Dallas Leigh Atkins

I hired this attorney for a consult regarding my mother's care (or lack thereof) in a skilled nursing facility in Santa Barbara. She asked several questions but seemed to have trouble focusing and often sighed or said "I don't understand". Professional advice was not forthcoming, and I eventually h...ad to terminate the consult as it was becoming more and more a waste of time. The cost was high, but that is not the complaint. This attorney was recommended to me by Senior Planning Services but it appears that these recommendations are part of a small group of business that loyally recommend each other rather than prioritize what is best for the client. I would not recommend this attorney for pursuing solution based advice.

Dallas is an extremely skilled elder law expert and has 20+ years of experience specifically with Medi-Cal. This extends far beyond the preparation of the application: she understands the inherent nuances of a very complicated program and is able to analyze and advise you as a client based upon your ...personal profile. I would not have been able to apply on behalf of my father without her guidance and help! We hired Dallas to help us file an application and she did so much more: She worked with us on a thorough strategy, took us through the process and went above and beyond to work directly with my fathers' nursing home and other entities that needed to provide us with back up documentation. She understands the system and the loopholes. She is a lifesaver and so incredibly knowledgeable in her field. I am so thankful that we started the process with a professional expert. She will save you money and bring you great benefit and peace of mind. I don't know how we could have done it without her! Thank you so much Dallas, we mean it! I would highly recommend her services to anyone needing assistance in the Elder Law field.

Ms. Atkins is a very special type of attorney. She took the time to explain the process and applicable laws so that I could make informed and safe decisions. Even though it was possibly not the most cost-effective manner of proceeding from her point of view, Ms. Atkins worked to connect with me on a ...personal level. She took the time to listen to me as I walked through the background of my experiences, and treated me as though my feelings and needs were of utmost importance. She helped me to set up complex and varied health care documents (including advanced health care directives, HIPAA documents, and others) while avoiding pitfalls I would never have been able to identify on my own. She was honest and forthright, but also kind and compassionate...truly the perfect blend of humanity and skill.

She dragged out the consultation in order to charge more money. She was supposed to contact me with important information about my document she was going review, but I didn't hear from her for 2 and a half weeks. I finally called her, and she had not even looked over the documents. If you're looking ...for a real special needs trust attorney I recommend you look elsewhere!