be forced to seek court appointment of a guardian and/or conservator. Jill has represented many families in both contested and uncontested guardianship and proceedings.

Jill is especially concerned about protecting the rights of older persons and much of her law practice has been focused on Elder Law. The phenomenon of elder abuse is gaining increased attention around the world. Jill helps older persons and their families to prevent abuse, especially financial exploitation, and to explore remedies when it happens. Jill has worked with local and international organizations, including the United Nations, to ensure that the law is used to improve the lives of older persons.