Bobbi S. Hines is a Member in Miller Johnson’s Probate and Estate Planning practice group, representing individuals and families in complex estate, elder law, special needs, Medicaid, and Veteran’s aid planning and administration. She has 15+ years of professional experience as a self-motivated individual with a strong emphasis in problem solving and collaboration skills. She provides her private clients with practical knowledge in a wide range of core legal areas including probate and trust administration, family, and civil law.

Ms. Hines’ first court experience was as a 16 year old minor petitioning for emancipation. She was a single teen mother who lived independently, worked full time through high school, (as opposed to an alternative school), and graduated in the top 10 of her class with an almost 2 year old child at the time of her graduation. She then continued to pursue college as a nontraditional student in the evenings and weekends while working full time and raising a child. Ms. Hines is now married with three children.

Estate Planning

Ms. Hines offers a broad set of estate and asset protection planning services to protect clients’ and their families’ wealth. She advises and assists in preparing and reviewing comprehensive wills and trusts, planned giving & philanthropy, family & business succession planning, and transfer of wealth to future generations.

Ms. Hines’s strengths in handling a variety of matters related to estate planning, from basic planning to high net worth planning, including drafting of special needs trusts, revocable, irrevocable, and ILITs, allow her clients to implement the best strategy for their personal needs. Ms. Hines monitors ongoing changes in case/statutory law and handles probate administration and trust administration matters along with other various probate court needs such as guardianships and conservatorships.

Elder Law – Medicaid Planning

Ms. Hines counsels individuals and families regarding the legal and practical aspects of planning for long-term care. She believes in the value of strong personal relationships with her clients to explain options and determine the legal and financial guidance needed to ensure quality of life and enhance preservation of funds.

Ms. Hines works with clients on courses of action including powers of attorney and patient advocate designations, divestment and transfer of asset strategies, real property titling to at-home spouses, and alternatives to court intervention.

Ms. Hines’s practice also focuses on preserving the availability of government benefits which includes Medicaid planning, verification for filing Medicaid Asset Declaration, spend down assistance and asset sheltering. She provides guidance in preparing Medicaid forms and assisting with appeals if needed. She has successfully processed Medicaid applications across West Michigan – including initial applications, annual redeterminations, single and spousal.

Professional Affiliations and Activities

Ms. Hines is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Academy of VA Pension Planners (AVAPP).

Community Activities

Ms. Hines formerly served as a member of the Salvation Army Planned Giving Committee, a board member of Life Matters Worldwide, and a Lifeline Leader and coach for middle school aged teens at Ada Bible Church, and acted as an ambassador for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Hines actively engages the community by offering workshops and educational seminars to various outreach organizations to educate the community on the importance of estate planning and preparing for the potential of long term care needs.

Honors

Ms. Hines has been recognized for Trusts and Estates Law by The Best Lawyers in America since 2023. Ms. Hines was a 2020 West Michigan Woman Magazine annual Brilliance Award Finalist. In 2018 she was selected as an “Up & Coming Lawyer” by Michigan Lawyers Weekly.

Education

Ms. Hines was awarded her J.D., cum laude, from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2010. She earned the Certificate of Merit Book Award for the highest grade for Pretrial Skills and Research and Writing. She received her Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies from Davenport University in 2005.