Elisa Dillard Rainey, CELA

Founding Attorney – Rainey & Rainey, PLLC

Recognized Authority in Elder Law, Special Needs Planning, and Estate Planning in Central Texas

With over 30 years of experience and a passion for protecting vulnerable individuals and their families, Elisa Dillard Rainey is widely regarded as one of the top attorneys in Texas for estate planning, elder law, Medicaid planning, and special needs planning. Based in Waco and serving clients across Central Texas—including Temple, Belton, Georgetown, and beyond, Elisa has built a reputation for excellence, compassion, and results.

Elisa is a Certified Elder Law Attorney* (CELA)—a distinction held by only a select group of attorneys nationwide—and has devoted her entire legal career to helping families plan wisely for the future and navigate complex issues involving aging, disability, and public benefits.

Areas of Practice

Elisa focuses exclusively on matters involving:

Estate Planning and Trusts
Elder Law and Long-Term Care Planning
Special Needs Planning
Medicaid Planning and Eligibility
Probate and Estate Administration
Guardianship
Wills and Revocable Trusts
Miller Trusts
Veterans Benefits (Aid & Attendance)
Lady Bird Deeds and Transfer on Death Deeds
Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives
SSI and Medicaid
Real Estate Law (Deeds, Residential)
Family Law

Special Needs & Personal Injury Collaboration

Elisa works closely with personal injury attorneys across Texas to protect settlement proceeds and preserve clients’ eligibility for Medicaid, SSI, and other public benefits. Her expertise in special needs trusts and structured planning ensures that clients who receive jury awards or large settlements are shielded from losing critical government support.

Leadership, Education & Recognition

A respected voice in the legal and elder care communities, Elisa is:

Adjunct Professor of Elder Law at Baylor Law School
Director of the UT CLE Special Needs Trusts Conference
A Member of the prestigious Special Needs Alliance**
President and former officer of the Texas Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
A Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation (an honor awarded to less than 1% of Texas attorneys)
Recipient of the Outstanding Young Lawyer Award (Waco-McLennan County)
Named Best Elder Law Attorney in Waco by Wacoan Magazine

She is also actively involved in her community as a:

Past President and Current Sustainer Advisor of the Junior League of Waco
Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Providence Foundation
Licensed Continuing Education Provider for social workers in Texas
Certified Guardian Ad Litem by the State Bar of Texas

Contact One of Texas’s Most Trusted Attorneys Today

Whether you are an individual planning for the future, a caregiver for a loved one with special needs, or a trial lawyer protecting your client’s award, Elisa Dillard Rainey offers the expertise, integrity, and solutions you can trust.

Call (254) 457-5083 or (254) 752-8644 to schedule a consultation with Elisa or the team at Rainey & Rainey, PLLC—Central Texas’s premier law firm for elder law, estate planning, and special needs advocacy.

*Setting the Standard in Elder Law – National Elder Law Foundation -CELA

The National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) is the only national organization accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) to certify attorneys in elder and special needs law. The Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation is a mark of distinction, affirming a lawyer’s advanced knowledge and expertise in estate planning (including Wills and Trusts), special needs planning, Medicaid planning, Guardianship, Elder Law, benefits planning, and other elder law and disability areas.

To become a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) through the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), you must meet several qualifications: be licensed to practice law, have a substantial amount of experience in elder law, complete continuing legal education, receive references from other attorneys three that are certified elder law attorneys, and pass a day long certification exam.

For more information see: https://www.nelf.org/qualifications#:~:text=Licensed%20Attorney:%20You%20must%20be,CLE%20specific%20to%20elder%20law.

**About the Special Needs Alliance

The Special Needs Alliance (SNA) is a national organization comprised of attorneys committed to the practice of disability and public benefits law. Individuals with disabilities, their families and their advisors rely on the SNA to connect them with nearby attorneys who focus their practices in the disability law arena.

The SNA is an invitation-only organization. SNA membership is based on a combination of relevant legal experience in the disability and elder law fields, direct family experience with disability, active participation with national, state and local disability advocacy organizations, and professional reputation. As a result, an SNA member will have an average of 18 years of relevant legal experience, with no member having practiced law for less than 5 years. Many have been certified as Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs) by the National Elder Law Foundation, the certifying entity for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).

The Special Needs Alliance offers a wide range of legal and financial services to families with loved ones with special needs. The services provided by the alliance lawyers include:

Estate Planning: The lawyers on the team can help families create a trust or will that sets up a financial system that supports loved ones with special needs.
Guardianship: The lawyers can help create guardianship plans that ensure that disabled loved ones are taken care of.
Benefits Counseling: The lawyers can help families understand the benefits that their loved ones with special needs are entitled to so that they can make the most out of them.
Settlement Consultation: The lawyers on the special needs alliance can help individuals who have received a settlement and need to set up a system of payment that works for their loved ones with special needs.
Special Needs Trusts: The lawyers can help families set up special needs trusts that protect the financial future of their loved ones with special needs.

For more information: https://www.specialneedsalliance.org/about-special-needs-alliance/