INTRODUCING DEREK L. GRAHAM
My practice grew very organically. On March 8, 2009, my wife and I had our first child. We had a daughter and like nearly all of our clients, we were thrown for a total loop when a nurse whispered to me about 10 minutes into her life “I think your daughter has Down syndrome.” At that time in my life, I could not have told you the difference between Medicaid and Medicare and I had no idea what SSI stood for. I quickly learned that asking legal questions about the DD field could lead to wildly different and inconsistent answers from attorneys who “dabbled” in this field. I connected with a wonderful attorney who knew the field very well and he was a mentor that helped train me in how our DD system works. With 3-4 years, nearly all of my work was representing families who face the same challenges/questions that my family faces and I love what I get to do for a living.
I tell people that the majority of what I do for a living is teaching. While I am an attorney, most of my time is spent helping families learn how the system works and how to utilize the system. Even the process of setting up a special needs estate plan is rooted in educating them on how the system and how money can be properly used/protected while still receiving the necessary benefits.
You would never know it by looking at me, but I enjoy running and completed two marathons last year!
My daughter Megan (Down syndrome). Like many of our clients, she overcomes more challenges and harder challenges in a week then I do in a year and she does it with so much determination and positivity.
Outside. My wife’s family has a maple syrup farm and I love getting outside and working in the woods or hiking, golfing or just being in nature.
“The British are Coming” by Rick Atkinson