Commission on Law and Aging
American Bar Association
1050 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 662-8690
Fax: (202) 662-8698
E-mail: [email protected]
On the Web at: www.americanbar.org/aging
March 23, 2018
Contact Us
Commission Staff
DAVID M. GODFREY, J.D.
Director
[email protected]
David Godfrey, JD is Director of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging in Washington DC. He is responsible for managing the research, training, and policy work of the Commission. Prior to joining the Commission, he was responsible for elder law programming at the Access to Justice Foundation in Kentucky. Mr. Godfrey earned his B.A. with honors at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, and his J.D. cum laude from the University of Louisville School Of Law in Kentucky. He served on the board of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys – and was named a Fellow of the Academy in 2019.
SONIA M. ARCE
Office Manager
[email protected]
Sonia Arce is responsible for budget planning, financial management/oversight, and meeting planning.
TRISHA Y. BULLOCK
Associate Editor
[email protected]
Trisha Bullock performs general office services and serves as the Commission's Personify Administrator, Communities and Lists Manager and assists with meetings and publication production. Trisha is also responsible for general record keeping, website maintenance, social media, and production of the newsletter, BIFOCAL.
ERICA COSTELLO
Senior Attorney
[email protected]
Erica Costello serves as a Senior Attorney at the ABA Commission on Law and Aging, where she works on issues concerning adult guardianship, elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, supported decision-making, and access to courts. Prior to joining the Commission, Erica was the Adult Guardianship Attorney with the Indiana Supreme Court and assisted courts and the public on all matters relating to guardianship. Erica has a B.A. from Indiana University-Bloomington, a M.A. from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Brandeis School of Law, at the University of Louisville, in Kentucky.
ELIZABETH RUSSO
Senior Attorney
[email protected]
Elizabeth Russo serves as a Senior Attorney at the ABA Commission on Law and Aging. Prior to joining the Commission, Beth was the Deputy Director of Alaska’s Office of Public Advocacy, a state legal advocacy agency which operates the Public Guardian’s office and the Office of Elder Fraud and Assistance in addition to providing respondent counsel in adult guardianship cases. She headed the Alaska Public Guardian’s office from 2008-2019. Beth received her B.A. from Wellesley College and her J.D. and M.P.H. from Boston University. She has been a nationally certified guardian since 2008.
Expertise
The ABA Commission on Law and Aging can provide background to the media on a range of issues relating to law and aging, including:
- Guardianship and conservatorship
- Elder abuse, neglect and exploitation
- Mental capacity, aging and surrogate decision-making
- Health care decision-making and advance directives
- Medicare, Medicaid and long-term care
- Elder Law and the delivery of legal assistance to older persons
Contact the Division for Media Relations and Communication Services for expert contacts.
If you don't see what you’re looking for, contact the ABA Service Center (800) 285-2221. General press inquiries can also be sent to [email protected].
Bifocal Newsletter
Bifocal Subscription List - Bifocal, the Commission's bi-monthly journal, provides timely, valuable legal resources pertaining to older persons, generated through the joint efforts of public and private bar groups and the aging network. Click here to be added to our Bifocal subscription list.
Discussion Lists
The Commission provides a forum for legal professionals to communicate and share ideas on two active discussion lists:
In order to maintain lists with relevant participants, we ask that you email the commission and provide the name of the list(s) you're interested in on the subject line. In the body of your email please include your mailing address and phone number.
Support Us
Help us continue to improve the lives of older Americans.
—Write a Check—
Make payable to Fund for Justice and Education (designate ABA Commission on Law and Aging on memo line) and mail to:
ABA Commission on Law & Aging
1050 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
—Donate Online—
Please visit: https://donate.americanbar.org/cola and learn how you can support the efforts of the Commission. Click here for information on how to join our leadership circle.
—Call Us—
Discuss a specific gift of support at: (202) 662-8690. Your contribution is tax-deductible.