Scott Michael Solkoff

Scroll down for Scott's story, but first some relevant points ...

• Scott is a Florida Bar Board Certified Specialist in Elder Law and author of the leading textbook on the subject.  At over 1000 pages, the book is now in its 17th print edition, and published by Thomson Reuters ()

• Chair, The Florida Bar Elder Law Section
• Recipient of the Charlotte Brayer Public Service Award in Elder Law
• Board Member, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
• Appointed by Florida's Governor, Senate President and Attorney General to various panels on elder care and disability issues
• Frequent national lecturer
• Practing Elder Law since 1995 with a founding heritage in the field (see Scott's story below)

Scott's Story

I went to law school to help people but then got caught up in the competition to get the most prestigous position when I graduated.  Having graduated with honors, I took a high-paying job with a highly regarded law firm but quickly realized that corporate securities law was not for me.  I represented large corporations and had only one human client the entire time I was with that firm. I wanted the satisfaction of helping people.

Fortunately for me, I had an option most lawyers do not.  My father was one of the founders of the field of Elder Law. He wrote the first book on the subject for lawyers, co-founded the state and national Elder Law organizations and was looked upon as a pioneer and a very fine lawyer.  During a trip to visit my parents, I sat in with my father as he met with family after family.  I saw how much of an impact he was able to make on his clients' quality of life and peace of mind.  It took my breath away.   I quit my job, took a big pay cut and moved from a luxurious office tower to my Dad's very modest office in Deerfield Beach.  Together with some of his colleagues, he trained me and I became very involved in the field. 

I felt I had to work harder than most so that I could make my own reputation and move out from under my father's very large reputation.  I also wanted to make my father proud.  I opened up my own law practice in 1999 in Palm Beach County.  Before my father's death in 2016, he was able to see me build my own successful law firm.  In 2004, I was elected Chair of The Florida Bar's Elder Law Section, representing the interests of 1600 Elder Law Attorneys and their clients.  I sat on the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.  I became a Board Certified Specialist, one of only two percent of attorneys in Florida at the time.  I became one of the youngest attorneys in the country to be elected a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.  After my father's retirement in 2011, I took over the writing of his textbook on Elder Law and it is now the bestselling book in its category, over 1000 pages long, and is in its 17th print edition.  I achieved the A/V "Preeminent" rating by Martindale Hubbell.  I was awarded the Charlotte Brayer Public Service Award for Elder Law and the John Regan National Writing Award in 2015.

More than any of these activities or accollades, the most important thing to me is my family (I have four world-changing children and a superstar wife) and the fact that I absolutely love my job.  With so much to be grateful for, I have taught hundreds of lawyers how to practice elder law.  I lecture regularly across the country for the American Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, The Florida Bar and other groups.  I am the lead instructor for Elder Law College where lawyers transition from other practice areas to become Elder Law Attorneys.  My greatest professional satisfaction still exists in my client meetings.  I get to help real people every day with the most core human issues -- how can I preserve my life savings?  how can I get more care for my loved one?  how do I plan for my own incapacity?  I often get a check and a hug.  Good stuff.