What Is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA)?

The legal profession contains a variety of practice areas and a wide range of professionals who specialize in those areas. Lawyers often focus or specialize in just one legal area or a small range of related practice areas.

One area is elder law, also called "older adult law." This field addresses legal issues specific to people over age 65. These legal professionals may also be certified elder law attorneys (CELAs), meaning they have obtained an approved certification as an expert in that field.

Basic Requirements for CELAs

A certified specialist in older adult law is an attorney who has:

• Received specific training in older adult law issues
• Practiced in that field for a certain amount of time
• Been certified as highly qualified in older adult law by their state bar or by another accrediting organization

Certified Specialists vs. “Specializing" in Older Adult Law

The title of "certified specialist" is an important qualification. An attorney who represents themself as a "certified specialist" but has not been appropriately certified can be liable for false and misleading advertising.

The American Bar Association publishes model ethical rules for attorneys advertising their specialties. They also must follow the related rules in their various states.

Full Requirements for Certification as an Older Adult Law Attorney

Although the requirements for certification as a specialist in older adult law may vary from state to state, many states recognize the elder law certification issued by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF).

That organization sets the following requirements to qualify as a certified elder law attorney. The attorney must:

1. Be licensed to practice law in at least one state or the District of Columbia
2. Have practiced law for at least five years before applying for certification
3. Be practicing law at the time of their application
4. Be a member in good standing in the bar where they are licensed
5. Have spent at least 16 hours per week practicing older adult law in the three years before the application
6. Have handled at least 60 older adult law matters during the previous three years
7. Have participated in at least 45 hours of continuing legal education in older adult law in the three years before their application
8. Submit the names of five attorney references familiar with their competence and qualifications
9. Pass a full-day certification examination

Once an attorney has been certified as a specialist in older adult law, they must continue their practice and participation in continuing legal education specific to the field.

This ensures that certified elder law attorneys maintain current knowledge of relevant laws and practice skills in representing older adult clients. They also should know the legal areas that impact their families and loved ones, such as choosing and paying for a nursing home or health care.

What Can a Certified Elder Law Attorney Do for Me?

An older adult law attorney will understand the challenges facing clients over age 65 and is trained to address their needs. If you're working with an attorney that is not a certified specialist in elder law, there is a greater chance that you may receive misinformation.

Given the many complexities involved in the field, you could hear outdated or incorrect information. These attorneys must understand areas related to older adult law, such as:

• Estate planning (including powers of attorney, wills, and trusts)
• Estate tax and gifting
• Medicare/Medicaid
• Special needs trusts
• Long-term care planning
• Age discrimination
• Veterans' benefits
• Older adult abuse

Where Can You Find a Certified Elder Law Attorney?

NELF's website provides a list of specialists by state. However, it is not the only certifying entity. You can also locate a certified elder law attorney through the state bar for your state.

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) also provides resources, education, advocacy, and a list of certified elder law attorneys.

You can also locate a certified elder law attorney on FindLaw's attorney directory.