Alison Packard

Alison McBride Packard is an attorney whose life experiences have prepared her to help people with disabilities. Alison attended Brigham Young University where she studied psychology, became an officer of the university’s dance team, and found time to teach English as a second language in Belgium, sell dresses in Paris, and visit some of the most remote parts of Africa. She did all these things while completely supporting herself financially, and while it sometimes required her to work three jobs, she financed all her education, travel and living expenses herself. Alison interrupted her studies for 18 months so she could serve a mission for her church in Uruguay, where she learned Spanish and came to love the people of South America. Through all of this, Alison excelled academically, ultimately graduating at the top of her university college. She then attended BYU Law School on an academic scholarship where she continued to excel. While there, Alison met and married a fellow classmate, Dan Packard. They went to classes together, studied together and finished law school on the same day, both graduating with honors.

As Alison was preparing to take the Texas bar exam, her life changed dramatically when she gave birth to a beautiful, special needs child, Angela. Angela was born 13 weeks prematurely, and suffered a massive brain hemorrhage during delivery which caused several physical and mental disabilities. Alison immediately postponed her plans to take the bar exam and devoted all her efforts to taking care of Angela and her three other children. Needless to say, life has been very busy trying to juggle the enormous demands created by Angela’s disabilities, the law practice and the needs of the other family members. Alison’s life has been a rewarding but difficult journey–full of struggles, disappointments, triumphs and great joy.

Alison has now been licensed to practice law for 20 years and has helped litigate some very substantial cases worth millions of dollars; however, her real passion is helping people with disabilities. Today, Alison focuses her practice solely on helping clients who have disabled loved ones. She understands and loves her clients. She knows what it is like to fight for a special needs child. She knows how complicated and confusing the government bureaucracy can be and how important it is for disabled individuals to qualify for some government programs. She has spent her life in that system and understands it. Alison, therefore, does special needs planning, enabling parents to provide financial resources for their disabled children while retaining financial eligibility for government programs. Her practice involves special needs trusts (first party self-funded, pooled and third party trusts), wills, guardianships, powers of attorney, joint decision making agreements, and child support modifications related to disability determinations.

Education:

• Brigham Young University, J.D. with honors
• Brigham Young University, Bachelor of Science, Psychology, summa cum laude

Licenses and Certifications:

• Licensed to Practice law in Texas, 1996

Professional Associations

• Texas Bar Association
• Bexar County Women’s Bar Association
• Academy of Special Needs Planners
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• Texas NAELA, Special Needs Chapter