Education

• University of Michigan

  (B.A., 1990)

• The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law

  (J.D., with honors, 1995)

  Order of the Coif

Admissions

• State of Ohio
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio

• Has over 25 years of experience handling all aspects of trust and estate planning and administration.
• Guides individuals and families with elder and special needs challenges through estate planning, Medicare, Medicaid, guardianship, probate, and other matters, including contested probate and fiduciary litigation.
• Formulates various estate planning arrangements including asset protection and probate avoidance techniques for clients tailored to their specific needs.
• Counsels individuals and families in structuring various methods of achieving financial goals and the distribution of wealth, while minimizing the imposition of federal estate, gift, and generation skipping transfer taxes.
• Consults with business owners to structure and implement business succession plans.
• Assists both corporate and individual fiduciaries in connection with the administration of trusts and estates.

Publications

• “Gifts for the People – Proposed Drastic Changes to Federal Gift Tax Law,” JD Supra (April 2021)
• “Advising Clients with Diminished Capacity,” Currents Magazine (October 2020)
• “An Introduction to Medicaid Planning for Long-Term Care Costs,” Co-Author, Estate Planning (January 2020)
• “Five-Year Look-Back Medicaid Planning – The Dos and Don’ts,” Co-Author, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal (June 2018)
• “Catch 22: Medicaid Planning Issues with Third Party Trusts,” Co-Author, Probate Law Journal of Ohio (November/December 2017)
• “Ohio’s New Medicaid Lien Adjustment: A Statutory Process with a Second Chance to Get it Right,” Ohio Trial (Winter 2016)

Presentations

• “The Probate Process From Start to Finish for Paralegals,” Institute for Paralegal Education (November 2020)
• “The Life of a Trust,” National Business Institute Webinar (September 2020)
• “Terminating Irrevocable Trusts, Tax Implications, and Trust Administration,” Rossdale Group Seminar (August 2020)
• “Fixing a Special Needs Trust – It Has to Be Simple, Right?” Co-Presenter, Ohio State Bar Association Elder Law Institute (March 2020)
• “Medicare and Medicaid Liens and Medicare Set-Asides,” Co-Presenter, Ohio State Bar Association Medicare and Medicaid Forum (June 2019)
• “Navigating the DODD Waiting Room: The Ball is in Your Court,” Ohio State Bar Association Ohio Special Needs and Elder Law Planning (March 2019)
• “Medicaid Estate Recovery: Polishing Your Crystal Ball,” Co-Presenter, Ohio State Bar Association Elder Law Institute (March 2019)
• “Medicaid: Maximizing Excluded Assets,” National Business Institute Webinar (March 2019)
• “When Good Intentions Go Bad … Agents of the General Durable Power of Attorney,” Co-Presenter, Ohio State Bar Association Elder Law Institute (March 2018)
• “Advanced Directives and POAs: Hot Issues,” Ohio State Bar Association Elder Law Institute (March 2017)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

• Ohio State Bar Association (Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law Section; Elder and Special Needs Law Committee)

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• Milestones Autism Organization (Board Member)
• Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) Foundation (Board Member)

• Named to The Best Lawyers in America, Trusts and Estates (2020-2021), Litigation – Trusts and Estates (2021)
• Received The Gold Star Award, the highest award from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, to honor AmeriCorps VISTA team efforts to provide legal services for formerly incarcerated persons

• Ulmer Adds Experienced Trusts & Estates Attorney to Cleveland Office