A Lawyer's Guide to Working with Special Needs Clients - by Richard A Courtney (Paperback)

About the Book

Persons with disabilities and their family members and caregivers face numerous challenges every day. But beyond those day-to-day issues, they often need assistance navigating bureaucracies and in developing plans for long-term care and financial security. This book, written by a special needs attorney, supplies essential information and valuable guidance to the issues involved in representing these clients. The book begins with advice on understanding and representing special needs clients and their families, including key questions to ask to tailor an appropriate plan. Subsequent chapters address other aspects of representing special needs clients, including: - Public benefits, including SSI, Medicare, and Medicaid- Special needs education issues- Special needs trusts- Financial issues- Ethical and practice risks- How to build a special needs legal practice

Book Synopsis

Persons with disabilities and their family members and caregivers face numerous challenges every day. They need help navigating difficult bureaucracies and developing plans for long-term care and financial security. There are many voices - including an array of financial professionals and attorneys - clamoring for their attention. These clients may find it challenging or impossible to determine who might best help them with their specific problems. For these reasons, attorneys who wish to engage in special needs planning must develop plans that will enable them to connect with those families and individuals.

The special needs planning attorney needs to be an expert attorney, not an expert about every type of disability. That said, an attorney seeking to represent persons with disabilities or their family members will find it helpful to have a general understanding of the disability that the clients have identified before the clients arrive at their office.

This book covers topics from understanding the special needs client, to understanding public benefits, to building a special needs practice.

Review Quotes

"In this book, Rick Courtney writes knowledgeably from both a personal and a professional level. The book is incredibly practical, with real-world examples as well as comprehensive and concise substantive information. This book should be part of the library for any lawyer who does estate planning, elder law, or special needs planning."--Rebecca C. Morgan, Professor of Law, Boston Asset Management Chair in Elder Law, Stetson University College of Law

"Rick Courtney is a leading expert on planning for persons with special needs. He shares his years of practical and personal knowledge in this outstanding book. It is a wonderful resource for any attorney but is essential for those who practice estate planning."--Richard Gershon, LL.M. (Taxation), Professor of Law and former Dean, University of Mississippi School of Law

About the Author

Rick Courtney, of Jackson, MS.is a founding partner of the Jackson law firm of Frascogna Courtney, PLLC. His primary practice areas are elder law, public benefits law, personal asset protection and estate planning, trusts and trust administration, special needs planning for persons with disabilities, guardianships and conservatorships, nursing home and disability rights, and probate administration. He is a former Assistant Dean and Adjunct Professor of Law at Mississippi College School of Law and Adjunct Professor at University of Mississippi School of Law.