By Catherine Brown, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Watching the people we love begin to slow down is hard. The health problems may be physical or mental, occurring as part of the natural aging process or being exacerbated by a specific diagnosis. Either way, the question often arises: can this loved one continue to live at home, […]
By Sarah Pitts, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Before I came to law school, I worked as direct care staff and day program staff for adults with developmental disabilities. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs I have ever had. I learned to live and work with people who had various talents, interests, and […]
By Kristel Tupja, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 “Children can really hurt you sometimes.” I can feel the sadness and emotion emanating from our potential Clinic client. The woman reached out to us to discuss the contents of a Power of Attorney she granted to her son. Spiraling into depression after simultaneously losing her job, her house […]
By Amy Meiburg, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Working for the SEC this past summer, I became more aware of the challenges that are increasingly facing senior Americans – fraud. Americans over the age of sixty-five (65) now hold a vast majority of wealth in our economy. Further, these individuals are frequently targeted by unscrupulous individuals for […]
By Fred Freeman, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 During the summer of 2014, I worked for the City Attorney’s Office in Norfolk, Virginia. While there, I spent a lot of time in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, spending a significant portion of my summer researching and dealing with cases involving guardianships and abuse of adolescents. […]
By Jessica Colton, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 It is 3:00 a.m. and an elderly widow is woken by a ringing phone. Answering, a man on the other end poses as Canadian law enforcement and claims to have her grandson in police custody. Telling the drowsy, confused woman that her grandson’s health is in danger, he […]
By Ann Cortez, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 Established in 2012, the William & Mary Law School Elder Law Clinic has worked hard to address the many needs of the elderly community in Hampton Roads. The practice of elder law is multi-faceted and within its purview the clinic has covered many legal issues including Medicaid application, […]
By Caleb Stone, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 Most people know that every state imposes a legal obligation upon parents to provide for their children; however, many Americans would be surprised to find out that their states also have statutes mandating that adult children take care of their indigent parents. The laws are often called “filial […]
By Kaitlyn Chounet, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 This past summer, I worked for a county law department, and while I spent a great deal of time working on important aspects of the department’s cases such as researching and drafting motions and memoranda, because the law department represents the county, I never really had the opportunity to […]
By Karen Osborne, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2015 When a student enrolls in her first clinic at the law school, the emotions range from excitement to trepidation. The areas of legal practice are completely new and the learning curve is steep, but the real anxiety sets in when the student realizes she will have to […]