Martha Amdahl

Martha is an attorney with Northwoods and has been practicing law for four years. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2017 and from the University of North Dakota School of Law in 2021. During law school, she was president of the Moot Court Board and competed in Moot Court competitions both locally and nationally. Upon graduation she was inducted into the Order of the Barristers, an honor society that recognizes law students who excel in oral advocacy and brief writing.

After a brief stint as a litigator in North Dakota, Martha joined Northwoods in 2022. Working as a legal assistant in an elder law firm prior to attending law school sparked her interest in practicing elder law. She focuses her practice on elder and special needs law, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship, and probate and trust administration. Martha works with clients to develop estate plans focused on their circumstances, advises clients on eligibility and the application process for public benefits, and counsels families about guardianship and conservatorship or appropriate less restrictive alternatives for their loved ones. As the child of two public school teachers, educating clients on the rules and regulations surrounding eligibility for public benefits and ensuring they are comfortable with and understand those rules is important to Martha, particularly regarding ongoing eligibility for Medical Assistance programs or administering special and supplemental needs trusts where it’s very easy to feel confused or uncertain.

Martha often presents to other attorneys and in the community on topics related to Medical Assistance eligibility and planning. Matha is an accredited attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs and advises clients on eligibility for Veterans benefits and admission to Minnesota’s Veterans Homes as part of her long-term care practice. Martha is a member of the Elder Law Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and a member of the Minnesota Association of Guardianship and Conservatorship (MAGIC). She is a member of the MAGIC journal committee and a contributor to NAELA’s eBulletin newsletter, summarizing recent elder law cases from across the country. Martha lives in Minneapolis with her cats Potato and Ruthie.