Valley Estate & Elder Law

Holistic estate planning and asset protection.

Owner

U.S. House of Representatives

Intern

I help families and small businesses plan for the future by crafting a life and estate plan. 

Together, we’ll plan for what we know will happen (death) as well as what might happen. We’ll plan to protect assets from creditors, predators, and spenders.  We’ll maximize family harmony.

I also help individuals and families with the buying and selling of real estate as well as adoptions.

Follow me on TikTok @alabamalawyerzach



Zach Anderson

Lake Ridge Legal, PLLC

Serving Dallas County for your civil legal needs, and veterans nationwide.

Managing Owner

Entrepreneurs in Community Lawyering

ECL is a program designed to support new solo legal practitioners who are building practices to support low and lower middle income clients and increase access to justice.

Participant

UNT Dallas College of Law

Law Student

Teaching Assistant

CitySquare

Litigated three eviction defense cases as first chair, and second chaired a successful eviction appeal at County Court. Negotiated an eviction abatement and coordinated rental assistance referrals in two additional cases.

Conducted written discovery in a try title action.

Provided legal outreach to the indigent, and counseled clients on their civil matters.

Legal Extern

American Bar Association

Project based legal operations role; analyzed and created efficiencies in the client intake process in order to create scalable solutions to serve the legal needs of homeless and indigent neighbors in Dallas County.

John J. Curtin, Jr. Justice Fund Fellow with CitySquare in Dallas, Texas

The ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty considered over 50 applications this year, and selected three law students in the US to serve as Curtin Fellows. I am one of the three.

Fellow

U.S. District Courts

ABA Judicial Internship Opportunities Program, Hon. Judge Rebecca Rutherford

ABA JIOP considered over 800 applications this year, and selected 129 law students for placement in judicial chambers.

Judicial Intern

• Observed courtroom proceedings and assisted in the preparation of COVID eviction protection claims for low and lower-mid income clients
• Conducted client intake, performed pre-screening interviews and prepared initial applications for rental assistance funds
• Interacted with indigent clients to ensure timely submission of documents for their legal proceedings, including offers of data entry and scanning services for clients who lack home internet connectivity
• Performed legal research and wrote memoranda for family law, property, and probate matters and assisted attorneys with trial preparation

Genesis Women's Shelter & Support

-Conducted research on family law matters pertaining to presumption of maternity in same sex marriages, standards for supervised visitation under the Texas Family Code, provisions of the Texas Property Code as it pertains to community property determinations, and inferences which may be drawn under Texas Rules of Evidence regarding the invocation of the 5th Amendment by a party in a civil proceeding.
-Researched elements of torts and burdens of proof for claims of fraud incident to property claims in divorce proceedings.
-Researched the effect of immigration status on divorce proceedings.
-Participated in case strategy sessions for 3 hearings and 1 trial, including review of attorney draft oral arguments and evidence.
-Assisted in data cleansing and migration efforts for an upcoming conversion of case management software, including auditing of 602 records, and manual migration of client notes for 429 legal contacts.
-Conducted business account/ document review in preparation for a deposition.
-Prepared client expense documents for use in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship and claims for child support in arrears.

Legal Intern

US Navy

-Advised the Secretary of the Navy for emergency mobilization of over 600 reserve Marines and Sailors in support of Operations Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma Recovery.
-Provided research, analysis, and advice on Marine Corps reserve manpower and equipment programs, policies, and operations to assist the Secretary of the Navy in making informed decisions regarding the employment of 54,000 reservists.
-Oversaw the execution of funds and delivery of equipment in support of Department of the Navy acquisitions and procurement supporting reserve component requirements.
-Reported to Congress on reserve equipment needs through the annual publication of the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Report; which drove funding for a multi-year budget of $10 billion dollars. 
-Facilitated a federally mandated advisory board to the Secretary of the Navy; coordinated all support to an 18 member board for two meetings annually, and staffed all board reports for SECNAV review and publication.
-Developed changes in legislation, regulations, and procedures affecting the reservists.
-Managed the incapacitation pay benefits program for over 200 sick and injured members of the Marine Corps Reserve; published policy guidance and recommended monetary award decisions.

Senior Policy and Program Analyst/ Special Assistant 

US Marine Corps

Lieutenant Colonel

-Instrumental in the deployment and return of over 600 Reserve Marines in support of overseas operations and exercises. 
-Oversaw the organizational training plan development and management for a group of over 11,000 Marines.
-Supervised a team of 18, and provided direction to 8 organizational leadership teams to support group operations.

Director Of Current Operations

-Oversaw the review of 23 small unit organizations and reviewed 5,263 individual jobs to support a major reorganization of the 4th Marine Logistics Group 
-Ensured the new unit organizational structure was submitted correctly to Headquarters, Marine Corps for 67 geographic locations in time for registration on the spring 2013 authorized strength report as mandated by Congress.
-Successfully tracked, synchronized and executed the conversion of a combat unit into a logistics support unit; which involved the retraining of 200 people and reconfiguration of $3 million dollars of equipment.
-Led 12 planning teams, developed briefing products, and created a plan of action and milestones to implement and sustain the reorganization.

Organizational Change Manager

-Proactively monitored each battalion's legacy supply management system data accuracy in preparation for Global Combat Service Support- Marine Corps logistics system conversion; sent support teams as necessary across the United States to facilitate successful program conversion by the mandated contract date. 
-Led the execution of logistics support planning, and equipment shipments for 9 multi-service exercises, and over 20 world-wide annual training events for the 2011 and 2012 exercise seasons.
-Identified issues with procurement of medical supply stocks and worked with numerous agencies to find an emergency sourcing solution in support of a major international overseas exercise.
-Assisted the Health Service Support section in quantifying the requirements for a $500K contract to support field medical and dental requirements.
-Managed a team of 21 logistics professionals to support the maintenance, supply, fiscal, and transportation needs of a major command of over 11,000 people.

Logistics Director

- Wrote advisory opinions for the Board for Correction of Naval Records. Reviewed personnel files and petitioner submissions for correction of service dates, upgrades of reserve reenlistment codes, and petitions for special promotion boards for current reserve Marines and Marine reserve veterans seeking reinstatement.
- Co-wrote guidance for the entire Marine Corps on the transfer of education benefits to family members under the Post 9/11 GI Bill; served as the compliance and approval authority for over 800 requests to transfer the benefit by reserve members.
-Led a team of 6 retention specialists; served as the review and final approval authority for reenlistment requests for a retention pool of up to 15,000 people each fiscal year.
-Managed the first review and publication of a reserve manpower retention instruction, which provided updated retention guidelines and procedures for a workforce of nearly 100,000 people.

Supervisory Policy and Program Analyst/ Technical Writer

Executive Officer of the Reserve Support Unit 
Deployed to Afghanistan during this tour (CJ33 Deputy Chief of Current Operations, CSTC-A)

Logistics Officer

As an IMA, served interim duties as the New River military police detachment officer in charge. Managed a group of 60 military police officers, and maintained reporting relationships to the Commanding Officers of Camp Geiger (School of Infantry), MCAS New River, and the Provost Marshal of Camp Lejeune on all matters concerning law enforcement and security on the air station.

Military Police Det OIC

Deputy Provost Marshal of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro 1997-1999
Security Operations Officer, HMX-1 (Presidential Helicopter Squadron) 1999-2002; TS/ SCI (Yankee White)
Military Police Officer, IRR 2002,
Presidential recall 2003

Military Police Officer

Hi, I'm Fran!

I'm a Marine Veteran, solo practitioner, and policy geek. 

I am also a veteran with a service connected disability. So is my husband. We served a collective 50 years. We both served in combat zones (and many good places, too). 

We are in an inter-service marriage (he's a retired Soldier), but the good-natured rivalry always stayed at the door with our boots. 

We both lived the life of service member, military spouse, and at times, family caregiver. We are also raising three children, only two of whom were military brats (hello, retirement baby)! 

But before we were any of those things, we were poor kids from the wrong side of the tracks. Military service was a rocket ship of upward mobility for my husband and me, and for that we are eternally grateful.

Through these life experiences, I have a deep understanding of military/ veteran family life impacted by disability, as well as the challenges that low income families face. This life experience informs and shapes my practice of law.

In the service, I was primarily a policy writer. I did reviews of eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill Benefits, Montgomery GI Bill benefits, and the Transfer of Education benefits program at the HQMC level. 

I also reviewed applications for corrections of naval records, and made recommendations on whether the member's petition should be approved or not, based on the facts presented and the pertinent policy. These petitions included re-enlistment code upgrades, reappointment eligibility, and time in service reviews to determine if a member had reached statutory service limits, or whether they were eligible for a waiver.

At the SECNAV level, I made eligibility determinations and award recommendations to the Secretariat for the reserve incapacitation pay program.

I am also familiar with military divorce, apportionment, and the frozen benefit rule as it pertains to military divorce decrees/ military retirement pay division.

In addition to a bevy of knowledge about military personnel policy, my experience post service has given me knowledge about and practical experience in eviction defense/landlord-tenant disputes, small claims and credit actions, social security disability claims, and guardianships.

I am, at my core, a defender with a servant's heart.

taplio

The Battle

Zach Anderson

Francine Bennett, J.D.

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