Keith A. Stevens, CELA — Senior Associate

Keith A Stevens, CELA, has dedicated his legal career to helping families prepare for end-of-life needs and the transition from one generation to another.

He focuses his practice on Estate Planning, Medicaid & Disability Planning, Probate & Trust Administration, Guardianship, and Veterans Benefits. He has worked with hundreds of families across the state at all phases of life.

In 2022, he was recognized as a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, one of fewer than 50 attorneys in Ohio and fewer than 600 in the country.

Keith was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and after stops in Minnesota, Texas, and Pennsylvania, he has settled in Delaware, Ohio, with his wife and three children. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School.

SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS

• Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation
• Significant experience in estate planning, probate, special needs, and VA
• Licensed to practice law in
• Accredited to practice before the Department of Veterans Affairs and US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.

EXPERIENCE

R. F. Meyer & Associates, LLC — Senior Associate Attorney
JULY 2025 – Present

• Serving clients in estate administration, estate planning, guardianships, probate, and various Elder Law matters, and Medicaid applications and asset protection.

Stevens Estate & Elder Law LLC — Owner
AUGUST 2024 – JUNE 2025

• Solo firm operating to represent clients in Medicaid applications, asset protection, estate planning, estate administration, guardianship, Social Security disability, and VA benefits matters.

Parks Legal LLC — Of Counsel
NOVEMBER 2024 – Present

• Represent clients primarily in estate administration and guardianship matters, with secondary work in Medicaid applications and estate planning

Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP — Of Counsel
APRIL 2021 – AUGUST 2024

• Prepared and delivered asset protection, probate avoidance, and tax savings plans
• Estate administration (fiduciaries and beneficiaries), including straightforward & contested matters and advising on how to structure administration for creditor protection
• Adult and minor guardianships (applicants, proposed wards, and related parties)
• Trust administration (trustees and beneficiaries), including standard administration and declaratory judgment matters
• Minor & wrongful death settlements
• Name change
• Represented parties before probate courts in the following matters
• Developed eligibility strategies and represented applicants for Medicaid (long-term care, MAGI, & Board of Developmental Disabilities waiver), Social Security disability (SSDI & SSI), and Department of Veterans Affairs (aid & attendance)
• Served as guardian, representative payee, trustee, and executor as necessary for incapacitated or deceased individuals
• Prepared and filed individual and trust tax returns (federal, Ohio, local)
• Developed new special needs and Medicaid planning tools and techniques for the firm

AlerStallings LLC — Associate Attorney
NOVEMBER 2020 – MARCH 2021

• Met with a variety of clients to develop estate plans, focusing on probate avoidance, asset protection, and Medicaid planning
• Conducted regular reviews to ensure existing plans are working smoothly
• Answered client questions and concerns on a variety of subjects
• Developed Medicaid and VA Aid & Attendance eligibility plans

Isaac Wiles Burkholder & Teetor LLC, Columbus — Associate Attorney
OCTOBER 2018 – NOVEMBER 2020

• Develop estate plans for clients with a variety of needs and background, including:
  • Asset protection
  • Probate avoidance
  • Medicaid planning
  • Special needs planning
  • Tax savings
• Represent executors and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration proceedings
• Represent prospective guardians and wards in applications for guardianship
• Represent insurance company clients in minor settlement and wrongful death cases before probate court
• Develop new tools for firm, including:
  • IRA stretch trusts
  • Post-SECURE Act trust modification
  • Revised powers of attorney
  • Trust decanting strategies & documentation

Cooper Adel & Associates LPA, Centerburg — Senior Associate Attorney
OCTOBER 2011 – OCTOBER 2018

• Meet with clients to develop, review, and update estate plans
• Draft and implement trusts, including revocable and irrevocable trusts, third party trusts, special needs trusts, and pet trusts
• Develop and deliver legal authorities (powers of attorney, wills, healthcare directives)
• Prepare applications for Veterans Administration Aid & Attendance benefits
• Prepare and guide applications for long-term care Medicaid across multiple counties
• Represent Medicaid applicants in oral and written administrative appeals

EDUCATION

Capital University Law School — Juris Doctor
AUGUST 2008 – MAY 2011, COLUMBUS, OHIO

• Member of Moot Court and Law Review.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania — Bachelor of Arts
AUGUST 2002 – MAY 2007, INDIANA, PENNSYLVANIA

• BA: History
• Minors in Asian Studies and German

ARTICLES & PRESENTATIONS

• The Ohio Probate Process: In 7 Simple Steps – National Business Institute, December 2023
• Introduction to Elder Law – Everhart Advisors University, July 2022
• Right-Sizing Your Estate Plan – Meeder Financial seminar, November 2021
• Estate Planning After SECURE & CARES – Columbus Bar Association, September 2020
• Planning for Long-Term Care & Disability – The Complete Trust Course CLE, July 2020
• IRAs and Trusts: Sophisticated Beneficiary Choices – The Complete Trust Course CLE, November 2019
• Beyond the Basics of Special Needs Planning Part 2: Recent Updates – Estate Planning, July/August 2019
• Continued Attacks on Special Needs Trusts – Ohio Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Journal, May/June 2019
• Case Study: Diminished Capacity – Columbus Bar Association Probate Institute, 2019 (panelist)
• Beyond the Basics of Special Needs Planning – Estate Planning, May/June 2019
• Special Needs Planning: A Lawyer’s Prospective – Voya Cares seminar, March 2019