Resources
Chambliss Attorney Rebecca Miller Earns Certified Elder Law Attorney Designation
Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, P.C. attorney Rebecca Miller recently earned the Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA®) designation from the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), the only organization accredited by the American Bar Association to offer certification in elder law. Rebecca is one of 16 CELAs in Tennessee and approximately 500 nationwide.
To obtain certification as a CELA, an attorney must undergo a comprehensive screening process that includes demonstrating a high level of experience and substantial involvement in the practice of elder law, handling at least 60 elder law cases in the three years prior to applying, obtaining peer references from five elder law attorneys, completing continuing legal education requirements, and passing a rigorous six-hour written exam. In recent years, the pass rate for certification exams has been under 30%.
“We are very excited for Rebecca to have earned her CELA designation,” said Estate Planning Section Chair Greg Willett. “With so few CELAs in Tennessee, we’re thrilled to have two in our estate planning team at Chambliss. Rebecca’s hard work in earning this certification truly reflects our firm’s commitment to being fiercely loyal and delivering professional, exceptional service.”
Rebecca works with elders and individuals with special needs and their families in Tennessee and Georgia on elder law, estate and special needs planning, and care coordination, as well as conservatorship and guardianship proceedings and estate administration. Clients rely on her to assess situations and create sensible legal strategies for negotiating long-term care and life care with confidence, particularly for those who require special care, attention, and protection.
Rebecca is listed as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listed General Civil and Family Mediator. The Best Lawyers in America® recently recognized her as a leader in trusts and estates matters, and in 2022, she was honored with the Bruce C. Bailey Volunteer Attorney Award by Legal Aid of East Tennessee for her pro bono work both in and out of Hamilton County. Rebecca is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Academy of Special Needs Planners, Conservatorship Association of Tennessee, Estate Planning Council of Chattanooga, and Southeast Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women. In addition, she is a member of the State Bar of Georgia and North Carolina State Bar, as well as the American, Tennessee, and Chattanooga Bar Associations. Rebecca earned a bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University prior to graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law. She is licensed to practice in Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina.
“I am thrilled to have earned my CELA designation,” said Rebecca Miller. “As ‘the gold standard’ for elder law and special needs practitioners, this certification demonstrates my dedication to giving my clients the best legal representation. Having a CELA on your legal team means you’re in good hands with impassioned counsel with in-depth experience in a wide variety of fields.”
Read the Chattanoogan article, “Chambliss Attorney Rebecca Miller Earns Certified Elder Law Attorney Designation.”
Read the full Hamilton County Herald article, “Rebecca Miller earns elder law designation.”
