Mary Ellis Patton

Attorney, Member

Mary Ellis Patton joined Bluegrass Elderlaw, PLLC as an associate in 2014; she joined the firm as a member in 2020. She is licensed to practice law in both Kentucky and Ohio. Mary enjoys getting to know her clients on a personal level and understanding their family dynamics. These conversations help to construct strategies enabling clients to achieve their financial, legal, and health care goals.

Mary currently is a board member of the Fayette County Bar
Association and the Kentucky Guardianship Association (past chair). Mary is a recent past-chair of the Elder Law Section of the Kentucky Bar Association. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Fayette County Bar Association (Women's Law Association, past President), the Kentucky Bar Association (Elder Law and Probate sections). Mary is a graduate of the Leadership Lexington class of 2016. She is also an active member of the Delta Zeta Alumnae group and volunteers as an advisor to the undergraduate members at the University of Kentucky. In 2021, Mary was named by the University of Kentucky as the Fraternity and Sorority Life Outstanding Chapter Advisor.

She has authored chapters in the Kentucky Practice Series, Elder Law Volume, the UK/CLE Elder Law Handbook, and the UK/CLE Estate Planning Handbook. She has authored multiple continuing legal education articles. In 2019, Mary was named the Pro Bono Attorney of the year by Legal Aid of the Bluegrass.

Mary was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. She earned her B.A. in Communication magna cum laude from the University of Kentucky in 2004. In 2007, she received her J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law.

EDUCATION

  • University of Kentucky,
    B.A. in Communication, magna cum laude

  • University of Dayton, School of Law, J.D.

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Commonwealth of Kentucky

  • State of Ohio

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Kentucky Bar Association

    • Elder Law Section - former Section Chair

    • Probate Section

  • Kentucky Guardianship Association, Board Member, Past President

  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

    • National Member

    • Kentucky Chapter Member

  • Fayette County Bar Association - Board Member

  • Fayette County Bar Women’s Law Association - former President

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Kentucky Guardianship Association, Board Member

  • Legal Aid of the Bluegrass Volunteer

  • Alzheimer’s Association Volunteer

  • Kentucky WINGS

  • Leadership Lexington, Class of 2016

  • Leadership Lexington Alumni Steering Committee, 2016-2019

  • Delta Zeta, Alpha Theta Chapter, Advisory Board

AWARDS

  • Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, 2019 Pro Bono Attorney of the Year

  • University of Kentucky, 2021 Fraternity and Sorority Life Outstanding Chapter Advisor

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

  • Elder Law Handbook, University of Kentucky Office of Continuing Legal education, contributing author (2018, 2020 editions).

  • Estate Planning Handbook, University of Kentucky Office of Continuing Legal education, contributing author.

  • Kentucky Practice Series, Vol. 23, Elder Law, contributing author (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 editions).

  • Kentucky Bar Association, Bench & Bar Magazine, Vol. 85, No. 4, July 2021,  Overprotected? A look at guardianship and the alternatives.

  • Fixing Trusts: Using Trust Provisions to Your Advantage, Modifying Trusts, Decanting, and Terminating Trusts. Kentucky Bar Association Elder Law Section CLE Seminar, Materials author and presenter, March 2023.

  • Kentucky Legislative, Regulatory & “Hot Topics” Update for the Elder Law Attorney. UK/CLE 2021 Elder Law Conference. Prepared and presented with Shari Polur, October 2022.

  • Elder Law 102 and 102. Lawyers Club of Cincinnati, June 2022. Materials author and presenter.

  • Kentucky Legislative, Regulatory & “Hot Topics” Update for the Elder Law Attorney. UK/CLE 2021 Elder Law Conference. Prepared and presented with Shari Polur, October 2021.

  • Guardianship in Media and How to Handle a Client with Diminished Capacity. Fayette County Bar Association Bench and Bar Conference, September 2021.

  • Estate Planning - How to Get What You Actually Want When You Need It. Fayette County Bar Association Women Lawyers’ Association, March 2021. Materials author and presenter.

  • The ABCs of Elder Law: An Elder Law Primer. Kentucky Bar Association, Kentucky Law Update 2019. Prepared and presented with Katie Finnell.

  • Conservatorships, Guardianships & Curatorships in Kentucky. UK/CLE, 46th Annual Midwest-Midsouth Estate Planning Institute, July 2019.

  • Be the Boss or Be Bossed - Power of Attorney or Guardianship. Kentucky Bar Association 2019 Annual Convention. Presentation only; materials by Melissa Crump.

  • Alternatives to Guardianship. UK/CLE, Elder Law 2019.

  • Pre-Planning Issues in Elder Law Matters. Updates from the Capitol, June 2019. Prepared with Amy E. Dougherty and Katie E. Finnell.

  • Pre-Planning: Sufficient Forethought for Your Assets to Last as Long as You Do. UK/CLE, Elder Law 2018. Prepared and presented with Shari Polur.

  • Repairing a Broken Special Needs Plan. Kentucky Bar Association, 2018 Elder Law Mid-Winter CLE Seminar.

  • Must the Court Approve Special Needs and Asset Protection Planning for Your Disabled Client? 2017 Kentucky Bar Association Kentucky Law Update. Prepared and presented with Melissa J. Crump and Amy E. Dougherty.

  • Ethical Considerations in an Elder Law Practice. Kentucky Bar Association, 2016 Elder Law CLE: Spring into Elder Law. Prepared and presented with Amy E. Dougherty.

  • Pre-Planning: Sufficient Forethought for Your Assets to Last as Long as You Do. Kentucky Bar Association, Elder Law Section 2015 Spring CLE Seminar: Putting an Elder Law Practice to Work. Prepared with Amy E. Dougherty and Shari Polur.