William J. Browning

Bill Browning has been instrumental in the development of law in the areas of elder law and special needs planning, both in the state of Ohio and nationally.

Throughout his career, Bill has been committed to assisting families facing the potential for a long term nursing home stay since the 1980s. He has also been instrumental in changing the law in Ohio, allowing parents and grandparents to set aside funds for the supplemental needs of mentally ill, developmentally disabled and physically disabled heirs while still qualifying for Medicaid and other governmental benefits.

Over three decades of experience advising families facing a health care crisis, either years in advance of a nursing home placement, or subsequent to a catastrophic event. His understanding of the economic stress factors, as well as the emotional components, allows him to guide families through an often foreign and unduly complex maze to obtain the health care required without becoming destitute.

As a Certified Elder Law Attorney, Bill has helped designed the national program creating the certification process, authoring exam questions and grading certification exams over the past twenty years. Bill has been honored by invitations to lecture to attorneys and financial planners at many Ohio State Bar Association and various national events.

He has also remained active in the more traditional estate and tax planning practice as most families he represents also face tax and other traditional planning issues.

Capital University Law School, J.D., 1983
Capital University, B.A.

Ohio, 1983
U.S District Court, Southern District of Ohio
U.S. District Court, Northern District Ohio
U.S. Tax Court
U.S. Supreme Court

“Medicaid Planning with Respect to Life Insurance, Real Estate, Life Estates, and Long-Term Care Insurance,” Ohio State Bar Association Medicaid Seminar, June 27, 2018
Stetson Law School, Special Needs Conference, Presenter, 2010 and 2012
Frequent speaker at several national conventions for National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
Pack v. Osborne, The Supreme Court of Ohio, 2007

Trade Associations
Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging, Former Board Member
National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Member, Fellow, Past President
Central Ohio Arthritis Foundation, Former Board Member

Bar Associations
Ohio State Bar Association, Elder Law Committee, Former Chair

Ohio Super Lawyers®, 2021
National Elder Law Foundation and Ohio Supreme Court, Certified Elder Law Attorney, 1996