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THE TEAMRuthann P. Lacey
Ruthann is a member of the Special Needs Alliance, a charter member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners, a member of the Elder Law and Small Firm Sections of the Atlanta Bar Association, as well as the Elder Law Committee and the Probate and Estate Planning Committee of the General Practice, Solo and Small Firm Section of the American Bar Association. Formerly, she served as vice-chair of the Elder Law Section of the Georgia Bar Association.
Ruthann P. Lacey has received an AV® certification mark through Martindale Hubbell, authoritative resource for information on the worldwide legal profession. Ruthann belongs to the DeKalb Estate Planning Council and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and serves as a Trustee on the board of The Georgia Community Trust. She is also a member of the Brain Injury Association of Georgia, the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta, the National Family Caregivers Association, and the National Guardianship Association. Ruthann has drafted Elder Law legislation for submission to the Georgia General Assembly, and is an editor and published writer. She is an active speaker on the local, state and national level, both to professional and public groups and organizations. She also conducts staff training programs for nursing homes and hospitals, and has been an Instructor of Estates, Trusts and Wills and Legal Research at the National Center for Paralegal Training. Licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia and Washington, D.C., Ruthann is a graduate of Trinity College and Emory University School of Law. Ruthann enjoys reading and photography and serves with a missions outreach team teaching business classes to small business owners and managers in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Heather Durham Nadler
Heather Nadler is a Senior Associate with the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C., where her focus is concentrated in the areas of Special Needs Law, Elder Law and Estate Planning. Heather is one of only seven attorneys in the State of Georgia to be certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Heather has nine years experience practicing law in the fields of family law, real estate, estate planning and litigation. She rejoined the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey in 2010 after a spending two years with another firm. Heather is a member of the Board of Directors and Immediate Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. She is also a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the DeKalb County Bar Association, the Elder Law Section of the Cobb County Bar Association and the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. Heather also serves on the Editorial Board of The Mortmain, the newsletter of the Estate Planning Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. Heather has served as an instructor for the Emory University Academy for Retired Professionals, the Emory University Center for Lifelong Learning, and as a guest lecturer at John Marshall Law School. In 2009, Heather was selected by her peers and Atlanta Magazine as a “Rising Star” in the field of Elder Law. Articles authored by Heather on the topics of Elder Law and Special Needs Law have been published in the Georgia Bar Journal and Atlanta Lawyer magazine. Heather earned a B.S. in International Business with concentrations in Spanish and Management Information Systems from Auburn University and a J.D. from Tulane University School of Law. Heather enjoys spending her free time with her husband and two small children and is currently rediscovering tennis. William McCormick
He has more than 20 years Paralegal experience in Elder Law and Special Needs Planning. His duties as Practice Manager include: management of essential systems, such as information systems, corporate and client records, accounting and bookkeeping, policies and procedures, career development for attorneys and staff, marketing, and general financial, staffing, and client matter oversight. Will's interest in law developed early in life. He lived across the street from the Judge of the Probate Court, and he spent many afternoons at the courthouse watching and studying Latin with the Judge. Through the years his interest in law continued and prior to joining the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C. he was Senior Paralegal and Manager for the Law Firm of William H. Overman, P.C., a position he held for more than twenty years. William received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Shorter College and is at the dissertation phase for an MBA/PhD in Philosophy of Management. William is a Georgia native. He enjoys people of all ages and he enjoys nature’s beauty. When he isn’t at work, you’ll find him loving life on his farm which is designated as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation and is located on Georgia’s Northern Crescent Bike Route. Stephanie Buffington
Prior to joining the firm, Stephanie worked as a litigation Paralegal in areas including product liability defense, personal injury, special education law, medical malpractice, and others. She also has extensive trial and complex litigation experience. Stephanie was an English major at the University of Georgia and continues to develop her skills through numerous continuing education programs in the areas of Special Needs Trusts, Probate, Medicaid, Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's dementia. Stephanie enjoys reading, researching and spending time with her toy poodle, Serendipity. Marisa Costner
Marisa was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and is a lifelong resident of Tucker. She attended St. Pius X Catholic High School and earned her B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University, which certified her to teach Pre-K through fifth grade. After four years of teaching first grade, Marisa decided to pursue her interest in a career in the legal field. She attended Emory University’s Paralegal Program and received her Paralegal Certification in 2009. Marisa has experience as a care giver working with elderly people with Parkinson’s disease. While student teaching she also worked with students with special needs. Marisa enjoys swimming laps, playing trivia games with friends and family, shopping with her mom, and hanging out at Starbucks with friends, but most of all she is happiest just spending time with her family. Maria Gordillo
Before joining the firm Maria worked in bookkeeping and records management for a medical practice. She also has experience in customer service and office management, and is fluent in Spanish. Her interest in accounting began while pursuing her studies in Business Administration, where she took a business law course that piqued her interest in law. Maria was born in Houston, Texas; grew up in Roselle Park, New Jersey; and was transplanted to Tucker, Georgia where she graduated from Lakeside High School. She is finishing up her A.S. in Business Administration from Georgia Perimeter College and is currently working on her B.S. in Accounting from Georgia State University. Among Maria’s interests are reading contemporary fiction, all styles of music, being outdoors and in nature, swimming, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her friends, family, and her dogs, Abby and Ziva. |
Ruthann Lacey is a Certified Elder Law Attorney. She started her firm, the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C., in 1995 to concentrate on planning for the unique and often complex concerns of the elder population and their adult children, and those of disabled children and adults.
William McCormick is the Practice Manager for the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C. Together with the firm’s attorneys and staff, William is charged with advancing the firm’s “Vision and Mission” in providing superior legal services to our clients.
Stephanie
Buffington brings more than 20 years of experience to her role as Senior Paralegal
for the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C. She is currently responsible for
drafting documents (including wills and powers of attorney) and communicating
with clients on all issues related to the creation and execution of those documents.
Stephanie also acts as a liaison between clients and Ms. Lacey. 
Marisa Costner is the Administrative Assistant for the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C. where she is responsible for answering telephone calls, greeting guests, scheduling appointments, maintaining accurate records and supporting the firm’s mission and vision.
Maria Gordillo is the Bookkeeper for the Law Office of Ruthann P. Lacey, P.C. She is responsible for maintaining financial records for the firm, and for client, trust, conservatorship, and probate matters. She is also responsible for professional presentation in communicating with clients and other professionals on behalf of the firm through seeking to achieve the firm’s “Vision and Mission.”