Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC
Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC is a Delaware estate planning and elder law firm with offices in Lewes and Seaford, DE. Michele Procino-Wells and Amber B. Woodland specialize in only this area of the law and constantly increase their knowledge through training to remain well versed in the newest planning opportunities and changes to the state and federal laws. The staff of thirteen+ take a team approach to each client's case under direct advisement of the attorneys. Clients can expect fixed fee billing that is proposed upfront during the non-attorney initial consultation and accompanies a specific scope of work for the services that will accomplish that client's goals. The firm uses a robust line of virtual platforms to accommodate families who prefer not to meet in person, for any reason. You may learn more about their firm by visiting the website, www.pwwlaw.com, and be sure to click on the Upcoming Events tab where they offer a number of free community educational events.
Michele Procino-Wells, Esq.
Family is the inspiration behind narrowing the Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC practice to a single specialty: elder law. Michele's own family has set the pace for her, instilling values and beliefs that extend to her professional life. Michele watched her parents build a family business and absorbed valuable lessons about hard work and determination. Those that know her family can see similarities between Michele and her dad. Pat Procino, the son of Italian immigrants, is surely the person that Michele learned the most from about turning a dream into a reality.
Growing up in Laurel, Delaware, Michele has strong roots in Sussex County. Like so many Sussex County natives, Michele envisioned a life outside the county as she pursued college, but ultimately could not deny her love of the area. After studying at Penn State University, Widener University School of Law, and Villanova University School of Law, Michele returned home to serve her community.
Initially, Michele found a professional home with Schmittinger & Rodriguez in Dover in 1995 and in 1998 transitioned to a Georgetown firm that soon became known as Smith, O'Donnell, Procino & Berl, LLP. In March 2005, Michele opened her own office in Seaford, now known as Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC. The first of the firm's office locations in Seaford is located in an 1880s home that over the years has been used as residential space, an antique store, and most recently a preschool where Michele's son, Josh, attended in 2004 and 2005. The fully renovated space complements the firm's work of honoring heritage and serving future generations.
Inspired by a 2010 County growth projection presentation, Michele quickly identified the need for legal services to support the growing aging population. The firm was already working in estate planning, but it was clear that helping families in a more comprehensive way was necessary. The idea was born to focus strictly on elder law, which includes helping families create Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney; planning to protect their assets from the costs of long-term care; and administering their loved ones' estates. Immediately, Michele wanted to support her own family in this area, not wanting to see her parents exhaust the fruits of their labor on the potential costs of long-term care in the future. It's easy to relay the feelings that come naturally toward her own family to the clients Michele serves every day.
Michele maintains membership with WealthCounsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the National Care Planning Council, and the Elder Law Section of the Delaware State Bar Association. Michele is past President of Soroptimist International of Seaford and the Curiosity Service Foundation. She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of TidalHealth, Inc. and the Board Chair of TidalHealth Nanticoke, Inc.
Michele resides in Seaford with her husband, John Wells, and their four sons, Chase, Josh, Will and Jack. John is a championship winning football and softball coach at Sussex Central High School. Chase is a West Chester University graduate, Bethany Beach lifeguard and elementary school paraprofessional. Josh is a Georgia Tech graduate, an embedded software engineer, and lives in New York City. Will and Jack attend Worcester Preparatory School and are avid golfers and year-round swimmers. In her spare time, Michele loves spending time with family, relaxing in Bethany Beach, and enjoys reading and traveling.
Amber B. Woodland, Esq.
Amber's great-grandmother, Edna, was an inspiration. Try asking her to recount fond memories, especially those about the days Amber spent with her grandmother when she was young. They are endless, but most notably, her grandmother's powerful legacy as the matriarch of their family has nothing to do with fame or fortune. Instead, it is about living a life full of love, passion, positivity, grace, and light.
As this relates to Amber's career, it's no surprise that she often thinks of her beloved grandmother as she serves senior clients and their families in her elder law practice, knowing that she wants to treat every client with the same admiration, compassion, and respect that she would demand for her family.
With strong ties to Sussex County, Amber is a graduate of Seaford Senior High School. She completed her studies at Flagler College and Regent University School of Law, initially believing that her college years would be the beginning of her life outside of Delaware. It took no time for Amber to realize her strong connections to the Eastern Shore and return home. Today, Amber is a member of the bar of the State of Delaware and holds accreditation by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Amber's ambition during college led her to begin working at Procino Wells, LLC in the summer of 2006, continuing to work part time throughout law school and eventually joining the firm as an associate attorney in 2010. Amber's chemistry with her now business partner, Michele, was evident from the beginning and it is common to hear both attorneys describe themselves as kindred spirits. Their core values clearly complement one another; so much so that they formed Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC in 2014. Amber is proud to be a member of Delaware Today's Women in Business 2014, to be recognized as the 2016 Best Lawyer in Southern Delaware by Metropolitan Magazine and acknowledged by Delaware Today as a 2019 and 2021 Top Lawyer.
Today, the firm's team of professionals serves the community from two office locations and via robust virtual platforms. Procino-Wells & Woodland, LLC focuses on elder law, which includes helping families create Wills, Trusts, and Powers of Attorney; planning to protect their assets from the costs of long-term care; and administering their loved ones' estates. Amber maintains a membership with WealthCounsel, the National Care Planning Council, the Elder Law and Women and the Law Sections of the Delaware State Bar Association, and the Southern Delaware Estate Planning Council (Past-President). Amber also spends a large amount of time serving her community. You may find her serving as the Treasurer of a local non-profit organization or fundraising for a variety of charities, including the Alzheimer's Association.
Amber currently resides in Laurel with her husband, Justin Woodland, and their daughter, Layla. Their family was inspired by the life and legacy of Justin's close college friend, Ashley Thomasson, to form the Red Bird Legacy Foundation. The Foundation supports parents like Ashley who receive life-changing diagnoses when their children are young. When not volunteering and spending time with family and friends, Amber loves to travel, particularly to Disney World. You can catch a smile a mile wide by engaging in a conversation with her about a magical experience... or asking her to share insider tips and tricks!
