July 19, 2010 - Attorney Annette M. Hines has joined Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C. as an Officer in the Special Needs and Elder Law Practice Group. She focuses her practice on special needs planning, elder law, estate planning and special education advocacy and mediation. Her clients include individuals and families of individuals with disabilities. Ms. Hines will practice from both the Framingham and Worcester offices of the firm.

As the mother of a disabled child, Ms. Hines brings a special understanding and dedication to her practice. She was recognized by the Arc of Massachusetts, Inc. as a Distinguished Citizen and has been cited for public service by the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives.

Attorney Hines is the former founder and principal of Hines & Associates, a Natick-based law firm. She is also the former founder of Special Families-Special Care, Inc., a non-profit home care company focused on pediatric nursing care which she merged with Shriver Clinical Services Corp. of Natick.

Attorney Hines served as President of the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers for 2008-2009 and serves on the Board of Directors for a number of local non-profit organizations. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Academy of Special Needs Planners and the Massachusetts Bar Association.

Ms. Hines is a graduate of the University of Vermont, with a B.A. in Economics, earned her J.D. at Howard University School of Law and an MBA from Suffolk University.

# # #

Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C. has been serving the residents and businesses of Massachusetts since 1822. Continuously growing since its inception, FTW now has 46 attorneys in 16 specialty practice areas including business and corporate law, real estate, estate and trust planning, litigation and labor and employment. (508) 459-8000, www.ftwlaw.com.