About Us

Laurie Ohall, elder care lawyer

Laurie Ohall

Florida Bar #40230
Partner, Law Offices of Laurie E. Ohall P.A.
Associated with R.F. Meyer & Associates, LLC, since January 1, 2018; Of Counsel, Browning & Meyer Co., L.P.A., Sept. 1, 2010 to December 31, 2017
Laurie Ohall is a Florida Board Certified Elder Law attorney who has been practicing law since 1994. She has dedicated most of her legal career to the practice of estate planning and elder law which includes the related fields of asset protection planning, special needs planning, Medicaid eligibility planning, probate, guardianship, and trust administration. Ms. Ohall enjoys educating her clients so that they can make the best choices possible for their families. In addition to being a Partner at Law Offices of Laurie E. Ohall P.A., Laurie is licensed to practice law in Ohio, and is associated with R.F. Meyer and Associates, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio which also concentrates its areas of practice in estate planning, elder law, estate administration, probate administration, trust administration, asset preservation, guardianship, special needs planning, and Medicaid eligibility planning.
Laurie hosted numerous workshops to help parents with Developmentally Disabled adult children learn how to navigate filing for guardian advocacy in Hillsborough County, Florida on their own. This pro bono workshop helps many families be able to file to become Guardian Advocate over their children without having to spend money on an attorney. Laurie worked with the Hillsborough County probate court to make the forms available online to all Hillsborough County families. She also recorded YouTube videos and has a “how to” manual available on the website to guide families through the process.

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Areas of Practice

  • Estate Planning
  • Elder Law
  • Probate & Estate Administration
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Guardianship
  • Special Needs Planning
  • Medicaid Planning

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1994
  • U.S. District Court Middle District of Florida, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Florida, 1996
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1996
  • Ohio, 2010

Education

  • Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida, 1994,  J.D.
  • Stetson University, DeLand, Florida, 1991, B.A., Major: Psychology

Professional Associations and Memberships

  • The Florida Bar (Member, Sections on: Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; Elder Law), Member
  • The Florida Bar: Elder Law Section, Co-Chair, Resident’s Rights Committee, 2011-2012
  • The Florida Bar: Certified Elder Law Attorney, 2012 – Present
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, 2003 – Present, Member
  • Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, 2003 – Present, Member
  • Brandon Bar Association, 2007 – 2016, Member
    • Past President and Past Treasurer
  • Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, 2012 – present, Member
  • Selected to Super Lawyers 2015 through 2022
  • Co-Chair, Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys December UnProgram, 2016-2017
  • Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, Board Member, 2017 to 2020
  • Elder Law Section, Florida Bar, Co-Chair (2018 – 2020), Elder Law Certification Committee (2017 – 2023)

Representative Cases

  • Foster v. Cianci, 773 So.2d 1181 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001)

Classes/Seminars Taught

  • “Unraveling the Mystery of Asset Protection Vehicles in Florida” National Business Institute, 2005
  • “Estate Planning and Probate for the Paralegal/Legal Assistant in Florida” 2005
  • “Estate Planning and Probate for the Paralegal/Legal Assistant in Florida” 2007
  • “2007 Small Business/Individual Income Estate & Tax Planning Seminar” Wrobel, Pulkowski & Dickens, PA  December 6, 2007
  • “Business Succession Planning Workshop” NY Life Agents  April 3, 2008
  • “Elder Exploitation in Florida” Plant City Bankers Coalition  September 10, 2009
  • “Medicaid Update 2010, National Business Institute” August 5, 2010
  • “What Every Attorney Needs to Know About Medicaid, Medicare and Long Term Care”  NBI  January 25, 2012
  • “Advanced Care Directives” Ask the Expert at Savannah Court  June 27, 2013
  • “Medicaid Update”  NBI  August 26, 2013
  • “A Path Through The Woods: Navigating The Complex World of Government Benefits” National Guardianship Association  October 12, 2013
  • “Protecting Assets While Qualifying for Medicaid” NBI  October 6, 2014
  • “Retirement Planning Series” (Estate Planning Basics) Skyway Financial October 23, 2014 and October 29, 2014
  • “Digital Estate Planning” Senior Network User Group (SNUG) January 9, 2015
  • “The Unlicensed Practice of Law and Medicaid Planning” Savannah Court  March 26, 2015
  • “Retirement Planning Series” (Estate Planning Basics) Skyway Financial April 18, 2015 and April 23, 2015
  • “What is EP and Why Do I Need It?” Brandon Bar Library Series, May 13, 2015
  • “Special Needs = Special Answers”  The Heart-Centered Webinar Series, June 30, 2015
  • “Elder Exploitation Presentation” Belvedere Commons, Sun City Center July 13, 2015
  • “F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (Families Raising, Inspring, Educating and Nurturing for Down Syndrome)”  A group of special needs parents., August 1, 2015
  • “Long Term Care & Elderly Scams” Valencia Lakes, September 28, 2015
  • “Estate Planning Basics” Rosecastle at Delaney Creek, October 21, 2015
  • “Preparing for the Future for Special Needs Students”  Plant City High School, November 19, 2015
  • “Advance Directives” Hawthorne Independent Living in Brandon, FL,  February 16, 2016
  • “Advance Directives” Ask the expert at Savannah Court of Brandon  Brandon, FL  April 21, 2016
  • Guest Speaker for Tampa Autism Support Group at Early Autism Project Clinic in Tampa, FL, May 9, 2016
  • “Elder Exploitation Issues” Kings Point in Sun City Center at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Community Awareness Forum, July 12, 2016
  • Parent Support Group at St. Joseph Hospital, July 16, 2016  11am to noon
  • “ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Planning” 4th Annual Creating a Plan for the Future: Workshop for post secondary planning for disabled students hosted by Hillsborough County Schools, 2920 N. 40th Street, Tampa, 33605  October 29, 2016.  Various breakout sessions.
  • “Planning Tips and Traps and the Medicaid Application and Appeals Process.” Medicaid Update 2016-National Business Institute CLE, November 7, 2016
  • “Pre-Need Planning Part 2: Protecting Assets.” Medicaid – The Ultimate Guide, National Business Institute CLE, April 18, 2017
  • Guardian Advocacy Workshops, Hillsborough County, 2017 – present
  • Guardian Advocacy Training for Pro Bono Attorneys, sponsored by Bay Area Legal Services, October 27, 2017
  • Guardian Advocacy presentation, Creating a Plan for the Future fair, Hillsborough County School District, October 28, 2017
  • “How to file for Guardian Advocacy Without Using an Attorney.” 25th Annual CARD Statewide Conference, January 12 – 14, 2018.
  • “Estate Planning in Florida: From A to Z”, National Business Institute, August, 2022

TV & Radio Appearances

  • “Up Close with Cathy Unruh WEDU PBS Caregiving TV Special“, Jan 8, 2015
  • “Arch Deal Hour”  Co-Host of this radio talk show which addresses elder issues in America. Show broadcasts every Sunday evening at 7pm ET on the Tan Talk Radio Network/1340AM WTAN.  February 2015 – April 2015.
  • “Same-Sex Marriage & Estate Planning” on the FoXXXy Forum Talk Show during the topic of Pride.  June 26, 2015

Pro Bono Activities

  • Brandon Bar Association Community Outreach, June 1, 2010 – 2015
  • Momentum Festival, Board Member , January 1, 2009 – 2014
  • Guardian Advocacy workshops in Hillsborough County, 2017 to present

Ancillary Businesses

  • Associate Counsel, R.F. Meyer & Associates, LLC, Columbus, OH

Fraternities/Sororities

  • Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity
  • Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority
neysa smith, paralegal

Neysa Smith

Paralegal
Neysa Smith hails from Tampa, Florida. She graduated high school from the Academy of the Holy Names and attended University of Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science Education in 1987. Ms. Smith is also a graduate of the National Institute of Paralegal Studies with a degree in Paralegal Studies which she received in 1989 and she has worked for several years as a paralegal handling personal injury cases. Currently, Ms. Smith works in the firm’s Probate and Guardianship Department.