Monica is recognized throughout Tennessee as a leader in Elder Law. Ms. Franklin is Certified as an Elder Law Specialist by the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education and Specialization as well as the National Elder Law Foundation. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the nation's preeminent professional organization for elder law attorneys. She serves on the East Tennessee Elder Watch Coalition, Friends of Young Williams Animal Center, and the Governing Board for the Senior Citizens Home Assistance Service.

Monica gives presentations regularly to the general public, attorneys and other professionals about elder law and has written numerous articles for Tennessee attorneys. She writes a quarterly column about elder law issues called “Senior Moments” which is published in the Tennessee Bar Journal and available on our website.

On June 15, 2007, the Tennessee Bar Association awarded the Justice Joseph W. Henry Award to Monica, for her article “Saving Momma's Home”, published in the Tennessee Bar Journal. This award is given annually to the lawyer who writes the most outstanding article published in the Tennessee Bar Journal. When presenting the award, TBA president, Larry Wilks, noted that Monica was only the second woman to win the award in the past twenty-five years, and the committee was unanimous in selecting this article for the award.

Born in Brownsville, Tennessee, Monica grew up in DeRidder, Louisiana and graduated from McNeese State University in 1985 with a B.S. cum laude in Psychology and a minor in Math Education. Monica taught high school Geometry and Algebra in Shreveport, Louisiana with a special focus on the needs of children with disabilities. In 1989, Monica moved to Knoxville to attend the University of Tennessee College of Law. She graduated with a J.D. cum laude in 1992. She was admitted to the Tennessee bar in 1992 and is admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee and U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit. Monica is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Tennessee Bar Association, Knoxville Bar Association, and the Sevier County Bar Association. Her practice areas include: Estate Planning, Life Care Planning, Conservatorships, Medicaid Advocacy and Planning, Special Needs Trusts, Medicare Advocacy, Care Advocacy, Estate and Trust Administration.

Monica has one human son, Connor, a growing teenager, and one canine boy, Scout, a rambunctious Yellow Lab.