Patricia M. Shumaker

Attorney Patricia Shumaker has been enormously helpful to our family. Ms. Shumaker has a wonderful ability to demystify a complex area of law and finances. Warm and accessible, she helped our 93 year-old mother and my siblings and me to understand the range of options we had that could help her sta...y at home despite her growing need for care. As things have evolved, she’s listened, she’s cared, and she has provided expert guidance for each subsequent decision, getting back to us immediately with very thorough and clear information and a roadmap for action. We have all told friends with aging parents about Tricia and the help we have received, and will continue to do so!

I initially went to PYWL after attending one of the seminars to develop and estate plan for my wife and I. After meeting with Patricia, I realized my mother also needed and updated will, as well as health care proxy, and P.O.A. I brought my mother to see Patricia and she could not have been more kind... and understanding in dealing with my mother, who at the time was suffering from memory loss. After getting her estate plan in place, my mother's condition worsened, slow at first, then more rapidly. I met with Patricia again at she developed a plan of action for me to follow. With her guidance, I was able to get my mother into a nursing home, and get her the financial assistance she needed. Unfortunately, my mother passed away this year. Patricia was there for me once again, as I had questions about various matters regarding her death. Patricia's intricate knowledge of elder care law is amazing. She guided me through every step of the process. Every time I called the office, Tricia either answered the telephone herself of called me back that day. She is truly dedicated to serving her clients. Tricia and I never knew each other before this and I feel as though I can trust her implicitly and have made a new friend. I can't recommend her highly enough! Paul

Estate planning is natural extension of real estate law but a field in which our firm does not practice. Regularly, questions arise in the representation of a client that require the skillful eye of an estate planning attorney and in other instances, very simply, our clients have not contemplated an...d therefore have not thoroughly prepared for THE issue that no one wants to think about. In these instances, our firm always recommends Atty. Shumaker because very importantly, we know that when we hand over our clients to her, they will be well cared for as she is skilled, knowledgeable and thorough in her analysis.

I've worked with a number of attorneys during my career, and Attorney Shumaker separates herself from her peers, not only with her expertise, but with her warm personability. Her clients are treated as extended family, with her goal being to bring to fruition their anticipated expectations. Because e...ach clients needs are specific to their individual situation, Attorney Shumaker takes the needed time to fully understand the situation/dynamics of each of her clients, befor presenting them with her legal solutions. She had exceeded my expectations, and because of this, I recommend her services to my own clients, as well as family.

My Mother has been a client of Tricia's for 5 years now, and I have had the privilege of working with Tricia as my Mom's needs have evolved over that time. I cannot say enough about the personal investment of time and energy that Tricia offered to my Mom and my family throughout this process. I us...ed to think of an estate plan as something you put in place and left on the shelf until after you pass. Tricia helps you see that the real challenges can come when the client is still alive but aging, and you have to figure out how to make the money last. In the last year, my Mom's memory has been failing, and she had to move out of her home to Assisted Living. It is a difficult transition for anyone, and especially so for an independent woman like my Mom. Stressful family dynamics can make a difficult situation even more complex. Certainly in my case, the family dynamics became a huge issue. Tricia stayed crystal clear that my Mother is the client; discussions remained focused on her needs and were always respectful of Mom's right to self-determination. Tricia took the time to understand how my mother expresses herself, especially when faced with another difficult family member. Tricia extended incredible patience to all family members, helping them to know that they are heard. Most importantly, Tricia treats my Mom with incredible care and genuine concern, helping to guide her through the decisions she faces, and anticipating the complications that may still lie ahead. Tricia brings the excellent, very knowledgeable legal counsel you would want when making estate plans for yourself or your loved ones. But Tricia also goes far above and beyond in truly getting to know the family and your needs, and in offering creative options when you need them most. She is well connected with other experts whom she can tap into as needed. Tricia's practice honestly seems to be a labor of love.