As people are living and working longer, the definition of what it means to be a senior continues to evolve. The demographics affect us all, including lawyers. Senior lawyers currently make up 25 percent of the Association’s membership, and include those who continue to work full time at law firms or in solo practices, as well as those who opt for part-time employment opportunities or donate pro bono services in their communities. In July 2006, the New York State Bar Association formed a special committee to recognize such lawyers and the unique issues that they face. As the result of the work of this committee, in 2008, the House of Delegates approved creation of the first 50+ Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association.

50+ Lawyers Section Profile

Lawyers who are age 50 or older have valuable experience, talents, and interests. Many such senior lawyers are considering or have already decided whether to continue to pursue their full-time legal careers or whether to transition to a new position, a reduced time commitment at their current position and/or retirement from a full-time legal career. Accordingly, the 50+ Lawyers Section has been created and charged with the mission of:

  • Providing opportunities to senior lawyers to continue and maintain their legal careers as well as to utilize their expertise in such activities as delivering pro bono and civic service, mentoring younger lawyers, serving on boards of directors for business and charitable organizations, and lecturing and writing;
  • Providing programs and services in matters such as job opportunities; CLE programs; seminars and lectures; career transition counseling; pro bono training; networking and social activities; recreational, travel and other programs designed to improve the quality of life of senior lawyers; and professional, financial and retirement planning; and
  • Acting as a voice of senior lawyers within the Association and the community

Scope of Activities

The 50+ Lawyers Section seeks to address such issues as:

  • Career continuity
  • Career changes
  • The desire and opportunity to:
    • Render pro bono service
    • Serve on boards
    • Mentor other attorneys
    • Take CLE courses relevant to seniors
  • Social activities for seniors

Contact the 50+ Section Liaison

To learn more about this Section, please contact Tiffany Bardwell
[email protected]
(518) 487-5675

Join Now

Anthony Enea

Anthony Enea

Anthony Enea is chair of the 50+ Lawyers Section.

Enea is a partner of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP. He concentrates his practice in elder law; Medicaid asset protection trusts; Medicaid applications (home care and nursing home); special needs planning; guardianships (Article 81 and 17-A); and wills, trusts and estates.

Within the State Bar, Enea is a past chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section. He is president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation and a past president of the Westchester County Bar Association.

Enea is a graduate of Manhattan College and Pace University School of Law.

Upcoming Events

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September 30, 2020

The Secure Act: What You Need To Know And Its Impact On Your Retirement Monies (Webinar)

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Past Events Highlights

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April 23, 2020

Pandemics And Planning: The Documents Every Attorney Should Have (Webinar)

Join us in this webinar to learn best practices and documents that will make plans and efforts more effective to protect employees, customers, and partners.

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Online Community

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The Senior Lawyer

The Senior Lawyer features substantive articles for lawyers who are age 55 or older and is published to help with career continuity and career changes. Articles that have appeared in past issues include such topics as value of important papers, estate planning, ethical issues, life settlements and retaining and maintaining closed files. Also included are updates on Section news, committee reports, programs and events. Edited by Willard H. DaSilva, Esq., The Senior Lawyer is published by the Senior Lawyers Section and distributed to Section Members free of charge.

The Senior Lawyer is published as a benefit for members of the Senior Lawyers Section and is copyrighted by the New York State Bar Association. The copying, reselling, duplication, transferring, reproducing, reusing, retaining or reprinting of this publication is strictly prohibited without permission. © New York State Bar Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 1949-8322 (print) ISSN 1949-8330 (online)

The Senior Lawyer  encourages article submissions on topics of interest to members of the Section. Writing an article for a NYSBA Section publication is a great way to get your name out in the legal community and advertise your knowledge. Our authors are respected state-wide for their legal expertise.

MCLE credit may also be earned for legal-based writing directed to an attorney audience upon application to the CLE Board. NYSBA Guidelines for Obtaining MCLE Credit for Writing as well as a Publication Credit Application are available.

If you have written an article and would like to have it considered for publication in The Senior Lawyer, please send it in electronic document format (pdfs are NOT acceptable), along with biographical information to its Editor:

Carole A. Burns, Esq.
[email protected]

 

 

Section Publications

The Senior Lawyer - Summer/Fall 2019

A publication of the Senior Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association. Can’t see this edition? Please view it here.  

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50+ Section Committee

Awards

2020 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award

Sponsored by the NYSBA 50+ Lawyers Section

2017 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award

The deadline for nominations was October 25, 2019.

View the Award Brochure

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2020 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award honorees were: Jonathan J. Lerner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, New York, NY and George “Jerry” Mackey, Barclay Damon LLP, Rochester, NY.

2019 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award honorees were: Ronald C. Mayer, The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG), Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program, New York, NY and Shirani Ponnambalam, Pace Women’s Justice Center, White Plains, NY.

2018 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award honorees were:  Joan Lia Levy, Esq., Pro Bono Partnership, Inc., White Plains, NY and Anthony Szczygiel, Esq., Center for Elder Law & Justice, Buffalo, NY.
Special Commendation: Blaine V. Fogg, Esq., Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, NY.

2017 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award honoree was Glenn J. Pogust, Esq., Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer, New York, NY

 

Meeting of the Minds

Meeting of the Minds – Lawyer Well-Being is an online community designed to bring together lawyers who are looking for a safe place to gain greater knowledge and support for transition planning. Rather than looking for one, grand design for the perfect transition into a law practice or retirement, we will be conducting a series of Gatherings with local bar associations to allow experienced practitioners to share what they have gained. The first Gathering, Preserving Your Legacy – Transferring Your Practice was conducted with the Monroe County Bar Association on October 9, 2018.

We used 10-minute, video clips to deliver easily digested “bites” of information designed to increase learner retention, engagement and performance. You can access the videos here. We would like to thank Chuck Rosenstein and Rob Orapello from Rosenstein Orapello, PLLC, in Albany, NY. and Jeffrey Fetter, from Scolaro, Fetter, Grizanti, & McGough, P.C. in Syracuse, NY for sharing their experiences in these two areas.

C. Bruce Lawrence
Chair, Senior Lawyer Section

Senior Lawyers Section: Exploring Lawyer Well-Being

Both Sides of Transferring a Practice Over Time (Video)
In the first vignette, you will hear from a mid-career sole practitioner who shares his plans for moving away from full-time law practice. You will also hear from the young attorney who is buying into this practice.

• Transition planning as a process
• Blending a partnership over time
• Setting firm value from assessment to purchase price
• Practice mix and growth potential
• Build a system that can run without you

Charles Rosenstein – Rosenstein Orapello, PLLC, Albany, NY
Robert Orapello – Rosenstein Orapello, PLLC, Albany, NY

Capturing Value from your Aging Law Practice (Video)
In this vignette we will hear from an experienced partner whose firm has brought in a number of sole practitioners over the years. He will share what worked well and what did not work. You should leave with a better understanding of what a law firm might be looking for when exploring a purchase of another practice.

• Practice continuation with other firms or turning out the lights
• Come to terms with aging and fear of getting older
• Finding candidates and opportunities
• Get started early in building a roadmap that outlines the process
• Ethical pitfalls – Valuation and lawyer competence related to succession/transition/exit strategies

Jeffrey Fetter, – Scolaro, Fetter, Grizanti, & McGough, Syracuse, NY.

Material and Web Links of Interest

Search for these program titles at www.nysba.org:

  • Nine Essential Planning Documents (November 15, 2016) recorded CLE program
  • Considering Next Steps: Proactive Career and Life Planning for Baby Boomers (2014) recorded webcast
  • Issues in Planning for Children with Autism Spectrum and Diagnosed with other disabilities (2015) recorded webcast
  • Retirement Planning for Clients and the Senior Lawyer (2015) recorded webcast
  • Out the Door Not Over the Hill (2008)
  • Closing or Selling a Law Practice (2005) recorded CLE program
  • Closing or Selling a Law Practice (2005) online CLE
  • The Ins and Outs of the New Power of Attorney Statute (October 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • The New Power-of-Attorney Form – What You Need to Know (August 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • Help Clients Find You: Simple Tools to Improve Your Web Presence (August 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • Twittering, Linking, Posting and Friending: Legal Implications of Social Networking (June 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • Practice Management and the New Rules of Professional Conduct (June 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • Practice Before the Veterans Administration (April/May 2009) recorded webinar CLE
  • Internet Marketing for Law Firms: How to Ramp Up Visibility and Build Clientele (May 2009) recorded webinar CLE

ENTERTAINMENT

FINANCIALS / INVESTMENTS

SAVING MONEY

HEALTH

  • www.epicurious.com– Ultimate food guide
  • nmfn.com– Northwestern Mutual’s Longevity game – estimate your lifespan
  • JOHNS HOPKINS HEALTH ALERTS!This free public service from Johns Hopkins Medicine helps keep you up to date on the latest breakthroughs for the most common medical conditions which prevent healthy aging
  • VIDEO: Kiplinger Interview- Senior healthcare scams– Medicare Advantage

JOBS FOR RETIRED ATTORNEYS

OFFICE RESOURCES

PLANNING AHEAD GUIDE

The New York State Bar Association Planning Ahead Guide is provided to all attorneys as a courtesy of the New York State Bar Association and outlines the steps a lawyer must take to protect his or her clients in the event of a sudden inability to continue in practice.

PROTECTING YOURSELF & YOUR ASSETS

PRO BONO PROJECTS

RESIDENCE OPTIONS

RETIREMENT INFO

SENIORS – MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS

SPECIAL REPORTS

TRAVEL

Contact Us

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Section Highlights February 27, 2020

Free Webinars

OCTOBER 2019 - JUNE 2020 FREE WEBINARS PRESENTED ON THE SECOND TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH 12:00 P.M. - 12:30 P.M.     WEBINAR SERIES ONLINE…

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