Services: Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, Medicaid Planning, Elder Law, Probate, Estate Planning, Family Law.
Karla Carolan received her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law. While attending Stetson, Karla focused her studies on Elder Law and Estate Planning and received a Certificate of Concentration in Elder Law. Karla was also awarded the Matthew Bender Elder Law Book Award for high academic achievement in Elder Law and Estate Planning courses. Karla was also recognized with the William F. Blews Pro Bono Service Award and was inducted into the Who’s Who Among American Colleges & Universities. In addition to Elder Law and Estate Planning, which also encompasses probate, guardianship, guardian advocacy, Medicaid planning, and trust administration, Karla also practices Family Law with specific emphasis on marital dissolution, child custody and support, and relocation issues. Karla started her practice in 2008 and has thoroughly enjoyed helping her clients with their legal needs.
Karla’s passion for practicing comes from her own personal experiences in life. Karla worked and raised kids while attending college, and has struggled through divorce and life as a single mother. As a parent, Karla has also faced the challenges that arise when you have a child with special medical needs. Due to the many hospitalizations of her own child, who had battled liver disease and was eventually transplanted, Karla came to know other families who struggled with issues associated to having special needs children of their own. She has also faced the challenge of assisting her aging parents. This has helped Karla grow personally and allows her to have a deeper compassionate understanding of the issues people face. So, not only does she known the law, she knows people.
Karla is currently admitted to practice in Florida, is a member of the Elder Law Inns of Court, and the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce. She enjoys helping out agencies that help with outreach to our community senior citizens, veterans and disabled.
Karla has also appeared (and is available) as a speaker on guardianship, guardian advocacy, estate planning, Special Needs Trusts, & Medicaid planning and has authored the following articles:
- Legacy and Long-Term Care: Should the Privilege of Inheritance Take a Backseat to the Needs of Providing Long-Term Care for the Growing Elder Population? (Spring 2007)
- Special Needs Trusts: Their Purpose, the Different Types, and Knowing When and Why to Use Them (Spring 2008)
- The Disabled Child and Divorced Parents: The Impact of Child Support on SSI and an Alternative Arrangement That Should Be Considered (Spring 2008)