Melissia Riddle

~Special Needs Trusts~Elder Law~Medicaid Planning~Alternatives to Guardianships~ Melissia returned to her home-state of Texas in 2021 after practicing law in St. Louis, Missouri for over two decades where her practice centered on estate planning, probate, elder law, and fiduciary litigation with an emphasis on special needs planning, elder law, and alternatives to guardianships. Melissia began her career as a prosecutor and then moved into private practice where she focused on complex estate planning and fiduciary litigation with the objective of maintaining familial relationships through the development of well-tailored estate plans taking into consideration varying family dynamics. After having a son with special needs, Melissia realized the unique and often overwhelming challenges faced by parents in planning for the care and support of their children with special needs, which go beyond special needs trusts and includes planning which extends well beyond the lifetime of the parents. Her passion is helping families with children or other loved ones with special needs successfully navigate the myriad of legal hurdles they face, including crafting specialized plans that not only protect their loved ones but also encourage and support their unique abilities as they strive towards their own life goals and aspirations. Melissia is a frequent speaker on special needs planning on both the state and national levels. Stephanie is from the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and went to college just over the mountains at the University of Virgina. She attended law school at the University of North Carolina (while remaining a Virginia fan). She has built her practice as an estate planning attorney here in Austin. She is committed to helping families meet their estate and long-term planning goals through compassionate service.