Profile

Mary R. McCormick, CELA*

Mary R. McCormick began her interest in elder law in 1994 when she experienced first hand the need for elder care planning after her mother became ill.  Ms. McCormick assists older adults and their caregivers throughout western Missouri, with an emphasis on obtaining the highest quality long-term care.  In 2006, Ms. McCormick was named Missouri’s Elder Law Attorney of the Year.  She is an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a 4500-member organization concerned with improving the availability and delivery of legal services to the elderly and the disabled, and is a Past-President of the Missouri Chapter.  Ms. McCormick also serves on the Boards of the Kansas City Partnership for Caregivers, Northland Professionals in Aging, and Shepherd’s Center of the Northland, a non-profit organization that provides services to the frail elderly.  She writes and speaks often to groups of older adults and for continuing legal education on such topics as end of life decision-making and long-term care planning.  Ms. McCormick frequently provides training to nurses and social workers on capacity issues in the aging population and the challenges of chronic care management.

Ms. McCormick received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.  She is a 1988 cum laude graduate of the University of San Diego School of Law and received her Master of Laws degree from George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.

*Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Neither the Supreme Court of Missouri nor the Missouri Bar reviews or approves certifying organizations or specialist designations.

Russell A. Fracassa

Russell A. Fracassa graduated with a BS in Accounting from Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri and his JD from University of Missouri at Kansas City. He has worked as an accountant, tax attorney and estate planning attorney for more than 15 years. He is a principal in the Elder Law Firm of McCormick & Fracassa, P.C.. He is a frequent speaker in the areas of estate planning, probate and elder law for local, regional and national sponsors. Russell has been an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Missouri Chapter since 1999. He is also an active member of the Missouri Bar’s Elder Law and Probate and Trust Law Committees, Eastern Jackson County Bar Association, Independence, Missouri and Clay County Bar Association, Liberty, Missouri. Russell is a member of the Board of Directors for the Missouri Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Home Care Research and Education Foundation (a part of the Missouri Alliance for Home Care) and I-Share of the Community Service League in Independence, Missouri. Russell is most proud that he has been married more than half his life, has 4 children and 2 granchildren.