Elder Law Short Course 2025 — Burr Ridge

This session will provide attorneys a practical overview of Medicaid eligibility rules essential for effective client counseling and case management. Covering income and asset limits, resource treatment, and key documentation requirements, the session will equip legal professionals with the tools to accurately assess eligibility, identify planning opportunities, and avoid common errors in Medicaid applications. This session will be Ideal for attorneys new to elder law or Medicaid.

Megan Kinney, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, East St. Louis

Explore key strategies for handling large estates, including tax-efficient planning, trust structures, liquidity management, and compliance with current estate and gift tax laws. Gain practical guidance to help clients preserve and transfer wealth effectively.

Elizabeth A. Garlovsky 📘, Harrison LLP, Chicago

Tiffany Carmona, JP Morgan Private Bank, Chicago

The Medicaid planning landscape has changed a lot in a year. Come learn about what we currently know about Spousal Support Orders, the status of using spousal refusal to support as a Medicaid planning strategy, how Medicaid divorces work, and the latest on using Medicaid compliant annuities to protect assets.

Elizabeth M. Fink, WhiteheadFink Elder Law, LLC, Chicago

Get real-world guidance on handling common elder law disputes, including will and trust contests, undue influence claims, and fiduciary misconduct. This session will walk you through the practical steps of building and presenting a case — what evidence to gather, how to work with witnesses, and strategies for using medical records, financial documents, and expert opinions to support your argument.

Eric Dorkin, Clark Hill PLC, Chicago

Mackenzie A. Hyde 📘, Clark Hill PLC, Chicago

In a perfect world, Medicaid planning would work perfectly each and every time. When a plan goes off the rails and then lands on your desk just moments before a Medicaid application is needed, what do you do? Attend this session and you will discover the best crisis management strategies for a Medicaid Plan gone bad.

Constance B. Renzi, Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi, & Andersson, P.C./Elder Law Center, P.C., Sugar Grove

Heather E. Voorn 📘, Voorn, Jaworski, & Preston, PLLC, New Lenox

This session will explore common and complex Special Needs Trust funding issues — including home purchases, vehicles with liens, and other high-value expenditures such as travel, electronics, and support services. You will learn how to navigate eligibility rules, trustee responsibilities, and best practices to ensure compliant and effective use of trust funds.

Melissa Kallio, Dutton Casey & Mesoloras, PC, Chicago

Sara Riechert, Chamberlin Riechert Law Group, P.C., Oak Brook

Providing your trustee/agent client with clear and concrete instructions on how to administer the finances is critical to keeping everyone out of trouble. In This session, you will learn about the top mistakes trustees and agents make in managing the money, the key components of good written instructions, and how best to keep your clients on the straight and narrow.

J. Amber Drew 📘, Clingen Callow & McLean, LLC , Lisle

Attorneys face many complexities when representing heirs, particularly when actions taken during the decedent’s lifetime—often by an agent acting under a Power of Attorney—come to light after the death of the decedent. When all assets pass by operation of law directly to beneficiaries, outside of an estate or trust, Attorneys may need to consider other avenues to pursue remedies for their clients. Using real-world examples, we’ll examine common conflicts that arise when agents claim they were "just doing what Mom wanted," and evaluating claims against agents under the Illinois Power of Attorney Act.

Catherine E. Lenert 📘, Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi, Lenert & Julien, P.C./Elder Law Center, P.C., Sugar Grove

Lydia K. Park, Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi, Lenert & Julien, P.C./Elder Law Center, P.C., Sugar Grove

Lydia K. Park, Mickey, Wilson, Weiler, Renzi, Lenert & Julien, P.C./Elder Law Center, P.C., Sugar Grove

Retirement accounts can be a major asset in estate planning — especially when special needs trusts (SNTs) and elder law considerations come into play. This session will cover how the SECURE Act changed the rules for inherited retirement accounts and what that means when planning for individuals with disabilities. You will learn practical drafting tips, explore tax consequences, and examine how to align retirement assets with SNTs and long-term care planning.

Mark Munson, Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C., Wausau, WI

Disputes in guardianship cases are becoming more frequent and more complex. This session will cover the most common challenges that arise — such as objections to appointments, claims of undue influence, disagreements among family members, and allegations of incapacity. You will learn how to navigate contested hearings, handle difficult parties, and manage the procedural and evidentiary issues that come with these high-stakes cases.

Sarah M. LeRose, Law Office of Leonard J. LeRose, Jr., Ltd., Chicago

(1 professional responsibility pending approval) When an interested party (caregiver, spouse, child, friend, or agent under a Power of Attorney) is involved, attorneys and geriatric care managers must clearly identify and protect the true client. This session covers practical and ethical strategies to manage caregiver influence, maintain boundaries, and address conflicts. Attendees will gain tools to recognize red flags and ensure advocacy remains focused on the client’s rights and wishes.

Colleen Ceh Becvar, Trinity Advocacy Group, LLC, St. Charles

Kim Burgess, Comforting Transitions, St. Louis

Heidi E. Dodd, Dodd & Wambold, O’Fallon

(1 professional responsibility pending approval) In this session, you will explore the complex intersection of elder abuse and diminished capacity, with a focus on evolving strategies for identification, intervention, and advocacy. This session will address new approaches to assessing capacity, legal tools available to protect vulnerable adults, and the implications of updated ABA Rule 1.14 on representing clients with diminished capacity. Attendees will gain insight into practical case management, ethical duties, and effective collaboration with professionals in other disciplines.

Jessica Brock, American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, Washington, D.C.

Erica Costello, American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, Washington, D.C