E. Wyles Johnson Jr. has been certified by the National Elder Law Foundation as a Certified Elder Law Attorney, and the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Elder Law.
Johnson received this certification by NELF — the only organization accredited by the American Bar Association to offer certification in the area of elder law — by having a minimum of five years of practice and 16 hours per week devoted to elder law practice handling at least 60 elder law matters during the three years immediately preceding application, and successfully completing a six-hour certification exam.
He also passed a peer review process, having completed at least 45 hours of continuing legal education in the three years immediately preceding certification, and must undergo a similar elder law certification process every five years. There are only 14 certified elder law attorneys in North Carolina.
This certification provides Johnson’s clients assurance that he has an in-depth working knowledge of the legal issues that impact the elderly. According to NELF, elder law is the practice of counseling and representing individuals, their families and representatives about the legal and financial aspects of health and long-term care planning, public benefits, special needs planning, surrogate decision-making, legal capacity, the conservation, disposition and administration of estates and the implementation of decisions concerning these matters, giving consideration to the tax consequences of the action or the need for advanced tax planning.
Johnson’s practice is substantially concentrated in Elder and Special Needs Law, in which he focuses on issues unique to the elderly and disabled and advocates for their right to public benefits such as Medicare, special assistance and Medicaid.
He also represents the elderly and disabled against those with whom they have a fiduciary relationship, such as a trustee, guardian, or attorney-in-fact under a Power of Attorney, for breach of fiduciary duty.
He focuses on issues confronting war veterans in need of medical assistance, and is accredited for the preparation, presentation and prosecution of claims for veterans benefits before the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Johnson earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration in May of 1981 and his Masters in Business Administration in December of 1982 from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in December of 2001.