NJL Feb 09:NJ Lawyer Magazine 2/3/09 12:01 PM Page 5
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE
PEGGY SHEAHAN KNEE
Working to Aid New Jersey’s Disabled and Seniors
I
t seems hard to believe now, but there was a time in through work on the Medicaid Estate
the not-so-distant past when elder law and disability Recovery Act and, more recently,
law were virtually unheard of as practice areas. Today, guardianship issues, along with other
both are thriving specialties with a strong future, important matters of concern to the dis-
fueled in part by the graying of the nation’s baby abled and older individuals.
boomers. In the courtroom, the section was
The New Jersey State Bar Association has always been in involved in the important amicus case, In
the forefront of forging a foundation for elder and disability re Keri, which clarified a guardian’s ability to engage in Medi-
law to take hold and flourish. In 1982, the association created caid planning on behalf of a ward.
the Senior Citizen Sub- On the education
committee under the front, several years ago
umbrella of the Legal Over the past decade, the section has focused the section began
Services Committee, to hosting a regular series
considerable attention on improving the lives
evaluate the lack of of roundtable discus-
lawyers trained to han- of New Jersey’s citizens through work on the sions on issues perti-
dle matters concerning Medicaid Estate Recovery Act and, more nent to section mem-
older Americans. Just bers. The section also
two years later, the
recently, guardianship issues, along with other holds a wonderfully
subcommittee united important matters of concern to the disabled informative annual
with ICLE to run retreat that blends
“Elder Law: It Ain’t Just
and older individuals. education with net-
Wills,” a seminar that working. Additionally,
proved so popular it had to be presented several more times they recently implemented two special awards—the Distin-
in order to accommodate all of the attorneys interested in guished Service Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
learning about this emerging practice area. Clearly, from the fine work they have done and continue to
Following such success, it came as no surprise that members do, finding worthy recipients will not be difficult.
of the subcommittee would seek committee status the follow- From its inception, this group has represented what the
ing year, launching the Aging and the Law Committee, which New Jersey State Bar Association’s sections are all about—
became the NJSBA’s Elder Law Section, and later the Elder and gathering together legal professionals with an interest in a
Disability Law Section. Today, this section stands as an impres- specific area of the law to improve the practice for the public
sive example of what dedicated attorneys can accomplish as through education, legislative initiative and all-important
part of the organized bar—the Elder and Disability Law Section networking. There is no better time than now for NJSBA
has made great strides on the legislative front as well as the members to look toward section membership as a means of
academic front, educating lawmakers and legal practitioners expanding their practice and their professional/social net-
on the issues faced by our aging population. work. For information on the Elder and Disability Law Sec-
Over the past decade, the section has focused considerable tion, as well as all of the state bar’s legal sections and divi-
attention on improving the lives of New Jersey’s citizens sions, I urge you to visit www.njsba.com.
WWW.NJSBA.COM NEW JERSEY LAWYER | February 2009 5