Welcome to the Elder Law Section’s Website! 

I am truly honored and privileged to have the opportunity to serve as Chair of our esteemed Section for the coming year.

Over the last two decades, I have had the pleasure of working with so many of our Past Chairs, who have created the foundation for our Section’s success and have helped inspire me.  I am also honored to have the opportunity to work with my fellow officers, Fran Pantaleo, Richard Weinblatt, Julie Ann Calareso and David Goldfarb.  Each of the aforementioned, as well as the members of our Executive Committee, bring a wealth of talents and energy to our Section.  I am confident that through our collaboration we will be able to continue our success.

Our success is the result of the totality of each of our individual efforts and hard work.  The hard work and efforts of each of our Officers, Committee Chairs, Vice Chairs, Liasions, Delegates, and each and every active member significantly contributes to the success of our Section.  Whether it be a large significant legislative achievement, or an obscure achievement that does not make the headlines, all of our achievements, large and small, significantly contribute to our overall success. In the next few months, I will be conferring with each Committee to insure that they have developed an agenda of goals and initiatives for the upcoming year, and that they are taking all of the necessary steps to implement their initiatives.  Through all of our combined efforts will we be able to ensure the continued viability and importance of our Section.

The following are some initiatives that we believe will help ensure the future success of our membership and the Section:

1. Consistently provide CLE programs that provide a significant comprehensive focus on the Practice Management needs of our members.  Our membership has regularly requested and positively responded to CLE programs that have placed an emphasis on Practice Management.  Whether it be developments in technology, social media or the more mundane topic of organizing one’s workload, consistently providing our membership with the Practice Management tools is imperative.  It is our goal to utilize both traditional CLE programs, telephonic seminars and webinars to provide our membership with this valuable knowledge.
2. In keeping with our goal of assisting our members with the development of their skills as Elder Law Attorneys, we are in the process of creating a Study Group Database.  The goal is to encourage our members, particularly our newly admitted members, to join and form study groups.  We are hopeful that this will allow our members to freely interact and discuss legal matters and issues with seasoned practitioners:  I believe this initiative will work hand in hand with, and help strengthen the efforts of our Mentoring Committee, which is chaired by Past Section Chairs, Joan Robert and Tim Casserly;
3. As you may be aware, there has been significant concern over the last few years as to non attorneys providing legal advice within the realm of Elder Law.  I have chaired our Unauthorized Practice of Law Task Force, which has researched this issue in great detail.  A survey was sent to our members requesting their input and information concerning specific cases where the unauthorized practice has financially damaged a member of the public. The work of this Task Force will be a continuing objective of our Section in the months to come. The response of our membership will be critical to our development of a strategy to address this growing problem;
4.  As in the past, our Section will proactively continue to monitor and promote legislative initiatives. We have truly been blessed with a Legislation Committee that has consistently been at the forefront of all State Bar legislative initiatives.  This year our Legislation Committee will be chaired by Amy O’Connor and Ira Salzman;
5. In keeping with the challenge and initiative of our State Bar President, Seymour James, our Diversity Committee will continue its work to make our Section as inclusive and diverse as possible.  To that end, the Committee will be challenged to develop specific ascertainable standards to measure the level and extent of the diversity within our Section and what steps we can take to increase that diversity;
6. Attracting new members to our section is of critical importance to our continued success.  Like our clients, the membership of our Section is aging.  Yes, we are wiser, however, the statistics show we are getting older.   Our Membership Committee and our Liaisons to Law Schools will be called upon to coordinate a comprehensive plan to attract younger attorneys to our Section and to the practice of Elder Law.  New members are the life blood of our Section and we need to cultivate them.

As your Chair, I will be available to address any questions, concerns and suggestions you have about our Section.  I encourage you to call me or email me with any questions, and to express any interest you have in becoming an active member in our Section.  There is room in every Committee and Task Force for your involvement.  For those of you who aspire to become Section leaders, I have two words for you, “Get Involved”.  Once you do, your hard work, initiative and contributions will be recognized.

In conclusion, for differing reasons each of us became attracted to the practice of Elder Law.  However, one common reason for this attraction is our passion and core belief that devoting our life’s work to the rights of seniors and the incapacitated is a noble and just cause.

Thank you for your confidence.

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2013 Mitchell Rabbino National Healthcare Decision Day is Tuesday, April 16, 2013.  For the past 18 years, the Elder Law Section has sponsored and promoted its Mitchell Rabbiono National Healthcare Decisions Day  to inform the public about the importance of advanced directives.  Through this volunteer, public-Service project, volunteer lawyers will give free presentations explaining legal procedures and documents to help attendees make better, more informed health care and financial decisions.  Your decisions mattmer!  Click the link above for more information.