Protecting What Matters Most: Ross & Shoalmire’s 20 Years of Advocacy for Families

By: Michelle Horton

They may have started with just two laptops and a card table, but 20 years later, attorneys John Ross and Lisa Shoalmire have built one of the most trusted elder law firms in the region. With offices across East Texas and Southwest Arkansas, Ross & Shoalmire has become a household name—known not just for legal expertise, but for compassion, advocacy, and a mission to protect what matters most: families.

The duo behind the firm, Ross and Shoalmire, have remarkably different personal stories, yet they share the same vision. That vision has fueled two decades of growth, innovation, and relentless service to older adults, people with disabilities, and their families.

As they celebrate their 20th anniversary, both attorneys reflect on their journeys, their motivations, and the impact they have made.

Roots and Early Influences

For John Ross, the seeds of discipline and determination were planted early in San Marcos, Texas, where both of his parents taught at Texas State University in the School of Business. After high school, he chose a challenge few undertake—joining the United States Marine Corps. “I joined the Marines in 1995 and opted for Infantry,” he recalls. “It was a personal challenge to join the most elite branch of services and serve in the most challenging job.” Those four years included two deployments to Southeast Asia. Ross believes that time shaped his outlook as he states, “The Marines will teach you that whatever challenge you face, you can overcome with enough determination.”

For Lisa Shoalmire, childhood in Shreveport came with its own formative lessons. “I grew up in a hardworking, blue-collar family,” she says. “My dad spent his career at the Western Electric/AT&T plant, while my mom worked in bookkeeping before later finding her way into real estate. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, so the early years weren’t always easy—but their resilience and work ethic set a powerful example for me.”

Shoalmire also had a deeply personal connection to disability advocacy from the start. “I’m a twin, and my sister was born with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as cerebral palsy,” she shares. “Growing up alongside her gave me a front-row seat to the challenges—and triumphs—of living with special needs. That experience shaped my worldview and planted the seed for my future. From a young age, I knew I would be an advocate in some way. I wanted to use my voice, my energy, and my skills to stand up for those who needed it most.”

The Path to Law

Education was the bridge that carried both attorneys toward their future. After leaving the Marines, Ross returned to San Marcos and studied accounting while working at an equine therapy ranch for adults with disabilities. He says, “During my accounting education, I learned I had a knack for tax. The reason I went to law school was to further that knowledge to become a tax attorney.” Law school, however, expanded his focus. “I learned about the interplay between taxation, estate planning, and business planning,” Ross explains. “My focus expanded to encompass all of those matters.”

Shoalmire also began with accounting, earning her degree at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. “I was the first person in my family to go off to college and get a four-year degree. While I was in school, I waited tables at places like Pancho’s Mexican Buffett, Ryan’s Steakhouse, and a catfish place.  I had scholarships, but I needed money for living, and my family wasn’t in a position to help much. I also taught swimming at Holy Angels in Shreveport – a facility for disabled adults like my sister,” Shoalmire says. “My first job after graduating college was about as humble as it gets—I started in the mailroom of Lavalco, Inc., a supplier of oilfield pipes, flanges, and valves. It was a temporary position I landed through a staffing agency while I was searching for an accounting job. One day, the company’s controller walked in, asked if I had an accounting degree, and hired me on the spot as a general ledger accountant. That leap from sorting mail to managing real-world numbers was my crash course in how businesses really work.  I later studied for and passed the CPA exam, then joined a public accounting firm in Shreveport.”

Shoalmire always knew she wanted to be an advocate, but law school seemed like a far reach for her. It was at a debate camp during her high school years that she realized becoming a lawyer was possible. “From that point on, Baylor Law School became my goal. I got the accounting degree in case the law school goal did not happen.  Over time, my motivation has stayed the same—using my skills to help and stand up for others,” Shoalmire says.

Meeting and Founding a Firm

Both attorneys landed in Texarkana early in their careers. Ross found his first job out of law school in tax and estate planning. “Very early on, I recognized that the legal field was not prepared to meet the needs of the growing retiree population.  There was no centralized field of law that combined the knowledge of tax and estate planning with expertise in government benefits like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, real estate issues particular to older Americans, and all things aging,” Ross says.

The city of Texarkana would become the place where the paths of Ross and Shoalmire would cross. After Shaolmire graduated from law school, she worked for the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana as a briefing attorney for Justice Donald Ross.  Later, she became a staff attorney for the entire court.  “I later joined some local firms in Texarkana and did everything from insurance defense to family law to income tax defense.  I also did some estate planning,” Shoalmire says.

Ross remembers the turning point vividly. “Lisa and I decided that Texarkana and the surrounding communities needed a boutique law firm that specialized in everything aging,” he says. In September 2005, they made the leap. “We started our practice with two laptops and a card table. From there, we went on a mission to spread our knowledge to the community through publications, radio programs, and speaking engagements.”

Filling a Critical Need

Both attorneys stress that their practice grew out of recognizing a gap in legal services. “Our service area of northeast Texas and southwest Arkansas is made up of a higher percentage of older people, many living in rural communities,” Shoalmire explains. “Before we started focusing on elder law and special needs law, the closest knowledgeable attorneys were in Dallas or Little Rock. It is intimidating to many clients to travel to the city to get legal advice, not to mention it’s generally more expensive.  We knew that we could provide the same expertise, more conveniently, and at a lower cost.”

Both believe that what makes their work unique is the chance to help clients without creating adversaries. “Lisa and I wanted to use our accounting and legal backgrounds to help others.  Unfortunately, the law is typically adversarial.  In virtually any legal practice, someone wins and someone loses.  But not with us.  We’ve created a practice where we can help people without doing it on the back of some other party.  And with a client base of the elderly and people with disabilities, we can help those who are genuinely in need.

What Clients Experience

At Ross & Shoalmire, the client process always begins with listening. “With every client, we spend time learning about them, their unique situation, and their desires for protecting themselves and leaving a legacy. Then, it’s about educating them about how various laws and regulations impact their situation,” Ross explains. “After that, we’re outlining a plan that will protect them while they are alive, pass assets to their heirs in the most efficient way, and protect their heirs from potential issues like divorce or disability.”

Shoalmire expands on this approach: “When someone becomes a client at Ross & Shoalmire, the first thing we do is listen. We start with a conversation—not a stack of forms—so we can truly understand their goals, concerns, and unique family situation. From there, we explain their options in plain language, without legal jargon, so they feel informed and in control. We walk them through the process step by step, making sure they know exactly what to expect and when.”

Every client that walks through the doors of Ross and Shoalmire has a different situation, so their plans are customized—not one-size-fits-all. Whether it’s creating an estate plan, guiding them through probate, or planning for long-term care, their goal is always the same: to protect what matters most to them and give them peace of mind.

This hands-on approach creates meaningful victories. “The best days are when you get to call a client and tell them we have won approval for the care their loved one needs,” Shoalmire says. “Especially when the State agency has given the family the run-around for months or wrongfully denied a request for help.”

Changing Laws, Growing Complexity

Over the past 20 years, both attorneys have seen dramatic changes in the legal landscape. Shoalmire highlights the shift from paper-heavy processes to digital systems. “Over the years, technology has transformed how we work—courts, government agencies, and law firms have moved to electronic filings, virtual hearings, and digital records,” she says. “It’s made some parts of the process faster and more accessible, but it’s also created new challenges for clients who aren’t comfortable with technology.”

Regulations have also grown more complex, especially in elder and special needs law. Rules around Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, and long-term care have changed repeatedly, often with little notice. Staying on top of those changes has become a critical part of serving their clients well.

Ross believes the complexity of regulations has only grown. Quoting actress Bette Davis, he says, “‘Getting older is not for sissies.’ Add the normal challenges with aging to an increasingly regulated world of government regulations and unintelligible rules and laws that directly affect seniors, and it becomes impossible to navigate without experts who stay on top of those rules.”

Lessons Families Should Know

Both attorneys are passionate about educating families. Ross stresses awareness: “So many people are at risk and have no idea that there are solutions available. It’s often not that people don’t want to protect themselves, they just don’t know there’s a problem or a solution.”

Shoalmire, focusing on families with special needs children, states, “When a special needs child turns 18, they are a legal adult and they are ‘their own guardian.’ Medical personnel and service providers have no obligation to include parents in the decision-making processes.  I recently had a case where a 22-year-old autistic adult needed immediate dental surgery. She did not have the capacity to consent, and her parents were not her legal guardians, so they couldn’t consent either.  We had to seek an emergency guardianship to get the parent appointed so their adult child could have the procedure.  It caused a two-week delay in getting the treatment and getting the child out of pain,” she explains. “Assuming everything will go a certain way, without getting it down in writing, is a costly mistake,” she warns.

Shoalmire also assists with business succession for high-net-worth individuals and top-tier companies across the region. On business succession, she strongly advises: “Do not assume anything and do not put it off!  We have seen successful family businesses implode because they lacked a succession plan.  Some children or spouses work in the business, while others do not, and they all have different expectations.  The business owners should get a plan and share it with their partners and family members. This sets expectations, and you find out quickly if there is a potential conflict. Also, there are significant tax consequences depending on how the succession is done.  You need to plan for it so your family doesn’t end up having to sell off the business just to pay taxes.”

Recognition and Service Beyond the Firm

Two decades of work have also brought recognition. Ross was recently honored with the 2025 Powley Award, a national award presented to members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys who has demonstrated a commitment to promote, in the minds of the general public, a greater understanding of the rights and needs of older Americans and people with special needs and of how elder law attorneys advocate for those rights. He also served as President of the Tri-State Alzheimer’s Alliance for 12 years and remains a member of the Alzheimer’s Arkansas board and the Christus Health Leadership Council. Ross also records episodes of the Big Picture Retirement Podcast, recently rated by Bolden as one of the top personal financial podcasts in the nation.

Shoalmire, meanwhile, serves as President of the Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), leading 250 attorneys in sharing best practices. “NAELA works to improve the quality of legal services for older adults and people with disabilities. Elder and special needs law is a unique area of practice because clients often face challenges related to memory, mobility, disability, chronic illness, or other health conditions.  NAELA requires its members to adhere to professional standards that go beyond the regular professional rules lawyers must follow, recognizing that this area of law often requires extra care and sensitivity to meet the needs of clients,” Shoalmire says.

She is also the only Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) in the region. “Certification is achieved after demonstrating competence over many years of practice in complex elder law matters, positive professional references, and passing an exam.  There are only four other CELAs in the state of Arkansas, and only 28 other CELAs in the entire state of Texas,” Ross says.

Building a Lasting Legacy

When asked what has kept the firm strong for 20 years, both attorneys point to their commitment to community and accessibility. “We have devoted ourselves to making sure every client is taken care of in the best possible way,” Ross says. “And since our area is so rural, we are willing to meet clients where they need us. That’s why we opened offices in Paris, Longview, Tyler, Magnolia, and Hot Springs.  And we help everyone we can.  You shouldn’t have to go to Dallas or Little Rock to get big city expertise.”

Shoalmire emphasizes trust and compassion, “Ross & Shoalmire has lasted 20 years because it was built on a clear mission: to protect and empower older adults, people with disabilities, and their families. From the very beginning, the focus wasn’t just on the legal work—it was on relationships. We built trust by listening, explaining the law in ways people could understand, and delivering solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Our reputation grew because we combined deep legal knowledge with a human touch. Clients knew they could count on us not just for technical expertise, but for compassion and honesty,” she explains. “Over the years, that trust turned into referrals, long-term relationships, and a strong presence in the communities we serve.”

20 Years and Counting

From humble beginnings at a card table to becoming regional leaders in elder and special needs law, Ross and Shoalmire have built more than a firm—they’ve built a legacy of advocacy. For them, the work is deeply personal and profoundly impactful.

“Rich and poor, from farmer to rocket scientist, we have the knowledge to guide them,” Ross says. Shoalmire agrees: “Our goal is always the same: to protect what matters most and give families peace of mind.”

And as the firm marks 20 years, one thing is clear: Ross & Shoalmire’s mission is far from finished.