Estate Planning and Elder Law
Plan for and protect your future with a comprehensive, custom solution, both pre-planning and in crisis.
Professional. Personable. Detailed.
Inspired by the advocacy needed later in life by her beloved grandparents, Larae Schraeder founded Schraeder Law LLC, with a focus on Estate Planning and Elder Law. Larae and the Schraeder Law team help clients of all ages plan for the issues her own family faced without legal counsel.
Larae Schraeder, Esq.
A testament to her motivation, Larae earned her Juris Doctor summa cum laude from Capital Law School while working full time at a Fortune 100 company. She served as Editor-in-Chief of the Capital University Law Review, as an extern for two federal judges, and as a law clerk at legal clinics for low-income clients. Larae earned the American Legal Institute Scholarship and Leadership Award, and became the inaugural recipient of the Excellence in Pro Bono Service Award for helping others.
Larae is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the American Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Ohio State Bar Association's Estate Planning and Elder Law groups. She is a volunteer board member with the Upper Arlington Commission on Aging.
Prior to being licensed to practice law in Ohio, Larae graduated from Kenyon College magna cum laude and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. For twenty-five years, Larae has proudly served in various capacities as a Kenyon volunteer, including roles as the President of the Alumni Council, and as a member of the Board of Trustees. She is a 9th-generation Ohioan, an avid genealogist, and a (self-proclaimed) mediocre cyclist. Larae lives in Columbus with her husband and two shelter pets.
Testimonials
Larae is knowledgeable and very meticulous. We covered a lot together, and she made sure that my wishes were met exactly and took care to make sure I understood everything."
"We never felt like a client, more like family."
"Very detailed, specific, and professional service. I am very confident and happy with the services provided and the final product."
"Friendly and efficient...made me fell comfortable. Larae answered questions and explained each step along the way"
"Our expectations were exceeded. We received to-notch service and everything was explained thoroughly."
Our Services
Wills
A Last Will and Testament expresses your wishes for who should receive your property and have custody of your minor children.
Trusts
A trust is an agreement between you and the trustee who holds your property for your beneficiaries.
General Durable Power of Attorney
A General Durable Power of Attorney allows someone to handle your financial and personal affairs while you are living.
Health Care Power of Attorney & Living Will
A Health Care Power of Attorney allows someone to make health-related decisions if you are unable; a Living Will allows doctors to end life support in certain circumstances.
Medicaid Planning & Qualification
Medicaid planning occurs before applying for long-term care. It may be as simple as collecting documents or as comprehensive as restructuring your finances.
Probate - Estate Administration
The process during which the Probate Court works with your Executor to distribute any property you own when you die.
Special Needs
Special Needs planning is a broad category that includes making legal and financial arrangements for people with disabilities.
Who We Serve
- Young adults and newlyweds seeking their first Estate Plans
- Growing and blended families wishing to update Estate Plans
- Individuals and couples who have acquired wealth and wish to establish a trust
- Older adults seeking Medicaid advice or asset protection trusts
- Adults who handled their parents' chaotic affairs and want to spare their children from the same experience
- Family members administering the estate of a departed loved one
Contact Us
Please contact Schraeder Law directly at
(614) 810-1221
The Team
Carol Vanderbilt
Operations Manager
After graduating from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Carol joined Accenture and spent over a decade planning and leading diverse technology and change management projects in various industries, both domestically and internationally. She then went to Bank One, followed by Chase Bank, and finally Nationwide, holding various project management and portfolio management roles. Now semi-retired, Carol was happy to join the team at Schraeder Law. Carol and husband, Glen, have two college-aged sons, and enjoy the outdoors, spending time with family, and travelling.
Cheryl Whatley
Business Solutions Director
Cheryl is a lifelong resident of Central Ohio. After earning her Management Information Systems degree from The Ohio State University College of Business, she enjoyed a successful career in a variety of technology and project leadership roles, spending 30 of those years with a Fortune 100 company. After retiring from corporate life, she joined Schraeder Law, where she reimagines and optimizes processes to serve a rapidly growing client base. Cheryl has been married to her high school sweetheart for 40 years, and together they raised 4 now-adult children. For fun, she enjoys being with her kids and grandkids, sewing, baking, camping, and researching family history.
Kala Sue Bush
Finance Manager
After earning her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Kala Sue worked in public accounting and subsequently specialized in healthcare finance. She recently retired as a Regional Director of Reimbursement for a national healthcare system. Her knowledge and passion of Medicare and Medicaid governmental regulations and financial reporting complement the team.
Kala Sue has two adult daughters and has enjoyed being part of the Schraeder Law team since its inception.
Alex Irvin
Staff Assistant
Alex calls Westerville home. After graduating from Westerville North High School, he worked in the retail grocery store successfully for many years. Alex later transitioned to a different sort of work environment with new challenges. Alex interacts with staff and clients both in the office and wherever he is sent to deliver and retrieve legal documents.
When not fulfilling his duties at Schraeder Law, LLC, Alex loves being a Door Dasher. When he is not working, Alex enjoys bowling, basketball, playing with his cats Daisy and Charlotte, and visiting with friends and family. He is most proud of his new role as Uncle.
Julie Eikenberry
Trust Specialist
Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Julie fulfilled her mission to come to Columbus and become an OSU Buckeye. She joins our team having over thirty years of business experience working within the Columbus market, enjoying a variety of leadership and management roles overseeing accounting and operations functions. She earned her Certified Public Accounting license in 1993 and holds an MBA from Ashland University (2010). She received her BS in Accounting from The Ohio State University in 1986.
Julie recently stepped away from her CFO duties at Columbus School for Girls to provide care and comfort for her parents. Semi-retirement has agreed with her, affording a variety of learning opportunities, including joining the team at Schraeder Law. Julie enjoys serving the Schraeder Law clients and the challenge of learning new things to assist her colleagues. She is a lifelong Buckeye football fan who also enjoys country music and spending time with her husband, John and son, Alex.
Valerie Terry
Director of Client Operations
Valerie graduated from Lipscomb University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She spent seven years teaching kindergarten and first grade, where she developed a passion for helping others learn, grow, and succeed. She later transitioned to managing a salon and spa, further strengthening her skills in leadership, customer service, and relationship-building.
Outside of work, Valerie enjoys traveling with her husband, Matt, attending concerts, and trying new crafts with her friends.
Moira O'Reilly
Business Analyst
Moira joins our team as a graduate of Babson College, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Business Analytics.
During her studies, she discovered a passion for leveraging data to drive smarter business decisions. This passion continues to shape her career path today, leading to opportunities that will allow her to grow and expand her skill set. While at Babson, Moira worked with Dell Technologies in the Finance department, where she streamlined contract data to support more effective decision-making across the organization. Now at Schraeder Law, she’s eager to apply her analytical and process-driven approach to enhance operational and financial efficiency.
Outside of work, Moira enjoys working out, cooking, and exploring new restaurants in Columbus.
Dana Whitley, MPA, IOM
Legal Writer / Editor
Dana has over twenty years of experience in writing, editing, communications, and marketing for government and non-profit organizations that distribute materials across national audiences. In past roles, she analyzed federal and state legislation and regulations for healthcare policy issues and also organized and trained national volunteer advocacy networks. She has expertise related to healthcare public policy, organization management and governance, meeting and event planning and programming, and clinical trial IRB materials.
She earned a Masters of Public Administration and a certificate in Nonprofit Management from George Mason University, and she earned a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Public Policy from Kenyon College. She has completed a professional certificate in Organization Management and was accepted into the Pi Alpha Alpha National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration.
Dana enjoys travel, community festivals, and choral singing.