About Us

Monica J. Franklin

Monica J. Franklin, CELA, is recognized throughout Tennessee as a leader in Elder Law. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the nation's preeminent professional organization for elder law attorneys. Ms. Franklin is Certified as an Elder Law Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization as well as the National Elder Law Foundation. She serves on the East Tennessee Alzheimer's Association Planned Giving Board, and the East Tennessee Elder Watch Coalition.

Monica gives presentations regularly to the general public, attorneys and other professionals about elder law. She has written numerous articles, two of which have been published in the Tennessee Bar Journal: “Saving Momma's Home” (February 2006) and "How the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 Affects Medicaid Recipients" (May 2006).

“Saving Momma's Home” is an award winning article! On June 15, 2007, the Tennessee Bar Association awarded the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award to Monica, for her article Saving Momma's Home, published in the February 2006 Tennessee Bar Journal.

The Justice Joseph W. Henry award, established in 1981, is given each year to the lawyer who writes the most outstanding article that is published in the Tennessee Bar Journal for the preceding year. Monica's article was chosen by a committee composed of the Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Honorable William M. Barker, Edward Rubin, Dean of the Vanderbilt Law School, and TBA President Larry Wilks. When presenting the award, TBA president, Larry Wilks, noted that Monica was only the second woman to win the award in the past twenty-five years, and the committee was unanimous in selecting this article for the award. Click here to read Saving Momma's Home.

Born in Brownsville, Tennessee in 1963, Monica grew up in DeRidder, Louisiana and graduating from a local college, McNeese State University in 1985 with a B.S. cum laude in Psychology and a minor in Math Education. Monica taught high school Geometry and Algebra in Shreveport, Louisiana with a special focus on the needs of children with disabilities who were striving to meet the math requirements necessary for a high school diploma. In 1989 Monica moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee College of Law. She graduated with a J.D. cum laude in 1992. She was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1992 and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee and U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. Monica is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Tennessee Bar Association, Knoxville Bar Association, and the Sevier County Bar Association. Her practice areas include: Elder Law, Medicare and Medicaid issues, Asset Protection, Trusts and Estates, Special Needs Trusts, Wills, assisting people with disabilities regardless of age, Guardianship and Conservatorship, Probate, Health Care.

Monica is married to her law partner, Bruce Hill. They have two canine children, Lou and Sadie, and one human child, Connor, who is ten going on eighteen.

Bruce T. Hill

Bruce T. Hill was born Washington, D.C. in 1957. Bruce grew up in the Fountain City community of Knoxville and graduated from Central High School. In 1978 Bruce graduated from Maryville College magna cum laude with a B.A. in History, graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1981 and was admitted to the Tennessee bar that same year. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth and Sixth Circuits. Bruce is a former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief Counsel-U.S. Department of Interior, Salt Lake City. Bruce is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, Sevier County Bar Association, and the Knoxville Bar Association. Bruce's law practice is focused exclusively on mediation, elder law litigation and personal injury litigation. He is a Rule 31 Certified Mediator who is in high demand with the Sevier County Bar due to his uncanny ability to help folks reach a resolution and avoid a court battle.

Bruce and Monica, his law partner, have been married since 1993. They have two canine children, Lou and Sadie, and one human child, Connor, who is ten going on eighteen.

Susie Stiles Wilson

Susie Stiles Wilson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and an Elder Care Coordinator with our firm. She is a Knoxville native and a graduate of Webb School. After leaving Webb and Knoxville she pursued her art and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sophie Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1973. In Susie's words, she soon realized she would need another degree to "get a real job," so she went back to school and earned a Masters degree in Social Work in 1980 from Tulane University.

Susie has worked in a variety of mental health treatment settings with older adults over the years. Her last position was with Covenant Health and beginning in 2000, Susie developed and directed the outstanding Peninsula Senior Day Hospital program for Covenant. She was directly responsible for management and clinical supervision for all aspects of patient care, regulatory compliance, staff training and development.

Susie is licensed by the State of Tennessee as a clinical social worker (LCSW). If you would like to know how to become a licensed clinical social worker, click here. In order to maintain her license, she must attend at least 15 hours of continuing education approved by the Board each year. In addition, Susie holds a Clinical Diplomate in Clinical Social Work from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). The NASW Diplomate in Clinical Social Work is the highest distinction bestowed on clinical social workers. The certification process for a DCSW is extraordinarily rigorous; click here to see all the requirements.

Susie is committed to our clients as well as our community. She serves on the Committee for Memory Loss Support Services, the East Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network, the Knox County Senior Advisory Board, the Sequoyah Presbyterian Church Older Adult Committee, and the Senior Network for Knox County.

She is in constant demand as a public speaker on issues such as "Depression In Later Life," "Healthy Aging," "Health Management for Seniors: How To Talk To Your Doctor," "Food Addiction," "Coping with Holiday Stress," "Relaxation and Stress Management," and "Memory Loss and Dementia." When Susie has spare time, she enjoys painting, gardening, cooking and spending time with her daughter, Emily, who is a college freshman. We are very fortunate that Susie chose to join our practice as an Elder Care Coordinator! She brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, a warm heart and a GREAT sense of humor to us and our clients.

Judy Wyrick

Judy Wyrick is an east Tennessee native. She was born in Johnson City and graduated from East Tennessee State University with a B.S. in Psychology. She has a wide range of professional and life experiences. Her first career was as an elementary teacher in the Knox County School System. Later, she was an editorial assistant to the Managing Editor at Cosmopolitan Magazine in New York City.

Judy and her husband, Dewey, decided to move home to beautiful east Tennessee to start their family. After staying home with her two daughters for a few years, Judy launched a career in the travel industry. She has extensive experience in employee management and human resources.

Judy has a wealth of life experience in caring for family members as they progress through the Elder Care Continuum. That experience has served her well as an Elder Care Coordinator with our firm. Judy is empathetic with our clients and their families because she has walked in their shoes. As an Elder Care Coordinator, Judy determines client needs, researches appropriate care and community resources, educates family members about senior issues and advocacy opportunities, acts as advocate to acquire needed services for the client.

In her "spare" time, Judy enjoys gardening, reading, river sports, power walking with her two grown married daughters, and a large network of dear friends.

Trish Kennedy

Trish Kennedy is our "go to" person in the office. We rely on her young brain cells for our institutional memory. If we cannot find something or remember how to perform a complicated operation on our copier/computer/telephone system, Trish handles it. She keeps the office running smoothly by coordinating technical support including our Internet phone system and electronic document management system; she insures that we never run out of supplies, but above all, she stays calm and incredibly cheerful in spite of the chaos often surrounding a busy law practice.

Trish schedules appointments, hearings, depositions, and mediations for the attorneys. Trish handles all billing issues and serves as Monica's legal assistant. Trish goes above and beyond in customer service.

There are several stories that demonstrate Trish's commitment to customer service. One story in particular stands out. While chatting with a client, Trish learned that the client did not know how to check her tire pressure. That was something her husband had always done for her, and now he was in a nursing home. Trish made arrangements to follow our client to a gas station and check her tires. Trish is truly a sweet selfless gentle spirit.

Trish grew up in east Tennessee and makes her home in Jefferson County along with her husband, Allen, and their two children. Trish and her family live at the ball fields since both of their children play sports. Trish is not only a team player in the office, she's an avid UT Vol whose blood runs ORANGE!