National Elder Law Month – Empowering Clients and Colleagues with Information

The practical, financial and legal challenges faced by seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families can be unfamiliar and intimidating. The choices that need to be made, the planning that needs to begin and the structures that need to be put in place to provide for security and well-being, for healthcare and other needs that arise as we age — even the most sophisticated among us may feel overwhelmed when looking at the road ahead.

That is why one of the top priorities for the attorneys in Chuhak & Tecson’s Elder Law practice is empowering their clients and colleagues alike with information and tools that bring clarity to complexity and provide confidence instead of confusion.

As we mark National Elder Law Month in May, our lawyers have redoubled their commitment to community education. This includes presentations, workshops, seminars and other events at which they discuss the wide range of issues that fall under the broad umbrella of Elder Law, such as long-term care planning, Medicaid and V.A. benefits crisis and pre-planning, special needs and incapacity planning, Medigap coverage, guardianships and elder abuse concerns. Similarly, the attorneys in our Estate & Trust Administration & Litigation group, whose work regularly intersects with the concerns and matters facing our elder law clients, are also contributing their time and insights to inform and enlighten others on related topics.

Principal and Elder Law practice leader Mallory Moreno says that far from being an adjunct to their representation of clients, educating others about these matters is a core responsibility.

“Few things are scarier than the unknown. Every one of us in the practice group feels that it isn’t enough for us as attorneys to understand what we’re doing — we need our clients to understand it as well,” she says. “We also want to give attorneys who practice in other areas a baseline of knowledge about Elder Law issues so they can steer their clients in the right direction.”

Moreno adds that education is a two-way street, and that she and the other attorneys in the firm’s Elder Law group remain students as well as teachers regarding new developments in their field.

“The laws, policies, and economic conditions that impact seniors and those with disabilities are always in flux,” she says. “We stay ahead of these changes and are constantly educating ourselves about them so we can pass that information on to our clients and position them for a secure future.”

Chuhak & Tecson’s experienced team of elder law attorneys includes two Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) — Moreno and Christine Barone — as well as practitioners Bryan Montana and Olive Wassen.   

You can learn more about Chuhak & Tecson’s Elder Law practice here.

Upcoming events marking National Elder Law Month reflect the group’s focus on community education.

  • May 7: Moreno presents a “Chuhak Chat” on the challenges facing the “Sandwich Generation.”
  • May 8-9: Moreno is attending the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) National Conference in Seattle.
  • May 13: Montana presents a “Chuhak Chat” on “What Financial Advisors Need to Know About Elder Law Planning.”
  • May 15: Moreno speaks to the Illinois State Bar Association on the Illinois Trust Code.
  • May 16: Moreno attends Illinois Chapter of NAELA’s “Unprogram,” where she is moderating two sessions on Senate Bill 9 and end-of-life decision-making and estate plan drafting considerations to avoid litigation.
  • May 20: Wassen presents a “Chuhak Chat” on planning for children with disabilities as they turn 18.
  • May 20: Moreno sits on a panel discussing the Sandwich Generation for the Village of Niles, focused on providing helpful resources to the community who may be experience such issues in their own families.
  • May 21: Moreno and Lindsey Paige Markus, leader of Chuhak & Tecson’s Estate Planning & Asset Protection Group, host a lunch-and-learn training at Wintrust for estate planning, guardianship, probate and trust administration.
  • May 21: Barone presents a “Chuhak Chat” on “Scams Targeting Seniors: How to Protect Yourself and Loved Ones.”
  • May 22: Moreno speaks to the Kane County Bar Association for their annual all-day seminar on considerations to help avoid unnecessary estate planning litigation.
  • June 10: Moreno is interviewed on Instagram Live by Lori Carpenter for her Show, “The 3rd Phase,” to give insight and pointers on guiding people as they enter their golden years and try to properly plan for the same.
  • June 20: Attorneys Ashley Coppola and Olive Wassen volunteer at a Power of Attorney Workshop hosted by The Center for Disability and Elder Law to assist individuals who are elderly and have limited resources establish their own powers of attorney and simple wills.