Webinar Recorded: September 13, 2016
Presented by Melissa Crump, JD, ElderCounsel and Todd Whatley, JD, LLM, CELA, Elder Law Practice of H. Todd Whatley
Duration: 95 minutes
“Why didn’t you talk to me about this?” This is something you never want to hear from a client. Learn why you should proactively engage your clients in crucial conversations about capacity and crisis. Todd Whatley and Melissa Crump have an interactive discussion and provide you with the tools needed to avoid ethical and/or malpractice violations.
Overview:
Capacity issues can destroy families and quickly escalate to a crisis requiring attorney involvement. Spend a few hours with ElderCounsel we will share how to have crucial conversations with your clients, and what you must know to avoid ethical and malpractice violations.
Crucial Conversations with Clients – Part 1: The Impact of Illness on Family Relationships
Last year a husband was charged (and later found not guilty) of raping his wife. His wife was in a nursing facility and had been diagnosed with dementia. Dementia can wreak havoc on couples and their loved ones, especially as the disease progresses to the point where the spouse with dementia no longer recognizes their spouse or family members. It is important for attorneys to discuss these issues with their clients, while the client is healthy. This unique session will alert you to some of the topics you should be discussing with your client. You will walk away from this session with actions you can take to initiate these crucial client conversations, while being respectful and professional.
Crucial Conversations with Clients – Part 2: Representing Your Client Zealously
Whether you are an elder law, estate planning, or another type of attorney, you are ethically obligated to provide your clients with all the options available for them. Particularly, when talking with the senior population you should discuss their future and provide them with direction to plan for what may come. Many seniors will face long term care, diminished capacity, incapacitation, and incompetency. We will talk about document must-haves and specific steps you should take to protect both you and your client when dealing with these issues. Come to this session and hear real life stories from two practitioners and how they handled these situations in their practices.
Topics covered:
- Crucial Conversations with Clients – Part 1: The Impact of Illness on Family Relationships
- Rayhons Case
- What is the difficult conversation?
- Crucial Conversations with Clients – Part 2: Representing Your Client Zealously
- Why Elder Law Attorneys should initiate the conversation?
- Planning with your Client
- Protect a Large Estate
- Why Have These Discussions?