Kara Gansmann

Kara Gansmann devotes her entire practice to elder law and estate planning in the Wilmington office of Cranfill Sumner LLP (CSH Law).  Kara is especially well-suited for this practice thanks to her strong interpersonal skills, her diplomatic demeanor, and pragmatic approach to problem-solving.  She brings a solid sense of collegiality to her work with both clients and professionals, alike.

In private consultations, Kara counsels individuals and families on tactics for estate planning, asset protection, and long-term care planning.  Kara drafts Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Trusts, including Pet Trusts, Revocable and Irrevocable Living Trusts, and Special Needs Trusts. Kara also advises clients on eligibility for public benefits like Veterans’ Aid & Attendance and prepares applications for Medicaid and Special Assistance.

In the courtroom, Kara represents clients in trust and estate administration matters, Will caveats, guardianship/incompetency proceedings, and fiduciary litigation.  Kara also represents clients in administrative hearings for denials of public benefits such as Medicaid.

Kara leads a team of experienced professionals who also focus on elder law needs.  The team’s paralegals assist clients in matters ranging from probate to caregiver agreements to promissory notes or real estate deed transactions intended for asset protection. Kara’s team also includes a certified geriatric care senior advisor, who assists with placement in care facilities.  Kara’s entire team understands the urgency and stress associated with seniors’ needs.

Prior to joining CSH Law, Kara served as a staff attorney on an appellate court in Houston, Texas.  There, she managed all aspects of complex civil and criminal appellate matters and drafted over 200 judicial opinions for court justices in over six years.

Kara frequently presents on elder law issues to community organizations, churches, and neighborhood associations across Southeastern North Carolina.  She is a prolific writer on legal issues affecting seniors.  Kara volunteers for and actively supports local and state organizations that benefit seniors’ lives.

Kara hails from a small town in North Carolina, where she grew to appreciate the value of a hand-shake, hard work, and the trust placed in someone’s word. As a proud North Carolina native, she’s happy to raise her family in her home state where her favorite people call her wife, mom, daughter, sister, niece, and cousin.

Representative Matters

Cases or matters referenced do not represent the attorney’s entire record. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own merits. The outcome of a particular case cannot be predicated upon a lawyer’s or a law firm’s past results.

• Obtained guardianships on behalf of out-of-state and in-state clients to protect family members with dementia
• Obtained guardianships on behalf of clients to protect family members with mental illness
• Obtained Medicaid-compliant annuities to assist community spouses
• Obtained Medicaid eligibility and approval for single clients and married clients
• Obtained an Order in estate administration that required an executor to return to the estate legal fees, commissions, and other administrative costs estimated to be in excess of $100,000 based on inaccurate inventories and accountings filed during probate.
• Assisted in successful defense on appeal of a trial court’s dismissal of legal malpractice claims against an attorney on grounds that the attorney was judicially immune as a quasi-judicial officer when he served as a court-appointed commissioner to oversee the partition sale of real property owned by the a plaintiff as a co-tenant.

Articles, Presentations, and Publications

• Presenter, “Durable Powers of Attorney Insights” and “Advanced Directive Tips: making Healthcare Wishes Explicit,” for National Business Institute’s CLE “Estate Planning: Top 7 Tools to Know” (June 17, 2019, Wilmington, North Carolina)
• Presenter, “Medicaid: New Rules in Benefits, Eligibility, and More” for National Business Institute’s CLE  (June 12, 2019, 90-minute, nation-wide webinar)
• Featured in NC Lawyer, “Renaissance Woman: World Traveler, Lawyer, Writer, Volunteer Kara Gansmann Can’t Be Stopped,” by Russel Rawlings (August 2018)
• Presenter, “Documenting Long-Term Care, Incapacity, and End-of-Life Decisions,” for National Business Institute’s CLE “Step-by-Step Guide to Drafting Wills and Trusts” (June 18, 2018, Wilmington, North Carolina)
• Author of manuscripts, “Marshalling Assets: Key Complications,” and “Creditors’ Claims Frustrations,” presented by Andrew W. Olsen for the National Business Institute’s CLE, “Top Challenges in Estate Administration” (May 10, 2018, Raleigh, North Carolina)
• Author of manuscript, “Medicaid Planning Strategies,” presented by Andrew W. Olsen for the North Carolina Bar Association Elder Law & Special Needs Basics CLE (October 27, 2017, Cary, North Carolina)
• Presenter, The New North Carolina Power of Attorney Act, Cranfill Sumner Firm Seminar (November 9, 2017, Raleigh, North Carolina)
• Author of manuscript, “Medicaid Estate Recovery” presented by Andrew W. Olsen for National Business Institute’s CLE “Medicaid Update 2017” (November 7, 2017, Raleigh, North Carolina)
• Author, How Seniors Can Afford Long Term Care Without Spending Their Life Savings, Business North Carolina (August 2017)
• Author of manuscript for CLE “What are Trusts? Main Trust Principles” as presented by Andrew W. Olsen for National Business Institute’s CLE “Trusts from A to Z” (June 30, 2017, Wilmington, North Carolina)
• Kara is a regular contributor to the Greater Wilmington Business Journal Insights column.
• Author, A Retailer’s Guide to Use of Video Surveillance Evidence to Defend itself in Litigation, The Retailer magazine (2017)
• Presenter, Liability Issues with Free-Speech Rights in the Workplace, Cranfill Sumner Firm Seminar (October 2016, Raleigh, North Carolina)
• Author, The Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Corporations to Opt Out of Contraceptive Mandate in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014)
• Author, Government Speech. It’s What’s for Dinner, 82 N.D. L. Rev. 519 (2006)

Media