About Us
Navigating the complexities of elder law and special needs planning, from estate planning to guardianship, to ensure quality care and financial security in the Tampa Bay area.
top 50 women laywers
Top 50 Women Lawyers in Florida as listed by SuperLawyer for 2017 & 2021
Elder Law Attorney Member of the Year Award for the Florida Chapter, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys for 2017
Emma Hemness, Esquire
As the founder of Hemness Faller Elder Law, located in Brandon, Florida, it might not be surprising to learn that Emma’s start in the legal profession stemmed from her relationship with her grandparents.
“I always had a very strong relationship with both my grandmother and grandfather. When my grandmother became very frail, I was the only one visiting her in the nursing home during the last few months of her life,” she recalled.
Although initially Emma bristled at the thought of being a litigator, she realized that helping people, particularly those in vulnerable situations, became her life’s purpose. “I had a strong desire to protect individuals, especially during a significant health event or catastrophic illness, or just during the aging process,” she said.
While Emma was on maternity leave, she was peppered with questions from clients about benefits, questions about disability issues, which prompted Emma to do her own research to find out answers. It was during this process that she realized she was starting to develop a niche for herself, focusing more on elder law and special needs issues.
“There’s an organic migration from just focusing on someone’s death, which is what a lot of estate planning attorneys do, to focusing on the issues our clients are worried about while they’re still alive, like planning for a child with special needs and how to help them when you’re not able to and provide a safe environment for your loved ones.”
Although Emma often feels like there’s so much more for her to learn, she’s proud of the fact that when clients meet with her, she can give them tangible information that will help them both in the short and long-term. Sifting through information and researching solutions for clients to help them understand often complex issues provides Emma with a sense of pride, knowing that some of the information can be overwhelming.
“A lot of clients tell me I’m easy to understand, and that it’s incredibly helpful to know that I can take complicated laws and concepts and provide it in simple language for my clients that’s easy for them to understand,” she said.
Emma is a Florida Board Certified Specialist in Elder Law since 2004, and is also nationally certified as a CELA by the National Elder Law Foundation since 2005. Emma has been accredited by the Veterans Administration since 2008. Emma has been among the elite listing as a Super Lawyer in Elder Law by SuperLawyer Magazine for over 15 years. She received the prestigious honor of SuperLawyer Magazine listing her among the Top 100 Attorneys in Florida (2021 and 2017) and Top 50 Women Lawyers (2021, 2017, 2016, and 2011).
She has served the legal community as Chair of the Florida Elder Law Section (2007-2008) and as Past President of the Florida Chapter of NAELA, the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (2015). Emma has been dubbed the “Queen of Medicaid” for her comprehensive knowledge presented to elder law practitioners at continuing legal education events.
Emma’s past community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors of the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter Alzheimer’s Association and as an Officer and Board Member of the Senior Connection Center, the West Central Florida region’s Area Agency on Aging. She is a recognized Author in the Florida Bar’s Florida Guardianship Practice Manual.
Emma is a native of Polk County Florida where she graduated summa cum laude from Florida Southern College with a bachelor’s degree in human resources and finance. She earned her law degree from Stetson University College of Law in 1995. Each year, she cannot wait to go hiking in Northwest Montana. And, she takes every opportunity to get out and ride backroads in West Central Florida on her Harley.