Leu & Peirce, PLLC is a boutique Elder Law firm in Plano, Texas, whose mission is to provide premium, compassionate, and dignified services to their clients. The Leu & Peirce team help seniors and their families address issues of housing, financial well-being, healthcare, and the ultimate disposition of assets, enabling clients to plan for the future and age with grace and dignity.
After consulting with the attorneys at Leu & Peirce, clients leave with knowledge on preparing for long-term care, qualifying for public benefits, including Medicaid, SSI, and Veteran’s benefits, as well as probate, guardianships, and estate planning.
The emerging practice of Elder Law is about empowering seniors. Instead of focusing on a type of law, Elder Law attorneys focus on a type of client: seniors, individuals with disabilities, and their families. The Elder Law attorneys of Leu & Peirce have experience with the variety of complex issues seniors face, including guardianships for people who are incapacitated and cannot protect themselves, long-term care planning and public benefit options to safeguard against financial ruin, estate planning to ensure proper assistance with financial and healthcare decisions and that wishes are honored after death, and assistance with probate administration after a loved one dies. Uniquely, Leu & Peirce also handles a variety of contested matters, defending seniors against elder exploitation and abuse during their lifetime through contested guardianships and supporting their last wishes in Will contests after they pass.
The attorneys and staff of Leu & Peirce know when they come to work every day that they will have the opportunity to help someone who is in crisis, trying to assist a senior or disabled loved one, but unsure of the help needed. Making a positive impact on these families is what motivates the Leu & Peirce team to bring compassion and love to their jobs in a way often unseen in a typical law office.
When you walk into the Leu & Peirce offices, you can quickly discern a difference. There is an inviting warmth that instantly makes visitors feel like welcome guests in someone’s home. You enter the doors and are greeted by the friendly faces of Rhonda Connolly, Michaele Hayden, Lori Moore, Brenda Moore, Melanie Simmons, Cindi Stevens, and Amy Wilson. They invite you into their home-away-from-home, offer you a cup of coffee, and chat with you like a good friend. But that is only a small part of why clients feel comfortable bringing their family concerns to Leu & Peirce. Lori, Erin, Lauren, and the newest attorney, Brandi Binkley, radiate empathy and genuine concern for their clients.
Lori Leu began practicing law in 1987 in her home state of Kansas and neighboring Missouri following her graduation from Kansas State University and Harvard Law School. Lori moved to Dallas in 1989 and continued practicing commercial litigation and telecommunications law. As Lori’s family grew, however, so did her dissatisfaction with her law practice. She began attending Perkins School of Theology at SMU and over time realized that the best way for her to make a difference for others was through the practice of Elder Law. So, in 2008, Lori took a chance, changed her focus, and began devoting her practice to serving seniors and their families.
Lori is honored to be one of the few attorneys in the country to carry the title of Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA). Frequently referred to as the “gold standard” for Elder Law and special needs practitioners, the CELA certification requires an attorney to have focused on the Elder Law/special needs field for several years, as well as passage of a rigorous written examination. “Lori’s dedication to learning, her ability to think outside the box, and her proficiency in Elder Law issues inspires us every day. We are proud to be part of such a fabulous team,” says Erin.
Erin Peirce, proud graduate of Texas A&M University and the South Texas College of Law and a founding shareholder of Leu & Peirce, boasts, “I feel honored to have the opportunity to help seniors and their families.” Practicing Elder Law is both a career and a passion for Erin. Her experience as a litigator brings a unique perspective to the Elder Law field, enabling her to advocate for her client’s rights and defend against elder abuse and exploitation. Erin provides her clients with counsel that is both compassionate and effective, even in difficult and contentious situations. Erin is an active member in the legal community, having served as president of both the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Collin County Bar Association and the Estate Planning Council of North Texas. Erin has also chaired the Alzheimer’s Association, Grandscape Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Lauren Olson, the firm’s newest partner, began practicing with Leu & Peirce in 2013. As a Plano native and graduate of Saint Louis University and SMU Dedman School of Law, Lauren is grateful for the opportunity to give back to seniors in the city she has long called home. Before attending law school, Lauren was a member of AmeriCorps, serving as a social worker for adults with disabilities. That same spirit of service permeates Lauren’s approach to Elder Law. “Practicing Elder Law is about protecting seniors and those with special needs, as well as bringing peace and resolution to families trying to care for their loved ones,” Lauren explains. Lauren serves the legal community as a member of the Board of Directors of the Estate Planning and Probate Section of the Collin County Bar Association and the Estate Planning Council of North Texas.
In addition to providing compassionate advocacy for their clients, the Leu & Peirce attorneys educate and empower the community on Elder Law issues. “Many adult children do not know the issues they will face when a parent becomes ill or injured,” says Lori. “Those in the Sandwich Generation are often so busy with the daily demands of raising children that they don’t have the time to educate themselves on situations they have not yet encountered.”
Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation given by “professionals” who are misguided or uninformed. “With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day through the year 2029, there are a lot of people out there who see the growing senior population as an easy target,” laments Erin. “As a result, seniors and their families are often given incorrect information that benefits the person offering the services more than the seniors.”
Leu & Peirce strongly believes that arming yourself with accurate information can help ward off those seeking to profit from the aging Baby Boomer generation. Therefore, the attorneys speak as often as possible to community organizations, caregiver groups, and associations of attorneys and other professionals who may not be aware of the specific issues affecting aging clients.
“Education and community outreach are key to our practice,” says Lauren. “Prioritizing the needs of the community has been a cornerstone of the firm’s culture and integral to its growth.” To maintain their mission of education, all of the attorneys at Leu & Peirce are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a preeminent national organization of attorneys focused on working through the legal problems of seniors and people with disabilities.
Leu & Peirce is also devoted to causes that are important to their clients. As a long-time supporter of the Dallas & Northeast Texas Alzheimer’s Association, Leu & Peirce participates in the Speaker’s Bureau and fundraising events throughout the year. Leu & Peirce is also a proud supporter of the Wellness Center for Older Adults, which provides health, counseling, and social services for seniors throughout Collin County. Lori serves as the Board Chair and the Leu & Peirce team participates in fundraising activities for the Wellness Center.
The attorneys of Leu & Peirce share the common goals of making a difference in the community and providing compassionate, dignified, and premium legal advice to those who need it the most. Their dedication to the community and unique understanding of the complex legal issues families face make Leu & Peirce an exception to the rule in the legal world. Each member of Leu & Peirce has found her calling in devoting her time and talents toward serving North Texas seniors and their families, and is honored to have the privilege to serve and help our population of elders as they age with peace of mind and clarity.
