The practice of elder law focuses on an array of legal issues particularly important to older people but important to many others as well. They include issues relating to retirement and estate planning, to powers of attorney, guardianship and other forms of substitute decision making, to private and public long-term care and other health care financing and to abuse of vulnerable individuals, among other issues.
The Elder Law Section offers opportunities for education and consultation on issues relevant to elder law practice. Occasional seminars are complemented by the Section's active list serve – an ongoing conversation among members, responding to questions and sharing insights. The Section also offers opportunities for serious exploration of systemic problems identified by members and for policy advocacy on issues relating to the administration of justice.
Upcoming Events
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July 31, 2009: "Protecting Vulnerable Adults: Tools for Planning and Litigation" – a full-day seminar in Vancouver, Washington.
Topics to be addressed will include guardianship, powers of attorney, vulnerable adult protection proceedings, and recently adopted legislation. For more information about the seminar, please click
here.
Elder Law List Serve
The Section list serve, available only to Section members, is a forum for elder law questions and answers and for the sharing of useful information and ideas. To join the list serve, please send your e-mail address and WSBA number to pariss@wsba.org.
Guardianship Task Force
The Section's Guardianship Task Force has been meeting since 2007, exploring systemic issues affecting guardianship in Washington. It is expected to make its report to the Section executive committee, with recommendations, in the summer of 2009. Recommendations are expected on subjects including active judicial monitoring of ongoing guardianships, uniform systems of recording and gathering guardianship-related data, training for non-professional guardians, and state funding for the court system's guardianship-related role. The Task Force is chaired by Tacoma lawyer (and former Section chair) Eileen Peterson.
Interested in joining the Elder Law Section? If so, click here to sign up online, or call 206-443-WSBA.
For more information, please contact the Section chair:
Jeff B. Crollard
E-mail: jcrollard@trialsmiths.com
Elder Law Web Links
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