Nature of business: A life care planning law firm, we provide traditional elder law services, such as guardianships and conservatorships, powers of attorney and other advance directives. We also assist with applications for ALTCS (Medicare) and VA benefits, and our Legal and Human Services staff works with families to bundle asset protection, public benefits qualification, insurance assistance, nursing home advocacy and crisis intervention into a single package called a life care plan, which protects the elder's quality of life until the end of life.
How long have you been practicing law? I began practicing law in Michigan in 1980. I came to Arizona in 1999 for a business opportunity in a different field, and returned to the practice of law in 2008.
What inspired you to begin this firm? When dealing with the issues my own parents and grandparents were facing, I learned how challenging it can be to get answers and find the help we needed to make good decisions. This inspired me to design a business that can provide this help for others.
Professional background: I graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Law in 1980, and began practicing in Grand Rapids, Mich. After a few years of private practice, I held corporate positions with office furniture manufacturers, in which I gradually moved from legal to business functions. I moved to Arizona to join an office furniture distributorship in 1999, and became a majority owner in 2004. I sold my interest in that company in the summer of 2008.
What are your greatest accomplishments? I have always benefited from wonderful mentors, and I feel honored to have the opportunity to assist others in the same way, especially as they struggle through transitions in their own careers or through challenges that they have not yet been able to turn into opportunities. On a personal level, I began participating in competitive weight-lifting through Arizona Senior Olympics four years ago, and now participate in the competitions of other federations. This is the first time I have ever participated in organized or competitive sports, and I am proud to have set several state records for my age group.
What advice do you have to offer other professionals? Even if your current situation doesn't feel exactly right, the skills you learn, contacts you make and experiences you file away can help you move closer to achieving your goals. And, as I learned through both my professional and weight-lifting experiences, it is never too late to try something new.
How do you contribute to the local community? I am a board member and past chair of Arizona Women's Education and Employment (AWEE). I served as fundraising committee chair for a foundation established to support the work of the City of Phoenix Family Advocacy Center for five years. I am now refocusing my community activities in areas that support our elderly population and those who care for them. I am a member of the Maricopa Elder Abuse Prevention Alliance's financial abuse subcommittee, and am becoming involved with Beatitudes Center DOAR.
Jewish affiliations: I belong to Congregation Beth Israel, and am development committee chair of the Arizona chapter of the Anti-Defamation League.
City of residence: Phoenix
Spouse: James Jarvis. He was previously the billing manager of a large law firm and runs the business side of our firm.
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