#127 Escaping Big Law to Discover a Family Legacy in Elder Law

What do you do when you're a lawyer making great money but feel completely miserable? Scott Solkoff walked away from a prestigious securities litigation firm, complete with a corner office overlooking Tampa Bay, and spent his two-week vacation at his father's small community law firm. But what he found was far from defeat. His father was one of the founding fathers of elder law itself. In this episode of Lawyers Who Learn, host David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, sits down with Scott Solkoff, elder law attorney, Lawline faculty member, and founder of Elder Law College, to trace a career shaped by serendipity, personal crisis, and a calling to help families navigate life's hardest moments. Scott unpacks the distinction between estate planning and elder law: while estate planning focuses on what happens after death, elder law focuses on quality of life before it. From protecting assets against long-term care costs to planning for incapacity, Scott explains why most families wait too long and what's at stake when they do. The conversation takes unexpected turns: a teenage venture selling microwave radiation inspections, a midlife crisis that sparked Elder Law College, a heart attack at 43, and a phone call that arrived at exactly the right moment. Scott reflects on the adult learning curve and how the phrase engraved on his father's tombstone, "do well by doing good," became his professional north star.