White & Allen Attorney Receives Certifications in Elder Law

E. Wyles Johnson, Jr. was recently certified by The National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) as a Certified Elder Law
Attorney, and the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Elder Law.

To achieve certification by the NELF – the only organization accredited by the American Bar Association to offer certification in the area of elder law – one must have a minimum of five years of practice and 16 hours per week devoted to elder law practice handling at least 60 elder law matters during the three years immediately preceding application, and successful completion of a six-hour certification exam. In addition, an applicant must pass a peer review process, have completed at least 45 hours of continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding certification, and undergo a similar elder law certification process every five years. There are currently only 14 Certified Elder Law Attorneys in North Carolina.

To achieve certification by the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, one must have been in practice for at least five years, devote a significant part of his practice to the specialty area, attend continuing legal education seminars in the specialty, be favorably evaluated by other lawyers and judges, and pass a written examination in the specialty practice area.

Certification in elder law – one of the fastest-growing fields in the legal profession – will provide a measure of assurance to the public that the attorney has an in-depth working knowledge of the legal issues that impact the elderly. According to the NELF, elder law is the practice of counseling and representing individuals, their families, and representatives about the legal and financial aspects of health and long-term
care planning, public benefits, special needs planning, surrogate decision-making, legal capacity, the conservation, disposition, and administration of estates, and the implementation of decisions concerning these matters, giving consideration to the tax consequences of the action or the need for advanced tax planning.

Wyles’ practice is substantially concentrated in Elder and Special Needs Law, in which he focuses on issues unique to the elderly and disabled and advocates for their right to public benefits such as Medicare, Special Assistance, and Medicaid. Wyles also represents the elderly and disabled against those with whom they have a fiduciary relationship, such as a Trustee, Guardian, or Attorney-in-Fact under
a Power of Attorney, for breach of fiduciary duty. His practice also includes an emphasis on issues confronting war veterans in need of medical assistance and is accredited for the preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Wyles has represented over 500 elderly or disabled clients advising creative planning strategies to facilitate eligibility for public benefits such as Medicaid while preserving assets for family members.

Wyles attended Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., receiving his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in May of 1981 and his Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A.) in December of 1982. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Norman Adrian
Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in December of 2001.

White & Allen, P.A. is a full-service law firm with offices in Kinston, New Bern, and Snow Hill.  The firm has offered a wide range of legal
services to Eastern North Carolina for many years.  The firm’s practice includes concentrations on bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, civil litigation, personal injury, commercial law, corporate law, criminal law, elder law, and special needs, employee benefits, employment law, estate planning, and administration, family law, health care law, real estate and tax planning. Please visit our website for more information, www.whiteandallen.com.