Osterhout, McKinney and Prather, P.A. - Florida Medicaid Law, Florida Elder Law, and Florida Asset Protection               FLORIDA MEDICAID, FLORIDA ASSET PROTECTION AND FLORIDA ELDER LAW SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY OF FLORIDA.
Julie Osterhout JULIE OSTERHOUT
Elder Law Attorney
Of Counsel
Lance McKinney LANCE MCKINNEY
Certified Elder Law
Attorney
Beth Prather BETH PRATHER
Certified Elder Law
Attorney
Britton Swank BRITTON SWANK
Elder Law
Attorney

HOME | ABOUT US | CONTACT US

STAFF ALBUM

  | About Us | Find Us (Map) |

Julie Osterhout
After receiving her Juris Doctorate from Mercer Law School in 1980, Julie began practicing law in the Fort Myers area. In 1990, she opened her private practice concentrating on the laws and issues affecting the elderly. Her practice includes estate planning, probate, guardianship, asset protection planning, and Medicaid qualification. Julie is very active in community activities and championed the formation of the Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center, Inc. and was named Board Member Emeritus in 2004. Julie has served as the chair of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar and has been a Director of the Board of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She was chosen as a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys for outstanding service to the legal community and to seniors. Only five attorneys in Florida have received this honor.

Lance M. McKinney
Lance received his Juris Doctorate with honors from the University of Florida in 1990. He is a member of the American Bar Association, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, The Florida Bar, The Lee County Bar Association, and The Florida State Guardianship Association. Lance is admitted to practice in all courts of the State of Florida. In June 2005 Lance was board certified as an Elder Law Attorney by The Florida Bar. His practice concentrates in the areas of probate, guardianships, wills, and trusts. Lance received formal training in investment fiduciary responsibility, and earned the AIF® designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies through the University of Pittsburgh. Lance served as a barrister in the Inns of Court and on the Board of Directors of Age Link, an agency that provided information and referrals to the elderly.

Beth A. Prather
After receiving her Master’s degree in Business Administration in 1988 from Nova University and her Juris Doctorate, cum laude in 1992 from the University of Maine, Beth returned to her hometown of Fort Myers to practice law. She is a member of The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, The Florida Bar, the Lee County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Florida State Guardianship Association. Beth is a current Board member of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys. Beth served as an officer and board member for The Association of Family Law Professionals and was a member of the Inns of Court. Her practice concentrates in the areas of probate, guardianship, estate planning, and Medicaid planning. Beth is certified as a Circuit Civil Mediator and she mediates contested guardianship cases. In 2006 Beth was board certified as an Elder Law Attorney by The Florida Bar. She serves on The Senior Friendship Centers’ Board of Governors.

Britton Goodlad Swank
Britton received her Juris Doctorate with High Honors in December 2002 from the University of Florida Levin College of Law and was admitted to practice in Florida in September 2003. She is a member of The Florida Bar, the Lee County Bar Association and The Order of the Coif, a national legal honor society which recognizes outstanding academic achievement for students in the top 10% of their graduating class. Britton completed an Elder Law Practicum through Stetson College of Law working with the Guardianship General Master, and was a participant in a Guardianship, Mental Health, Probate and Trust Externship at the Thirteenth Judicial Court in Tampa. Britton is a Florida native, born in Miami, and she attended schools in Hendry County. Britton serves on the Board of Trustees of The Alvin A. Dubin Alzheimer’s Resource Center.

Paul Bagley
Paul is the Office Administrator at Osterhout, McKinney & Prather. Paul returned to the SW Florida area from Alabama to accept the position when it was created at the beginning of 2000. Paul is a 1969 graduate of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C. and his previous experience includes 30 years as administrator for various nonprofit organizations.
Paul is an active member of the Association of Legal Administrators, serving as President of the SW Florida Chapter in 2003-2004.
Paul’s primary responsibilities at Osterhout, McKinney & Prather are handling the human resource and financial management needs. He also coordinates the firm’s management committee meetings.

When not at the office, Paul enjoys all types of sports, fishing and playing NTN trivia.

Contact Paul at (239) 277-1718.

Kate Wasserlein
Kate is the probate assistant for the firm. She moved to Lehigh Acres from Wisconsin in 1982 and began working with Julie in August of 1983. She enjoys reading, needlework and playing her piano.
 
Contact Kate at (239)-939-7732

Peggy Polsinelli
Peggy Polsinelli has worked for Julie since 1990. She assists the attorneys in the estate planning files, and has worked in guardianship and medicaid files in the past. Peggy obtained an associate’s degree in legal assisting in 1992 and was certified as a legal assistant by the National Association of Legal Assistants in 1993. Peggy and her husband Paul live in Lehigh Acres, and in October, 2003 welcomed their son Michael to their family.
Contact Peggy at (239) 939-7977

Tricia Winterstein
Tricia is a legal assistant in the Medicaid Planning practice area. Tricia joined the firm in 1990. In 1994, she received her paralegal degree and obtained a national certification as a Certified Legal Assistant. In May 1995, she graduated from the University of South Florida with her Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration. After completing her educational and professional goals, Tricia married Jeff in April 1996. They are the proud parents of Alex, born in April 2004. Away from the office, Tricia and Jeff spend their free time enjoying Alex, and playing co-ed softball and golf.

Contact Tricia at (239) 939-7548

Pam Lahar
Pam is our guardianship assistant and has worked at the firm since January 1995. She enjoys helping families through the complex system of being appointed as a guardian. She served as the secretary for the Southwest Florida chapter of the Florida State Guardianship Association from September 2000 to September 2004, and is currently serving as the first vice president/membership chair for the chapter. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband, Bill, and her animals Red and Lady.
 
Contact Pam at (239) 277-1722

Debbie Aikens
Debbie has an Associates degree in Paralegal Studies from North Shore Community College where she graduated with Honors. She was employed as a paralegal in the Boston area for seven years prior to relocating to Florida in January of 2001. Debbie works in our guardianship department and handles the files when a guardian is applying for medicaid. After work, Debbie enjoys being at home with her daughters, Christie and Melissa.
 
Contact Debbie at (239) 791-0910

Teresa Smith
Teresa is a legal assistant in the Estate Planning Department. She has worked for attorneys since 1987 and joined the firm on December 31, 2002. 
 
Teresa is earning her Associates degree, and her long term goal is to become an attorney. Along with her husband Matt, and two dogs Amadeus and Geisha, Teresa moved to the Southwest Florida area from New York in 1993. When not attending night classes and doing homework, she enjoys biking and going for long drives to explore the area.
 
Contact Teresa at (239) 791-0883.

Shirley Petski
Shirley Petski joined the firm in January 2003. Shirley served as the receptionist for two years, and she currently works part time assisting in the estate planning and trust administration practice areas. Shirley and her husband moved to Fort Myers after her retirement from the insurance industry in Wisconsin. When not at the office she enjoys her seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild, reading, traveling, playing cards, and the wonderful weather in Florida.
Contact Shirley at 239-791-0890
Emily Reese, M.A., C.M.C. – Life Care Coordinator

Ms. Reese has over 24 years of experience in the geriatric care management field in public non profit and private enterprises. She was formerly the Founder and President of Aging Concerns, a Cape Coral, Fl. private geriatric care management firm that was acquired by a national company in April 2005. Certified as a Care Manager (CMC) by the National Academy of Certified Care Managers, Ms. Reese is a member of the National Academy of Professional Geriatric Care Managers and the American Society on Aging. Ms. Reese is a past President of the Florida Geriatric Care Managers Association and remains active within the professional community. Ms. Reese was part of the professional team at the University of Florida that developed a post graduate Geriatric Care Management Certificate Program. Ms. Reese is a cum laude graduate of the University of South Florida with a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Gerontology.
Ms. Reese, married, with twin daughters, resides in Cape Coral, Fl. She is active in her Church and enjoys reading, kayaking and travel.
Rosemarie Hemmings, LCSW Life Care Coordinator
Rosemarie is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience working with older adults and people with chronic illness.  Rosemarie is one of our Life Care Coordinators and joined our firm in March of 2008.  As a Life Care Coordinator, Rosemarie assists our Life Care Planning clients' in finding and keeping good care for the rest of their lives.  Rosemarie has significant experience in providing counseling and education to those facing challenging life decisions.  Rosemarie obtained her Master's Degree in Social Work from New York University.  Rosemarie has one son and enjoys traveling. 

Peggy Boucher
Peggy Boucher works in our probate department.  Ms. Boucher has an AS Degree from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, and worked in the legal arena in Michigan before moving to Florida in 1985.  Peggy has over 20 years of prior experience in law firms and in the private sector, before joining our firm in July 2007.  She resides in Cape Coral with her husband, Vic, and their two labrador retrievers.

Peggy can be reached at (239) 791-0881

Christie Claeson
Christie is the Lead Factotum for the firm.  She assists all departments with general organization and file management.  Christie is currently enrolled at Edison Community College and is working towards her Associates degree and then hopes to obtain her Bachelor's degree in Business Management.  Her long term goal is to attend culinary school and someday own a bakery.  In her spare time, she enjoys baking, reading, needlepoint and playing Guitar Hero.
 
Contact Christie at (239) 791-0880
Susan Mitchell
Susan is the Intake Coordinator for the firm and sets all appointment for Estate Planning, Medicaid and Life Care Planning.  Susan enjoys talking with our clients and potential clients  and asking them questions to help determine the appropriate type of appointment for them. 

Susan moved to North Ft. Myers from Maine in 2006 and began work with our firm in December of 2006.  When not at work, Susan enjoys walking, biking, swimming, reading, photography and exploring the area.  She also enjoys spending time with her family getting together to play cards and games.

Contact Susan at(239) 939-4832.

Jessica Ross
Jessica joined the firm in December of 2007 as the receptionist. She routes existing and potential clients to the appropriate staff member, opens and distributes all mail, greets all office arrivals and helps the attorneys keep on schedule with their appointments.  Jessica has over twenty years in the restaurant business and treats every client like family.  When not working, Jessica enjoys spending time with her animals, especially her horse Joe, and just being outdoors.
 
Contact Jessica at (239)939-4888.
Tim Flynn
Tim works as a Factotum at the firm and assists with filing and file management. He also assists all the staff at the firm with technical and administrative issues. Tim is currently a full-time student at Edison College and is completing his prerequisites toward acquiring his Bachelor's degree in Political Science. He intends on attending law school and eventually heading his own firm. Tim spends a lot of time with his friends playing music, video games and enjoying the simplicities life brings.
 
The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask us to send you free written information about our qualifications and experience. Site Design & Maintenance by
Law Firm Web Site Design
All contents (c) 2008
the Law Offices of Osterhout, McKinney & Prather
3783 Seago Lane
Fort Myers, Florida 33901
Phone: (239) 939-4888
Fax: (239) 277-0601