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    Vol. 37, Issue 3 (January - February 2016)

    Volume 37 Issue 3   January 2016

    Elder

    Ethical Challenges of Using Law Student Interns/Externs to Expand Services to Low-Income Older Adults

    The ABA Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recently strengthened its rules regarding experiential learning and law school accreditation and in response to these changes, many law schools will be searching for ways to provide additional practice opportunities to their students through course work or pro bono initiatives. These changes make it a great time to consider including law students in your current elder law practice, and planning for ethical dilemmas will assure that any collaboration protects your practice, your clients, and your student workers.

    Elder

    Creating Effective Agreements for Payment of Family Caregivers

    Kerry R. Peck

    When lapses in memory or physical issues start to affect a loved one's activities of daily living, such as cooking, eating, bathing, or paying bills, it’s time evaluate their needs and living situation. As the affected loved one’s care needs increase, attorneys can assist with drafting caregiving/personal care agreements.

    Elder

    The Social Security Administration’s Representative Payee Program

    Shana Wynn

    To ensure that all beneficiaries can receive their payments and make proper use of funds, Congress has granted the Social Security Administration (SSA) the authority to appoint third parties, known as representative payees, to receive and manage payments when the beneficiary is unable to do so. With Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive impairments on the rise, more seniors find themselves unable to manage their own benefits. SSA is currently exploring additional ways to identify seniors who may be in need of a representative payee.

    SPOTLIGHT

    Elder

    Performance Data on Emeritus Pro Bono Practice Rules

    David M. Godfrey

    Emeritus pro bono practice rules can be effective tools for recruiting volunteer attorneys. Specifically, by reducing some of the licensing burdens for attorneys who agree to limit practice to pro bono only, these rules are designed to encourage pro bono service. Whether these rules are actually effective in encouraging pro bono service, however, is an empirical question. To answer that question, a short online survey was done in 2014 returning modest data. In 2015 the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service—in collaboration with the ABA Commission on Law and Aging—launched a project to collect more complete data on participation, the number of hours, and what recruitment methods appear to be most successful.

    SPOTLIGHT

    BIFOCAL, the Commission on Law and Aging'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.

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