Thursday, September 11, 9:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m. ET
| MCLE Credit: | 6.0 (Ethics: 1.0; Well-Being: 1.0) |
| Live-Interactive Credit: | 6.0 (all formats) |
| GAL for Incapacitated Persons CE Credit: | 5.0 |
Live on Site:
Webcast:
Telephone:
Cosponsored with the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA)
This annual seminar tracks the practice of elder law to help you thrive in a constantly changing world. Keep up to date on the new cases, legislation, and regulations, while also exploring new and perennial topics vital to the elder law attorney. The topics are covered by well-respected attorneys in the elder law field who can guide you through the current challenges as well as those you are likely to face down the road.
Registration Deadlines:
| Webcast: | 10 minutes prior to seminar. If you register for a webcast the day of the seminar, your e-mail receipt will include a link to launch the seminar and download the materials. |
| Telephone: | Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. the day preceding the seminar Call (800) 979-8253 to register up to one hour prior to the seminar |
| Live on Site: | Online registration ends at 11:59 p.m. the day preceding the seminar Walk-in registration is permitted on a space-available basis |
Cancellation Policy: Cancellation/transfer requests will be honored until 5:00 p.m. the day preceding the seminar. You will, however, be charged $90 if you cancel or transfer your registration to a different seminar after the link to the materials has been e-mailed by Virginia CLE®.
Full refunds or transfers are available up to two days after a webcast in the unlikely event that you experience technical difficulties.
Dietary Restrictions: If you have dietary restrictions and are attending the seminar in person, please email deanna.mcglothlin@vacle.org.
Inclement Weather Policy and Updates.
MCLE Credit Caveat: The MCLE Board measures credits by the time you spend in attendance. If you enter a seminar late or leave it early, or both, you must reflect those adjustments accurately in the credits you report on your credit reporting form. A code will be given at the end of the seminar, which must be written on your MCLE form.
Can’t Attend?
E-mail distance_ed@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program is made available as an online or USB seminar.
E-mail publications@vacle.org to be notified when/if this program’s seminar materials are made available for sale.
| 8:30 | Registration |
| 9:00 | Elder Law Updates Review the new cases, statutes, regulations … what bills passed and failed in the 2025 Virginia General Assembly in the guardianship field. |
| 10:00 | Break |
| 10:15 | SSA Changed the Rules Regarding SSI—And It Benefits Your Clients! Learn about three exciting new changes the Social Security Administration (SSA) made to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations. Each of these changes helps your clients avoid a reduction in SSI benefits by reducing the scope of what SSA considers to be In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM); but don’t hold your breath for SSA to update the POMS. We’ll discuss how to maximize SSI benefits, how to request your clients’ SSI benefits be increased, and other practice tips. |
| 11:15 | Break |
| 11:30 | Tax Tips and Traps for Elder Law Attorneys This presentation will discuss various planning considerations and how to avoid potential pitfalls with regard to income tax and estate/gift/generation-skipping transfer tax issues that elder law attorneys may encounter in their practice. |
| 12:30 | Lunch (provided on site, sponsored by Meerkat Technologies Inc.) |
| 1:15 | How to Handle Advanced Contested Guardianships—Litigation Tips for the Non-litigating Attorney We will feature tips on how to adjust your strategy when the guardianship process becomes contested and complicated. Learn some simple tricks to boost your courtroom confidence. Understand the role of evidence and the discovery process, and how to map out your strategy. If you’re in unfamiliar territory with a contested matter, then this session is for you. Navigating the litigation process can be difficult and challenging, but knowing some tips can make all the difference in the world. |
| 2:15 | Break |
| 2:30 | Duty to Be Well: Managing Occupational Risks and Prioritizing Well-Being to Thrive as Lawyers (Includes Ethics) The legal profession is inherently demanding, with occupational stressors including adversarial environments, individual work, professional demands. Combined with common personality traits such as perfectionism, these occupational risks when not managed can lead to serious consequences, including malpractice or disciplinary action. During this one-hour presentation, participants will learn about the well-being movement in the legal profession, explore occupational risks and stressors, the dimensions of well-being, Virginia Rules of Professional Conduct, and practical strategies for fostering personal and institutional well-being. The session is interactive and aims to equip lawyers with tools to support a healthier, more sustainable legal profession. |
| 3:30 | Break |
| 3:45 | Trustee Liability for Attorneys: What Can Go Wrong—And How to Prevent It Attorneys are often designated to serve as Trustee on a former client’s trust or are appointed by the court to serve as Trustee, and yet often lack sufficient experience or knowledge to avoid common pitfalls or to fulfill their duties as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. This presentation will go over the duties of Trustees and common trust administration issues that may arise and will discuss how to best handle or prevent these issues. It will also go over the standards for breach of fiduciary duty as a Trustee, including how to deal with trouble with beneficiaries and the Commissioner of Accounts. |
| 4:45 | Seminar Adjourns |
| 5:00 | Complimentary Reception, sponsored by Continuum Care Strategies—Come join us for drinks, congeniality, and fun! |
Sarah Aviles, McCandlish Lillard / Fairfax
Claire C. Kelly, Trusts & Wealth, PLLC / Great Falls
Shawn Majette, R. Shawn Majette, Esq. / Reedville
Barbara Mardigian, Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program / Glen Allen
Melinda Merk, McCandlish Lillard / Fairfax
Kimberley Ann Murphy, Hale Ball Murphy, PLC / Fairfax
Charlene P. Reilly, Virginia Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program / Glen Allen
Christopher W. Roberson, ThompsonMcMullan, PC / Richmond
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