Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel attorney Rebecca Miller recently earned the Certified Elder Law Attorney designation from the National Elder Law Foundation, the only organization the American Bar Association has accredited to offer certification in elder law.
Miller is one of 16 CELAs in Tennessee and approximately 500 nationwide. She’s the second attorney at Chambliss to earn the designation.
To earn certification as a CELA, an attorney must undergo a comprehensive screening process that includes demonstrating a high level of experience and substantial involvement in the practice of elder law, handling at least 60 elder law cases in the three years prior to applying, obtaining peer references from five elder law attorneys, completing continuing legal education requirements and passing a six-hour written exam.
In recent years, the pass rate for certification exams has been under 30%.
“I’m thrilled to have earned my CELA designation,” says Miller. “As the gold standard for elder law and special needs practitioners, this certification demonstrates my dedication to giving my clients the best legal representation.”
Miller works with elders and individuals with special needs and their families in Tennessee and Georgia on estate, elder law and special needs planning, care coordination, conservatorship and guardianship proceedings and estate administration.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee honored Miller with the Bruce C. Bailey Volunteer Attorney Award for her pro bono work both in and out of Hamilton County in 2022.
Miller is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Academy of Special Needs Planners, Conservatorship Association of Tennessee, Estate Planning Council of Chattanooga and Southeast Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women.
In addition, she is a member of the state bars of the American, Tennessee and Chattanooga Bar associations.
Miller earned a bachelor’s degree from Oglethorpe University prior to graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law. She’s licensed to practice in Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina.