Last week, at the annual State Bar Association Convention in Atlantic City, I was inducted  as the Chair of the Elder and Disability Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association for 2010 – 2011. As readers of this blog know, elder and disability law are highly specialized areas of law which address the specific legal issues and quality-of-life needs of those over the age of fifty and persons with disabilities. Elder and disability lawyers represent older or disabled persons and their representatives in financing long-term medical care, nursing home issues, qualifying for Medicare, Medicaid and other public benefits, estate planning, trust administration, special needs planning, will contests, probate and guardianship litigation, and estate and elder mediation. The Elder and Disability Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association is the only special interest section of the State Bar focusing on the elderly and disabled in New Jersey. The Elder and Disability Law Section provides education, information and analysis about issues of concern to seniors and the disabled through meetings, seminars, public service programs and publications.

I’m proud to have been selected as Chair of the Section. Although I had a brief induction speech prepared, I was not able to present the speech at the very brief ceremony held at the State Bar Convention. However, this being my blog, I decided to deliver the speech here instead. So, without further ado, here is my “Brief Induction Speech”:

“(Wow. When I was inducted into the Lyndhurst High School Athletic Hall of Fame as part of a “Legendary Team of the Past,” I didn’t think it could get any better. (Lame Attempt at humor))

As President of the Elder and Disability Law Section, I’ll be heading a section of bar that has seen many recent changes. The traditional “elder law” practice area of Medicaid / public benefits planning has become increasingly challenging. These last twelve months have also seen revisions to the federal estate tax and the enactment of national healthcare reform, and technology has presented our practice with new opportunities as well as challenges.

In sum, this is an exciting time to be involved with the Elder and Disability Law Section.

I consider the members of the Elder and Disability Law Section to be an outstanding group of attorneys, and I’m proud to represent the Section.”

That’s it. I look forward to a productive year working with the other Section members in the exciting legal practice area of elder and disability law.