Our People

JANIS A. CARNEY is the founder of The Law Offices of Janis A. Carney, where she focuses her practice on a holistic approach to law, covering many facets, including Elder Law, Estate Planning, Alzheimer’s & Long-Term Care Planning, Asset Protection, Medi-Cal planning, VA benefits planning, Trust Administration, and Probate Administration. Janis assists clients of all ages and stages from young families to the end stages of life. Janis is an expert in assisting elderly, disabled, or chronically ill, she is able to assess their situation and come up with a plan that stands up to their unique needs. Janis attended law school in her late 30’s as a wife and mother of two, and after watching both of her parents pass away. Janis has gone through the process of dealing with the issues of aging, care and death with her parents and in-laws first hand. Her experience in her own family has given Janis insight and drive to jump in and fill a need for human kind by creating better plans that not only protect assets, but helps plan for a better quality of life for us as we age. She excelled academically at Santa Clara University Law School, where she won competitions in client-counseling by utilizing her skills in listening, identifying issues and prioritizing responses, skills she uses today as an elder law counselor and attorney-at-law. She has a deep understanding and concern for clients who are caring for a chronically ill spouse or parent, or who want to plan for their own future care. Ms. Carney asks her clients what they want to happen when they die, what they want to happen if they don’t die and what happens if they get Alzheimer’s disease. These questions really ensure that the client is thinking realistically about the hard decisions and is able to plan accordingly with their wishes.

Mrs. Carney has been recognized as one of the top five percent of elder law attorneys in Northern California every year since 2006 and was recognized by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law in 1995. In 2005, she became the first Certified Elder Law Attorney in Santa Clara County and in 2009 became one of the first Accredited Attorneys with the Veterans Administration in the area. Though Janis resigned from remaining an Accredited VA Administration Attorney in June of 2020 her knowledge and expertise surpasses many and is of great value to her firm.

Today Janis’s passion is helping people to get the most out of what they have and plan for their future in the most effective way possible. Her holistic approach to providing a care path along with legal documents sets her aside from others in planning and gives her clients far more than they would get from a basic Estate Planning Attorney. Janis is a resource to many and as a student of life is constantly learning and growing as an attorney and as a person.

Janis is a founder of N3AP – National Alliance of Attorneys for Alzheimer’s Planning – a group of attorney’s across the U.S. dedicated to making an impact on issues related to long-term care planning for families affected by Alzheimer’s.

Visit the N3AP Facebook Page for more information – https://www.facebook.com/n3apnow/ 

Meet Lara Grisemer 

For years, I heard my mom, Janis A. Carney, talk about the need for estate planning and the difficulties families encounter when a loved one develops a serious and debilitating illness unexpectedly. Everyone is affected by these arcs in life.  My own family is no exception.  My mother-in-law suffered a stroke in 2009, transforming her from a vibrant woman who could still ski black diamonds at the age of 69, into someone who needed intensive care and assistance with daily living.  Within a few years, it became apparent that her primary care-giver, her husband/my father-in-law, was experiencing dementia, and his ability to care for her, their home, and their finances was beyond his capacity.

During the years that followed, I became acutely aware of the need for trusted and caring advisors in this area, the lack of resources available, and the growing need for attorneys and others who specialize in helping families navigate the process.

Professional Biography

I am passionate about helping others and healthcare.  I have a Master’s in Public Health, and went to Law School specifically to work in this field.  In 2006, I began my legal career at Hanson Bridgett LLP, a mid-sized law firm in downtown San Francisco. There I specialized in long-term care and healthcare law, assisting corporate clients with residency agreements, navigating health care reform, medical staff issues, and physician contracting.  When one of my largest clients, Sutter Health, was hiring, and I joined their team, honing my drafting and negotiation skills, while assisting hospitals and physicians with their delivery of services throughout the bay area. With the past 13 years’ legal experience, the transition to join my mom’s law firm seemed like a natural fit, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my expertise to help families.

I earned my J.D. and M.P.H. from Tulane University in New Orleans, and my B.A. from Colgate University in New York.  I am member of the California bar.

I am married, with two young children, a dog, and a home in Oakland. Together, we enjoy being outdoors, and you can usually find us either boating on the water or skiing in the mountains, depending on the season.