Carole C. Lamson
Leadership makes a difference.
After a highly distinguished career spanning dedicated service to the elderly and disabled, founding partner Carole Lamson has retired as of the end of 2009.
If there was any one thing that stood out about Carole Lamson, it was her profound sensitivity to client needs, and her willingness to take a vigorous stance on behalf of their rights. As one of Elder Law's earliest proponents, Carole was a guiding force in helping to shape what is today one of the fastest growing areas of legal advocacy.
Her background revealed the striking intellectual acumen that would later characterize her versatile and efficacious approach to representing seniors and those with special needs. Originally an outstanding pre-med student at Brown University, she decided the law was better suited to the leadership role she aspired to. Carole had always wanted to do something significant for the well-being of others. The law afforded her the opportunity, and her subsequent career success clearly demonstrates she'd made the right choice. Many grateful clients she has helped over the years would certainly agree.
In her own words, this is how she described her approach to practicing: "I always make a point of finding out what's really important to the client. What would they like to see as an outcome? In this area of the law in particular, you need a sense of empathy for the individual and his or her family relationships, since so much of what we do impacts the entire family now and in the future."
In addition to the importance of understanding client needs, Carole saw Elder Law as a synthesis of disciplines. Complex laws and regulations relating to trusts, estates, taxation, marital property, real estate, and public benefits, all come into play in structuring effective asset protection strategies. She insisted that if an Elder Law firm is going to provide sophisticated advice to clients, it needed to have a strong capability in each of these vital areas. In fact, this is the core of Lamson & Cutner's strength today.
The importance of in-depth knowledge and broad experience are two core values that were key influences throughout her legal career. Practicing since 1980, Carole had focused on Elder Law exclusively for almost 20 years. A Certified Estate Planner and respected author, she was widely published on estate, tax planning and Medicaid-related topics. These values are reflected in the team she assembled at Lamson & Cutner. The seasoned, highly knowledgeable staff has made the firm a leader in providing reliable and trustworthy advice to its clientele.
Clients with unique situations were especially appreciative of Carole's broad capabilities. In one unusual case, a husband and wife required home care simultaneously, and had financial resources predominantly comprised of German war reparations. Carole implemented a strategy of proving to Medicaid that all of their income and savings was in fact war reparation money, and obtained exemptions that were critical in allowing them to qualify for benefits without "spending down" their assets. The couple was also able to transfer assets to their children without risk of any Medicaid penalty. The result was that the husband and wife both received the home health services they needed, fully paid for by Medicaid.
Carole earned her law degree at Cardozo Law School, after graduating from Brown University. She is a pianist, world traveler and active in the protection of animal rights. Her early interest in biochemistry has been a lifelong passion, now reflected in her focus on human nutrition. She has two daughters, Anne and Caroline, and is a proud grandparent of four adorable grandchildren. Carole and her husband, Gary, enjoy traveling and spending summers at their home on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island.
The attorneys and staff at Lamson & Cutner miss her daily presence, but her spirit is a constant inspiration, and fortunately, she visits the office from time to time to offer encouragement and sage advice.