Sheila Hilley

SHEILA HILLEY focuses her practice in elder law, estate planning and administration and real estate. She is a member of the Albany County, Columbia County and New York State Bar Associations, and is a member of the Elder Law and Trust and Estates sections of the New York Bar Association.

In the area of elder law, Ms. Hilley has extensive experience in the area of guardianships. At the request of the Courts, Ms. Hilley has frequently served as court evaluator and counsel to the alleged incapacitated individuals in guardianship proceedings. She has also been appointed as Guardian of the Person and Property of individuals with mental and physical disabilities. As Guardian of the Property, she has managed assets in excess of $6 million.

In the area of estate planning and administration, Ms. Hilley has handled numerous matters in Surrogate's Court, including contested accountings. She concentrates in future care planning for disabled individuals and has been instrumental in preparing special needs trusts for her clients.

Ms. Hilley has represented clients in the purchase and sale of residential and commercial property for over twenty years. Her experience in reading title and closing of title insurance transactions has enhanced her representation in this area of law.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Ms. Hilley received her Juris Doctorate from New York Law School in 1983. Her undergraduate degree is from St. John's University in Queens, New York, where, in 1977, she earned a Bachelor of Science, magna cum laude. After graduating from law school, Ms. Hilley joined the commercial leasing department at McGraw-Hill, Inc. in New York. She relocated to the Capital District area in 1993 and was a solo practitioner for a number of years before joining Rapport Meyers in 2001.