Norman (Gene) Richards

Overview

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

Practice Groups

Estate Planning and Elder Law

Education

Wayne State University Law School, J.D., 1996

Free Will Baptist Bible College, B.A., magna cum laude, 1990

Honors

Michigan Super Lawyers, Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, 2019-2025

DBusiness magazine 2024 Top Lawyer in Trusts & Estates

Memberships and Associations

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

Presentations & Articles

Estate Planning and Elder Law, Cane & Able Stroke Recovery Support Group, February 25, 2025

“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 Stroke Recovery 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 Stroke Recovery 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 Stroke Recovery 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