One of Us: Yasmin Adamy

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As a senior associate attorney for Rock Solid Business Law, Yasmin Adamy specializes in estate planning, probate, elder law and guardianships. Her own personal experience as a child dealing with the courts under tragic circumstances motivated her to become an attorney to help others navigate the legal system.

How can attorneys be of assistance to senior citizens in handling their estates?

 An attorney can be a strong advocate for senior citizens. As an elder law attorney, I use a holistic approach to help seniors protect their assets, qualify for government or veterans’ benefits, plan for incapacity, and ensure that the senior has appointed someone they trust to carry out any financial decisions and to make health care decisions. Although litigation is a last resort, I do represent clients in probate litigation and elder law litigation.  

 Our firm uses a proactive approach in designing an estate plan for our seniors so that difficult situations that may arise when it comes to capacity or probate never occur. We plan today for tomorrow.   

A rewarding part of my elder law practice includes long-term care planning for veterans. In addition, my practice also includes pet trusts and pet protection plans. Many people consider pets to be part of their family. A traditional estate plan (or no estate plan) will not protect furry family members when their humans are incapacitated or when they die.  

What legal protections do you recommend that families have? 

There are core estate planning documents that every person should have in place. These include a Durable Power of Attorney, so that financial decisions can be made during incapacity; Health Care Surrogate and Living Will, to ensure that your loved ones know your end of life decisions; and a Last Will and Testament, so that you give an inheritance and legacy to the people that you choose and not the people that the state of Florida has chosen for you. For most families, a Living Trust is a powerful estate planning tool that will avoid the probate court process, provide an immediate inheritance to your loved ones (as opposed to the delay caused by probate), and maintain privacy (probate proceedings are public record).

By having an estate plan in place, your loved ones are spared from having to deal with guardianship proceedings and probate proceedings at court. Your estate plan is “your plan” and it makes certain that “your wishes” are carried out.  An unexpected tragedy or illness can happen at any time. If your estate plan is in place and it is rock solid, your loved ones will not be left in the position of having to deal with attorneys, court fees, and a bunch of rules and regulations.  

What sets Rock Solid Business Law apart from other firms?

 We are a boutique firm that offers paramount legal services to our clients, who communicate directly with the attorney handling their case. By being a boutique firm, we are able to offer our clients custom-made plans at competitive prices. This also allows us to be flexible. We gladly meet clients on weekends and are more than happy to meet them at their home if they cannot come to our office. We consider our clients to be family.  
 

How did you decide on a career in the law?

 As a young child, I had to testify at a trial pertaining to the death of my father, who was a police officer killed in the line of duty. I will never forget the terror I felt as I looked at the attorneys and members of the jury. I will never forget how helpless I felt. It seemed as if no one was listening to me. I became an attorney so that I could advocate for my clients – so that their voices will be heard.

Fresh out of high school, I had the opportunity to work for an elderly gentleman who was also a famous tax attorney, lovingly referred to as “Black Al, the Tax Payer’s Pal.” Al suffered from macular degeneration; he could barely see. Being a tax attorney who was still practicing and teaching at the law school and not being able to read was very frustrating for him. I became his eyes. He would have me read statutes, newspapers and law books. I learned to love estate planning and probate because of Al. Two years ago, my grandmother died from complications due to Alzheimer’s Disease. I was very close to my Gram and witnessed how the disease progressed until it claimed her life. Through my experiences with Al and my Gram, I developed an affinity for our seniors and empathy for the challenges that they deal with. This is why I am a strong advocate for our senior citizens.
 

Are there any civic or charitable groups with which you’re involved that you’d like to highlight?

I strongly support the mission and purpose of K9s for Warriors, C.O.P.S. (concerns for police survivors), Alzheimer’s Association and the local Pet Rescues. 

What brought you to the First Coast?

 I’ve always wanted to live in Ponte Vedra. When I first moved to Florida, I was driving down A1A and thought to myself “Wow!  This place is beautiful. Someday, I’d love to live here. What is this area called?” Later, I found out that it was Ponte Vedra. I just didn’t know how to pronounce it (I thought it was “Pontay Vaedra”). Now that I live here, my pronunciation is passable. Who knows, I might even learn how to say “Mickler’s.”