New Elder Law and Special Needs Section Chair Britt Burner Follows in Mom’s Footsteps
7.9.2024
Britt Burner didn’t plan to become an elder law attorney like her mother, Nancy, but it happened anyway. “I spent most of my life saying all the reasons why I would not work with her, or do what she did,” Burner said. “And yet here I am.”
When she was just a young woman, she attended NYSBA meetings with her mother.
“My mom always stressed the importance of going to the meetings because there is always something to learn or a different way to look at an issue,” she said. “Once I got involved with NYSBA, I built a support system of other attorneys. We help each other and it’s always been so collaborative and collegial.” Burner enjoys educating other attorneys through the presentation of CLEs as well as educating the public through articles, in-person and online learning events. “The section members have served as my mentors, brain trust, and friends!”
She did not intend to become a partner in her mother’s firm, either, but she did. And now her career has led her to become the new chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section.
After graduating from Brooklyn Law School, Burner started her career in corporate law, but she had to pivot in 2008. She spent a year at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office prosecuting sex crimes.
“I eventually ended up working as an associate at Goldfarb Abrandt Salzman & Kutzin practicing Elder Law,” she said. “And I loved it. I liked the people, I liked working with clients, I liked the difficult legal issues mixed with the family dynamics and family therapy parts of what we do.”
Burner joined her mother’s firm, Burner Law Group, in 2014 and made partner in 2022. Their third partner, Gail Prudenti, a past chief administrative judge and former dean of Hofstra Law School, joined last fall and the firm became Burner Prudenti Law.
As Elder Law and Special Needs Section chair, Burner wants to address legislative and budget concerns that affect elder law attorneys and their clients – especially those related to Medicaid and other benefits – as well as training the next generation of lawyers to learn about these issues and get involved. The goals are “to continue to have the voice of the elder law attorneys of the state bar being heard on a state and national level and to build membership,” she said.
Burner is looking forward to the Elder Law and Special Needs Section’s summer meeting in Montreal from July 11 to 13 and the joint meeting with the Trusts and Estates Law Section at the Hotel Canandaigua from September 26 to 27. “We’re excited because there’s a lot of overlap of members in the two sections,” Burner said. “We’re trying to cross train people on the issues affecting both sides of our clients’ issues.”
Burner also serves on the Advisory Council for the for Katz Institute for Women’s Health at Northwell Health. She lives in Manhattan and Westhampton Beach.
