Raymond A. Harris is a shareholder with Buhl, Little, Lynwood & Harris, PLC in East Lansing. He practices in the areas of estate planning, elder law, Medicaid and disability planning, trust and estate administration, guardianships and conservatorships, and probate litigation. He is licensed to practice in both Michigan and Florida.
Ray is the past president of the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council. He is the immediate past chair of the State Bar of Michigan’s Elder Law and Disability Rights Section. In 2014, he was named by Michigan Lawyers Weekly as one of the “Up & Coming Lawyers.” He was named by SuperLawyers as a “Rising Star” in the area of Elder Law from 2015 to 2019 and was named in Best Lawyers for “Litigation – Trusts and Estates” in 2024. He is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to Medicaid planning, elder law, probate, and estate planning.
Ray enjoys spending time outside, reading, and traveling.
Areas of Practice
Medicaid, Disability, and Elder Law
Estate Planning
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate Litigation
Guardianships and Conservatorships
Florida matters relating to Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administrations
Education
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D. cum laude, 2007
South Dakota State University, B.S. 2003
Professional Awards
- Named in Super Lawyers in the area of Elder Law, 2024-present
- Named in Best Lawyers for “Elder Law, Litigation – Trusts and Estates, and Trusts and Estates”, 2024-present
- Named as a Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Star in the area of Elder Law, 2015-2019
- Recipient of Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Up & Coming Lawyers” Award, December 2014
- Probate and Estate Planning Certificate through the Institute of Continuing Legal Education and State Bar of Michigan
Community Service
- Board of Directors of the Thomas M. Cooley Sixty Plus Elder Law Clinic – 2019 to Present
- Chair of the Ingham County Bar Association “Ask a Lawyer” event 2017 to Present
- Board of Directors of Elder Law of Michigan – 2014 to Present
- Board of Directors of the Fenner Nature Conservancy – 2013-2019
- Member of the Kiwanis Club of South Lansing 2012 to Present
- President 2015-2016
- Board of Trustees of the Lansing Educational Advancement Foundation – 2013-2016
- Board of Directors and Treasurer of the R.J. Scheffel Memorial Toys Project – 2013-2015
- Board of Directors and Treasurer of the Lansing Retired & Senior Volunteer Program – 2010-2013
Professional Associations & Honors
- State Bar of Michigan, Admitted December 2007
- Probate and Estate Planning Section
- Elder Law and Disability Rights Section
- State Bar of Michigan Elder Law & Disability Rights Section
- Council member, October 2016-2026
- Chair, 2024-2025
- Immediate Past Chair, 2025-2026
- The Florida Bar, Admitted March 2015
- Real Property, Trusts, and Estates Section
- Elder Law Section
- United States District Court
- Western District of Michigan
- Eastern District of Michigan
- Ingham County Bar Association
- Probate and Estate Planning Law Section
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- Board of Directors, Michigan Chapter, 2013-present
- President, Michigan Chapter, October 2018-October 2019
- Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council
- Member, September 2013-present
- Board of Directors, May 2014-May 2018
- President, May 2017-May 2018
- ICLE Elder Law Advisory Board
- Member, January 2017-present
- Supreme Court Administrative Office
- Court Forms Mental Health Workgroup Committee, 2016-2023
Related Experience, Presentations & Publications
- Presenter “An Update on Billing Models 2025 and How to Charge Clients” for the 65th Annual Probate and Estate Planning Institute (ICLE) – May 2025
- Presenter “MI Choice Waiver Program and Pace” for the Elder Law Institute (ICLE) – June 2024
- Presenter “Special Needs Planning” for the Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council – February 2024
- Contributing Author “Claims Against an Estate or Trust” for the Michigan Probate Litigation (ICLE) – June 23 to Present
- Presenter “Medicaid for Married Couples” for the Medicaid and Healthcare Planning Update (ICLE) – April 2023
- Presenter “Medicaid Fundamentals” for the Elder Law Institute (ICLE) – September 2021
- Contributing Author “Elder Law Certificate Program” (ICLE) – 2017 to Present
- Contributing Author “Guardianships & Conservatorships” for Advising the Older or Disabled Client (ICLE) – 2016 to Present
- Author “New Florida Electronic Documents Act” for the State Bar of Michigan Elder Law and Disability Rights Newsletter – August 2019
- Presenter “Solving Problems with Difficult or Unusual Assets” for the Medicaid and Healthcare Planning Updates (ICLE) – April 2019
- Presenter “Everything You Need to Know About Florida Property and Estates” for the 58th Annual Probate and Estate Planning Institute (ICLE) – June 2018
- Panelist “Interactive Special Needs Planning Solutions” for the Elder Law Institute (ICLE) – September 2017
- Presenter “Using Special Needs Trusts” for the NBI Medicaid Seminar – April 2017
- Presenter “Law of Intestate Succession” for the NBI Medicaid Probate Seminar – December 2016
- Guest Author “Ethics and Unauthorized Practice of Law” for the State Bar of Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal – 2015-2023
- Presenter “Ancillary Probate and Other Problem Areas” for the NBI Probate Bootcamp Seminar – December 2015
- Presenter “Special Needs Trusts: Beyond the Basics, Administering, and Reporting” for the Ingham County Bar Association Probate and Trust Section – October 2015
- Author “Florida’s Elective Share for the Surviving Spouse and Its Impact on Non-Florida Beneficiaries” for the Michigan Probate and Estate Planning Journal – Summer 2015
- Presenter “Basics of Special Needs Planning” for the Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys – April 2015
- Presenter “Who Should You Trust?” for the Bath Township Senior Center – August 2014
- Presenter “Estate and Medicaid Planning” for the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group – March 2014
- Presenter “Medicaid Planning and Updates” for the Greater Lansing Estate Planning Council – January 2014
- Author “Estate Planning Overview” for Cosozo Living – January 2010 Issue
- Author “A Primer on Medicare and Medicaid” for Cosozo Living – September 2009 Issue
- Author “Litigation on d(4)(C) Trusts and Food Stamps” for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Spring 2008 Newsletter