Events

The NAELA Annual Conference will be held in Seattle, Washington April 26-28. It will provide professionals an opportunity to learn, network, and engage with other lawyers within the elder law field.

More than 250 professionals from the USA and Canada will converge to learn from cutting-edge Continuing Legal Education programs designed to showcase latest developments in an elder law practice.

Canadian Speakers Include:

Archie Rabinowitz, Fraser Milner
Kimberly A. Whaley, Whaley Estate Litigation
Panel Discussion: Jurisdictional issues related to incapable persons residing/visiting in both the USA and Canada:

• Identifying legislative differences
• Guardians, Attorneys and Cross-border Issues
• Conflicts of Law
• Addressing issues where an incapable person has assets—both in the US and in Canada
• What happens when powers are abused and the incapable person is at risk?
• In what forum does resolution take place? [ie. US resident (who is a Canadian Citizen) taken to Canada and not returned to jurisdiction of residency.]

Ian Hull, Hull & Hull LLP
Jasmine Sweatman, Sweatman Law
Kimberly A. Whaley, Whaley Estate Litigation
Panel Discussion: Legal and Medical Issues concerning Capacity and Substitute Decision-making:

• What is Capacity vs. Incapacity?
• What type of decisional capacity concerns prevail and are relevant?
• Ascertaining capacity:
  • When is it necessary?
  • What are the implications, both for the person and process of the findings of Assessors?
  • Qualifications of Assessors
  • Policy concerns
  • Common International difficulties and models of resolution
  • What works and what does not?
  • What happens in Canadian Provinces regarding capacity and substitute decision-making

Rachel Blumenfeld, Miller Thompson LLP
Cross Border Planning: US Citizens in Canada and Americans with family members in Canada — opportunities and risks. Canadians with property and/or kids in the US; and Canadian Family Estate Planning with US Family Members — Tips and Traps.

Jan Goddard, Jan Goddard and Associates
Laura Watts, Elder Concepts
Panel Discussion: Introduction to International Elder Law

• Focusing on Canada, this session will address:
• The Canadian elder law landscape
• Practical tips and planning traps
• Emerging international elder law issues

Peter Schmiedel, Fischel & Kahn, Ltd.
Heather Mountford, Jan Goddard and Associates
Panel Discussion: Following the Money: A Cross Border Case of Fraud and Recovery.
This session will discuss:

• How counsel from different jurisdictions can assist each other in the pursuit of remedies on behalf of mutual cognitively impaired clients;
• Issues arising in the enforcement of a foreign judgment in Canada; and
• A case study of Henry v. Zawierucha et al. — an example of the legal remedies available to protect cognitively impaired adults from exploitation in Illinois, and the legal remedies utilized in Ontario to enforce the Illinois judgment.

The NAELA conference will also provide opportunities to network with other lawyers and with exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services.

NAELA is dedicating the entire day of April 25, 2012 for a Basics Workshop tailored to provide an understanding of Elder and Special Needs Law. This workshop will be open to any Elder and Special Needs Law professional.

Registration Info

Conference Brochure

NAELA Website