Celebrations of Transitions

This year marks my 40th year of practicing law in Hays, Kansas. After practicing in Topeka for three years, my wife and I relocated to Hays. It’s been a great journey.

However, there are a couple other celebrations that I feel are more meaningful to me. Let me give you some background.

Right after Christmas of 2000, my grandmother became ill and was given six months to live. However, my mother was available to bring my grandmother home. Then, two months later my mother unexpectedly died in her sleep. I became my grandmother’s caregiver. I was lost. I began to try to figure out how to take care of my grandmother, in accord with her wish to stay at home and stay independent. I started studying elder law.

Finally, in May of 2004, I changed my practice to elder law. In January of 2006, I refocused and redirected our elder law practice to lifecare planning, to help people who were like my grandmother. From that process grew something that we call long-term planning – helping clients that are not currently dealing with any kind of chronic illness or aging issue, but are concerned about having a plan in place that will protect themselves, their families and their property and assets, so when they do develop a chronic illness.

Both lifecare planning and long-term planning have been extremely rewarding to me. It has meaning because we are really helping people travel down an unknown and changing path, acting as their guide. We develop lifelong relationships with families. Many of them are on a journey just like I had been on: caring for a loved one toward the end of life.

Many families have entrusted that journey to our office. Our team at Clinkscales Elder Law Practice become invested in their relationship with our lifecare plan and long-term care plan clients.

Life sometime throws us curves. Moving to Hays was a big curve for my wife and me. My grandmother’s illness and the unexpected loss of my mother was an even bigger curve. Out of those two curves my practice and purpose in life was altered, and I was blessed.

I and my whole team want you to know how much we appreciate getting to walk with you and be your guide. It is one of the greatest honors and privileges that we have had. We are blessed.

I am proud of being in Hays for 40 years, but I am really happy with the direction of our team and my life the last 19 years after we transitioned to elder law.