Message from the President, amy e. mccullough

Thank you for visiting the website of the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA), a chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.  VAELA leads the way in special needs and elder law throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Founded in 2002, VAELA now has more than 200 members throughout the Commonwealth, and continues to grow.  VAELA’s mission is to educate, inspire and empower legal representation of elderly and disabled clients and their families, and to advocate their issues before courts and legislatures. The elderly and people with disabilities often face a multitude of legal issues that require specialized representation.  Members of VAELA are knowledgeable and compassionate attorneys who provide the focused advice needed to sort through those issues. Our attorneys provide a wide variety of legal services from basic to complex estate planning, probate and trust administration services, special needs planning for children and adults, assistance with guardianship and conservatorship, and preserving eligibility for Medicaid and other public benefits. Our website directory serves as a resource for the public when seeking attorneys well-versed in estate planning, elder law and special needs issues.

VAELA helps its members hone their skills as elder law attorneys and increase their knowledge base on aging issues and special needs planning. We sponsor ongoing legal education, including an annual, two-day "UnProgram" and a fall program. These programs provide opportunities for both new and more experienced elder law attorneys to review recent updates to the law, as well as to learn more about topics that directly impact their practice such as guardianship and conservatorship, estate planning, long-term care, Medicaid planning, fiduciary litigation, special needs trusts, nursing home issues, and many more.

In addition, we offer our members monthly Zoom gatherings to meet with other members and discuss any questions or concerns in their individual practices. We also provide our members an invaluable active Listserv which provides daily opportunities for attorneys to share information and ask questions of other active Virginia practicing elder law attorneys. Lastly, in addition to our other committees, the Public Policy Committee works actively to improve the laws governing issues important to the elderly and disabled throughout the Commonwealth. We welcome the opportunity to hear from you.

Please contact us if you or your organization, would like more information on VAELA.