Norman E. (Gene) Richards is a partner in our Livonia office where he focuses his practice on estate planning and elder law. His mission is to provide practical legal solutions for the distressing events of life. He assists clients with the development of customized estate plans to address their specific needs, including family owned businesses, senior adults concerned about long term care needs, and special needs trusts for children with special needs.
Norman E. (Gene) Richards is a partner in our Livonia office where he focuses his practice on estate planning and elder law. His mission is to provide practical legal solutions for the distressing events of life. He assists clients with the development of customized estate plans to address their specific needs, including family owned businesses, senior adults concerned about long term care needs, and special needs trusts for children with special needs.
Estate Planning Solutions:
• Wills, trusts & power of attorney (financial and medical)
• Review and update “stale” estate documents
• Probate avoidance
• Trust funding and beneficiary forms
• Special needs trusts for children with special needs
Elder Law Solutions:
• Medicaid & VA benefits- advise and strategize
• Nursing homes & assisted living- contracts and evictions
• Protection from financial exploitation
• Life-care plans- for seniors living alone or no family nearby
• Smart Steps- planning for the last quarter of life
Health Crisis Solutions:
• Admission to hospital, nursing home or rehabilitation
• Chronic illness diagnosis (Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, ALS)
• Adult Protective Services complaints
Probate Court Advocacy:
• Guardianships & conservatorships (filing and defending)
• Probate estates (wills)
• Defend or challenge personal representatives and trustees
Other Legal Services:
• Real estate- Lady Bird deeds, sales and purchases
• Business- set-up, sell, coordinate with estate plan, legal issues
Think of Gene when you Hear:
• A child is overwhelmed with care needs of an aging parent
• Someone with a chronic illness
• Someone is afraid of “losing everything” to a nursing home costs
• A child has special needs
• Someone’s will or trust has not been updated in a long time
• Someone had an untimely death
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1996
Free Will Baptist Bible College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1990
Michigan Super Lawyers, Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, 2019-2024 
DBusiness magazine 2024 Top Lawyer in Trusts & Estates
State Bar of Michigan
– Probate & Estate Planning Section
– Elder Law & Disability Rights Section
– Real Property Section
– Business Law Section
Oakland County Bar Association
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Community Involvement:
Greater Farmington Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors
Farmington Hills Costick Center, Pro bono services
Lutheran Special Education Ministries, Trustee
North Farmington High School Band Boosters, Board Member
Farmington Public School District, Capital Planning Advisory Committee Member
Farmington Area Commission on Aging, Former Commissioner
Garden City Hospital Foundation, Former Trustee
Alzheimer’s Association of Southeast Michigan, Former Speaker’s Bureau
Westland Zoning Board of Appeals, Former Commissioner
Lorman Education Services, Lecturer
Walsh College Business Leadership Institute Former, Affinity Group Leader
“Your Next Chapter” presentation, City of Livonia Senior Center, April 23, 2024
Senior Health Day Expo, City of Westland Senior Center, April 19, 2024
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Cane & Able Support Group, February 27, 2024
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Post-Polio Support Group, August 26, 2023
Wills, Trusts and Probate – What you need to know, Cooley High School Class Reunion, July 9, 2022
Five Essential Legal Steps For Caregivers, Jewish Family Services, January 13, 2022
Medicaid or VA benefits – Which One Do I Need?, Michigan Chapter of NPRA, October 28, 2021
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Post-Polio Support Group, July 10, 2021
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Westland Senior Center television program, June 17, 2021
Granting Quirky Funeral Wishes for Your Loved Ones, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, December 14, 2020
How to Make Your Final Wishes Legal Enforceable, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, December 7, 2020
Preserving Family Treasures- Estate Planning Basics, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, November 30, 2020
Medicare/Health Insurance Planning Webinar, Cane & Able Support Group, November 17, 2020
Veterans Benefits for In-Home Care and Assisted Living, Joint Webinar with Dignity Memorial, November 16, 2020
No-Fault Insurance Update Webinar, Cane & Able Support Group, August 11, 2020
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Post-Polio Support Group, July 25, 2020
The Most Important Estate Planning Document- Power of Attorney, Novi Lakes Health Center, February 12, 2019
Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem, Novi Civic Center, October 13, 2019
Financial Aid for Assisted Living and Nursing Home, Novi Civic Center, October 7, 2019
MDAHU Medicare Summit- Presenter, MDAHU Annual Meeting, September 2019
Facing the Giant Together, Novi Civic Center, September 17, 2019
Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo- Presenter, September 4, 2019
Will your POA let you down?, All Seasons West Bloomfield, August, 16 2019
Senior Executive Club Monthly Meeting- Presenter, Novi Lakes Health Center, July 10, 2019
Will your POA Let you Down? All Seasons Rochester Hills, July 9, 2019
Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem, Novi Civic Center, June 5, 2019
Financial Aid for Assisted Living and Nursing Home, Novi Civic Center, May 8, 2019
Facing the Giant Together, Novi Civic Center, April 24, 2019
Conquering the Challenges, CMDA Lunch & Learn, April 10, 2019
2019 Elder Law Essentials Seminar (video of presentation), City of Westland Friendship Center, April 3, 2019
Why Families Feud, CMDA Lunch & Learn, April 3, 2019
Estate Planning for Older Adults, CMDA Lunch & Learn, March 27, 2019
How to Build and Use an Estate Plan to Reduce Taxes, Cane & Able Support Group, March 12, 2019
Senior Expo, March 4, 2019
Why Families Feud In Probate Court and How To Prevent The Mayhem, February 20, 2019
Financial Aid For Assisted Living & Nursing Home, January 23, 2019
Estate Planning and Elder Law, Post-Polio Support Group, April 28, 2018
Medicare/Long-Term Care, West Lake Health Campus, February 2017
Special Needs Trusts, American Cancer Society, March 2017
The latest issue of Urban Aging News features the article “Leaving Real Property to a Loved One Without a Will or Trust,” written by Norman (Gene) Richards. In this insightful…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News features an article on Medicaid Estate Recovery written by Norman “Gene” Richards. In this insightful article, Mr. Richards’ explains Medicaid Estate Recovery, which…
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2024 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
Norman “Gene” Richards, a partner in our Livonia office, and Rita Turner, a paralegal in our Livonia office, are participating in the Senior Health Day event today at the City…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on Estate Planning Made Simple written by Norman “Gene” Richards. In this insightful article, Mr. Richards’ offers practical steps that…
We are pleased to announce that Norman (Gene) Richards, a partner in CMDA’s Livonia office, has been named to DBusiness Magazine’s 2024 List of Top Lawyers in the Trusts &…
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
Most parents know — in theory, at least — that when a child turns 18 the child is considered an adult with all the attendant legal rights of adulthood. This…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on How Important is it for you to Have a Will? written by Norman “Gene” Richards. In this insightful article,…
How Important is a Will, Really? The simple answer to that question is . . . wait for it . . . “It depends.” Most people own assets of some…
It is common for an aging parent to add an adult child’s name (sometimes more than one adult child) as a joint owner on the parent’s bank account. The arrangement…
Family gatherings offer the opportunity to surreptitiously keep an eye out for noticeable changes in behavior and living conditions of aging loved ones. It is important to be alert to…
Norman “Gene” Richards, a partner in our Livonia office, recently obtained substantial mitigation of a penalty assessed against a client by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on Advice for Caregivers: Five Steps to Leap Legal Hurdles written by Norman “Gene” Richards. In this article, Mr. Richards…
The U.S. population is increasingly aging. Family members of aging loved ones are increasingly stepping into the role of helper or caregiver. Fulfilling these responsibilities requires a great deal of…
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2022 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on Guardianship:Another Take on the Pros and Cons of Probate Court written by Norman “Gene” Richards. The article provides an…
The latest issue of Urban Aging News highlights an article on The Ladybird Deed written by Norman “Gene” Richards. The article provides an overview of the ladybird deed, along with the…
CMDA is proud to announce that several attorneys from our Firm have been selected for inclusion in the 2021 Michigan Super Lawyers & Rising Stars list. The following attorneys have…
CMDA has teamed up with Dignity Memorial to present a practical and informative collection of free online seminars. CMDA Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney Norman E. Richards will be…
Estate planning documents (wills, trusts, powers of attorney, etc.) are essential in a crisis. In the present pandemic, our families, friends and customers are dealing with frustrating isolation, sudden debilitating…
CMDA Attorney Norman E. Richards has started a daily vlog where he posts short videos to keep clients and friends informed of ways to handle elder law and estate planning…
CMDA invites you to attend a free educational workshop on Why Families Feud in Probate Court and How to Prevent the Mayhem on Wednesday, October 30th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at…
Don’t miss it! Senior Day at the Detroit Zoo will take place on Wednesday, September 4 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tri-county seniors 62 and older and an adult companion receive…
Join us! CMDA’s Livonia office is hosting complimentary Lunch & Learn Workshops on elder law, estate planning, and probate. All Workshops will take place in our Livonia office. Lunch…
Retirement is a highly-anticipated reward for years of hard work and child rearing. The “golden years” are viewed as a special season to pursue hobbies and enjoy life. Interestingly, while…
On January 16, 2019 Gene Richards, a partner in our Livonia office, gave a presentation on Stepping into Retirement- A Practical Action Plan to over 30 members of the Association…
‘Tis the season for holiday celebrations and family gatherings. These gatherings offer the opportunity to surreptitiously keep an eye out for noticeable changes in behavior and living conditions of aging…
It is fairly common for an aging parent to add a child’s name (sometimes more than one child) as a joint owner on the parent’s bank accounts. The arrangement is…
The CMDA Elder Law and Estate Planning team had a great time at the recent Metro Detroit Association of Health Underwriters (MDAHU) Medicare Summit and Expo. Nearly 200 agents from…
Most parents know — in theory, at least — that their children are no longer children when they turn 18. They are considered legal adults with legal responsibilities. This is…
Curt Benson, an attorney in our Grand Rapids office, hosts a popular syndicated radio program, The Lawyers, which airs on Newsradio WOOD 1300 and 106.9 FM. On the program, Mr….
On Thursday, April 20th Norman E. Richards (Gene), a partner in our Livonia office, will join other elder law experts to present a panel discussion on Understanding Long Term Care…
Advocacy is an important need of older adults as they strive to preserve their independence and protect their interests. For example, strong advocacy is needed to: protect life savings, deal…
We are pleased to announce that Norman E. Richards (Gene) has joined our Livonia office as a partner. Gene primarily focuses his practice on elder law and estate planning. Drawing…
Admitted In:
Michigan State Courts
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Court of International Trade
Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1996
Free Will Baptist Bible College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1990
Michigan Super Lawyers, Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, 2019-2024
DBusiness magazine 2024 Top Lawyer in Trusts & Estates