Your Peace of Mind is
Worth Planning For.

Lori Rook is the owner and managing attorney of Ozarks Elder Law. She was born and raised in the Springfield area. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Missouri State University in 2003 where she graduated with honors.

In 2006, Lori received her law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law before returning to the Springfield area to practice and raise her family.

Elyse Hartley is a partner at Ozarks Elder Law. She grew up on a farm in central Missouri. Upon graduation from the University of Missouri School of Law, she decided to pursue a career in estate planning and elder law after recognizing a need for these services, especially in the farming community. 

Melanie “Mel” Myears Smith received her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri, majoring in Journalism with minors in Spanish and Business. In 2012, she earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Missouri School of Law, where she was the associate-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Dispute Resolution and Vice President of the Women’s Law Association. She worked as a law clerk for a private law firm that focused on workers’ compensation and personal injury in Columbia, Missouri during law school. 

Katherine grew up on a farm in Eastern Kansas and attended UMKC where she earned a Bachelors in Business Administration, a Masters in Business Administration, and a Law Degree, with a special emphasis in litigation. While earning her Juris Doctorate, Katherine earned the “Top Oralist” award, as well as an award for the Best Petitioner’s Team Brief in Appellate Advocacy and awards for the highest score achieved in multiple classes.

A native of Oklahoma, Lisa grew up in Tahlequah, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. She received her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement from the University of Oklahoma. Lisa is a graduate of Oklahoma City University School of Law, where she served as the Board of Governors Senior Class President.

Prior to moving to Missouri, Lisa was in private practice in Oklahoma City and later worked for Oklahoma City University Law School as Director of Law Alumni Relations and Development. After moving to Branson, Missouri, she was in private practice, representing clients in real estate transactions, estate planning, and family law, while also serving as the City Attorney for Hollister and Rockaway Beach and General Counsel for the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors.

Emily Blinzig is an experienced Estate Planning and Probate attorney who graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies. She was a member of Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, the Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society, and the Golden Key Honor Society. She obtained her law degree from the University of Tulsa in 2012, where she was a Phi Delta Phi International Fraternity member, and where she also served as the Secretary of the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.