Practice Areas
Guardianship Proceedings
I represent clients in adult guardianship proceedings (Article 81) and guardianship matters involving persons with ID/DD (Article 17A). These cases often arise when a loved one is not able to safely manage personal, medical, or financial affairs without support.
Guardianship proceedings can also address matters of undue influence, abuse, financial exploitation or neglect pertaining to any person who lacks the ability to appreciate their risk of harm.
Mental Hygiene Law Article 9 Proceedings
I consult with families regarding Article 9 proceedings, specifically in cases of hospitalization or medication over objection. This work is closely linked to strong advocacy related to HIPAA disclosures, proper discharge planning and the creation of long-term support programs including the use of Assisted Outpatient Treatment Orders.
These matters are often urgent and deeply personal. Families may be facing a crisis involving a loved one who is unstable, at risk, or unable to make safe decisions. In these situations, experienced legal guidance is critical.
Family Court Proceedings
I represent clients in Family Court proceedings involving vulnerable individuals, family conflict, caregiving concerns, and other high-stakes issues affecting the stability and protection of a loved one. Mostly commonly this involves the procurement of Family Court Orders of Protection to assure safety and security for all involved persons.
For many families, these cases are emotionally charged and highly sensitive. When a vulnerable person is involved, the legal process must be approached with care, discretion, and a clear focus on protection.
Criminal Court Representation
I also provide criminal court representation in matters involving vulnerable individuals, mental illness, substance abuse, disability, and related circumstances requiring careful and experienced advocacy.
Some clients become involved in the criminal justice system while struggling with serious psychiatric, cognitive, or substance-related issues. In other cases, families need legal counsel when criminal proceedings intersect with broader concerns about vulnerability, treatment, or capacity.
Trust Administration and Accounting Proceedings
I handle trust administration and accounting proceedings involving vulnerable beneficiaries and high-need individuals whose financial protection and long-term care depend on proper fiduciary management. This is especially relevant in estate planning related to high-need beneficiaries, or those who have very variable needs.
These matters may involve trustee responsibilities, disputes over the use of trust assets, accountings, fiduciary oversight, or questions about whether a trust is being administered in the beneficiary’s best interests. This is especially important in matters where the beneficiary lives in unstable or changing conditions, especially as it pertains to persistent mental illness or substance abuse issues.
When a trust is intended to protect a vulnerable person, proper administration is essential. I help families and fiduciaries navigate these matters with close attention to both legal obligations and the real-world needs of the beneficiary.
Estate Planning, Medicaid & Benefits for Vulnerable Clients
We design estate plans for individuals and families whose lives do not fit a standard template — adults living with serious mental illness, substance use disorder, developmental disabilities, or cognitive decline, and the loved ones who care for them. Our work begins not with a form, but with a clinical, financial, and relational picture of the client’s actual life, and produces bespoke instruments — supplemental needs trusts, carefully drafted powers of attorney and health care proxies, and integrated Medicaid planning — built to function across decades, not just at signing. We counsel on Community and Chronic Care Medicaid eligibility, asset structuring, and the full landscape of public benefits, including SSI, SSDI, SNAP, Section 8, and OPWDD, OMH, and OASAS waiver programs. When benefits are wrongly denied, reduced, or terminated, we represent clients at fair hearings and appeal.