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Melissa Yates takes great pride in making people feel comfortable— whether it's in her
law office or in her dining room.
Melissa has a tremendous ability to connect with
people enabling her to get to the root of her clients' needs and concerns. She feels
that connection makes clients feel reassured and lets them know they are in good hands. Since joining the firm, Melissa has been applying those skills to an extremely varied legal practice. From business and corporate law to elder law and estate planning, Melissa seeks to deliver custom-tailored solutions to her clients' problems and does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to problem solving. The breadth of her legal experience, coupled with her sincerity and enthusiasm, often helps to soften the intimidating aura of an attorney's office.
Melissa's interest in making others comfortable does not stop at the doors of Denton & Keuler. A self-described “Martha Stewart wanna-be,” Melissa finds relaxation and rejuvenation in entertaining and gardening activities that bring beauty and fulfillment to her life and to the lives of her family and friends. According to Melissa, she strives to make sure her home embodies "gracious living” which to her means a beautiful, comfortable place where friends and family always feel welcome. |
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“I consider my home a haven. My time spent at home engaging in creative activities,
whether
I am cooking, decorating, or gardening, allows me to unwind from the everyday
stress of practicing law. I believe that helps me to remain calm which is helpful when I'm working
with people whose lives may not be in such a peaceful place!”
-Melissa Yates
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Partial Client List:
- Housing Authority of Paducah
- Paducah-McCracken County E-911 Communications Board
- Paducah-McCracken County Joint Sewer Agency
- Jackson Purchase Energy Corporation
- Complete Denton & Keuler Client List
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Personal: Born: Cape Girardeau, Missouri, July 30, 1974
She is married to Greg Yates. They have one son, Brendan.
Education:
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, B.A., 1995
- Southern Illinois University School of Law, J.D.,Cum Laude, 2001
- Admitted to Kentucky Bar Association, 2001
- Admitted to Illinois Bar Association, 2002
Career Review:
- Melissa Yates is one of only a handful of attorneys in western Kentucky to handle cases in front of the Public Service Commission. Melissa recently tried a case before the PSC, which could have statewide implications for electric co-ops.
- Melissa won a Medicaid appeal regarding the existence of a life estate in a tract of real estate worth approximately $300,000. Melissa proved that the client had only a life estate which was properly considered an exempt asset. Because of this result, Medicaid was required to pay approximately $20,000 in benefits on behalf of the client.
- Melissa is the only attorney in western Kentucky who is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
Professional Associations:
- Kentucky Bar Association
- McCracken County Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association
- Illinois State Bar Association Elder Law Section
Personal/Professional Achievements:
- Nomination for Woman of Achievement, Paducah-River City Business and Professional Women, 2006
- Leadership Paducah Class 17 - 2003-2004
- Retired Senior Volunteer Program ("RSVP") Advisory Council
- Board member for the Paducah-McCracken County Senior Citizens Center
- Electric Cooperative Bar Association
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
Seminars Presented:
Seminars Attended:
- Electric Cooperative Bar Association, Legal Seminar 47 Electric Co-ops, Charleston, SC.; May 20-22, 2007
- National Business Institute; Winning Your First Civil Trial, March 2007
- McCracken County Bar Association; Here's the Top Ten! Ethics and Malpractice..., November 2006
- Kentucky Association of Electrical Cooperatives; Legal Seminar for Rural Electric Cooperative Attorneys, November 2005
- Kentucky Bar Association Update, November 2005
- McCracken County Bar Association; Immigration & Naturalization Issues,
August 2005
- McCracken County Bar Association; Drug Court, July 2005
- National Business Institute; Nursing Home Malpractice in KY: Sucessful Case..., October 2003
- Lorman Education Services; Medicaid and Elder Law Issues, April 2003
- HalfMoon Seminars, LLC; KY Medicare/Medicaid Benefits and Eligibility...,
October 2002
- Seminar 47 Electric Co-Ops, Charleston, SC.; May 2007
Articles Written:
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