Babette B Bach

Babette B.Bach, Esq. is an Elder Law Advocate and the founder of Bach & Jacobs, P.A., (previously known as Bach Elder Law) and has been practicing law for over 30 years. She is nationally certified as an Elder Law Expert by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a Florida Board Certified Elder Law attorney. Her practice specializes in the legal needs of the mature or disabled client, including Medicaid and VA planning, Probate, Trust Administration, Estate Planning, Disability Planning and Guardianships. She has also been given an AV rating by Martindale Hubble from 2010-2017 and was most recently rated “AV Preeminent” for 2017 (the highest possible rating). Additionally, Babette has been honored by being elected as Chair of the Elder Law Section for the Florida Bar 2009-2010 and recently Chair of the Sarasota County Probate and Trust Section 2016-2017.

Her accomplishments include:

• Named 2017 Lawyer of the Year in the “Best Lawyers” legal publication

• Selected for inclusion in Florida’s Super Lawyers Magazine as a Top Attorney in Florida from 2010-2017

• Recognized by Florida Trend Magazine among its Florida Legal Elite 2012-2017

• Selected “Top Lawyer” by Sarasota Magazine

• Honored by Sarasota Magazine as a Sarasota/ Manatee County Top Lawyer

• Selected to be on a special committee that assisted House Representative Kathleen Passidimo and participated in drafting legislative changes to Florida’s guardianship laws in HB 5 in 2015

• Currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Neuro Challenge Foundation and offers support to Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers

• Selected to be a keynote speaker at an event at JFCS of the Suncoast entitled “A Legal & Financial Presentation & Discussion with The Alzheimer’s Association & Babette Bach, Esq”.

She was co-counsel in Gerkin v.Reiger/Levine, a landmark civil rights class action lawsuit which earned her the prestigious award for “Outstanding Service to Florida’s Elderly” from the Florida Bar Association.

As a result of this lawsuit, the State of Florida was required to change their Medicaid Policy to provide coverage for all uninsured medical benefits to over 45,000 Medicaid recipients. This new policy resulted in the funding of approximately $52 million in new benefits to the poorest and sickest citizens of Florida.

As past chair of the Elder Law Section for the Florida Bar, Babette is a member of the elite Joint Policy Task Force for the Elder Law Section and the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys and stays abreast of the latest legislative developments in Elder Law statewide and nationally.

She frequently lectures on the legislative changes to governmental benefits affecting the elderly.  In addition, as past board member of the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (2005-2011), she acted as a staunch advocate for the increased support for research and services for those touched by the disease.  She was the co-chair of a joint committee of Health Law attorneys and Elder Law attorneys studying the Obama health care law reforms of 2010 (the Affordable Care Act).

Babette currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Neuro Challenge Foundation offering support to Parkinson’s patients and their caregivers.

In addition to her work in Medicaid planning and elder law, Babette is also accomplished in helping high net-worth individuals create estate plans to ensure their assets will be distributed just as they desire.

  She is admitted to the Bar in Florida and Maine.

Bach was interviewed on ABC7 News regarding a law she has worked on to regulate guardians and emergency guardianship proceedings.

Babette was also featured in the Febraury 2015 issue of Scene Magazine, along with Rob Patten, regarding their shared commitment to land conservation and environmental protection.

Babette has also been a speaker at venues such as various Florida Bar CLEs , the Selby Public Library, the Friendship Center and Plymouth Harbor. Through opportunities such as these, she has been able to share her legal expertise with others and raise awareness regarding important social and legal issues.

"Babette has used her specialization in Elder Law to become a legal activist for the elderly."

 Her community service includes a lifetime commitment to improving access to health care and legal services.  She helped found the Michael C. Bach, M.D. Treatment Center for the care and treatment of indigent AIDS patients in Manatee County and the AIDS Project in Portland, Maine.