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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 Ernesto Guerrero
[email protected]
(518) 487-5535

Please do not contact the Section liaison with a request for legal advice or an attorney referral. You can instead visit our ‘Public Resources’ or ‘Lawyer Referral Service’ page for this type of request.

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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.

Online Community

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Section Publications

The Voice of Experience: Summer 2020

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The Voice of Experience Archive

The Voice of Experience

The Voice of Experience features substantive articles for lawyers who are age 50 or older and is published to help with career continuity and career changes. Formerly titled The Senior Lawyer, 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. The Voice of Experience is published by the 50+ Section and distributed to Section members free of charge.

The Voice of Experience is published as a benefit for members of the 50+Section and is copyrighted by the New York State Bar Association.

The Voice of Experience 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.

Submit an article for future publication

Author Guidelines

NYSBA has created comprehensive author guidelines, with information regarding our reprint policy, style guidelines, and obtaining MCLE Author Credits.

View the author guidelines

50+ Section Committee

Awards

2022 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award

View nomination form

2021 Jonathan Lippman Pro Bono Award Winner:

Scott Fein, Esq.

New York State Bar Association 50+ Section 2021


Scott Fein, Esq.
Partner, Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP
Albany, NY

Scott Fein is a partner at Whiteman Osterman & Hanna where he has been an attorney since 1983. Since joining the Firm, Mr. Fein has devoted his time to regulatory compliance and the defense of civil, criminal corporate enforcement matters and, public service.

Mr. Fein  has served as Vice-Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on the Implementation of the Public Authorities Reform Act, a Member of the Court of Appeals Permanent Commission on Sentencing, Chair of the Board of Advisors of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School, Senior Advisor and Fellow of the State University of New York’s Rockefeller Institute of Government’s Center for Law and Policy Solutions (SUNY’s Public Policy Think Tank), Counsel to the New York State Archives Partnership Trust and Chair of the NYS Bar Association Annual Ethics and Civility Program (Albany).

He has been the principal editor and co-author of books including:

  • Making a Modern Constitution: The prospects for Constitutional Reform in New York (2016)
  • Is America Fulfilling Its Promise: Legal Protections for Immigrants (2019)
  • Demographics Need Not Be Destiny: The Importance of Refugees to Communities to Upstate New York (to be published in March, 2021)

And, edited and co-authored volumes of the Government Law and Policy Journal, a joint publication of the NYSBA and Government Law Center at Albany Law School, including:

  • New York State: A Laboratory for Innovative Social Policy
  • New York State Public Authority Reforms
  • The Protections in the New York State Constitution Beyond the Federal Bill of Rights
  • One Hundred and Six Ideas for State Constitutional Change
  • Rural Justice in New York State: Changes and Recommendations

Mr. Fein has received the New York State Bar Association’s (NYSBA) President’s 2006 Pro Bono Service Award, the National Law Journal’s 2006 Award for Pro Bono Service and the New York Law Journal’s Award for the most significant civil rights case of 2005 featured in the Jonathan Demme and Shawn Gallagher’s documentary Boys of the Blacklist.

Mr. Fein received his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University School of Law and Master of Law degree from New York University School of Law. Before joining Whiteman Osterman & Hanna, he served as Assistant Counsel to New York Governors Carey and Cuomo, and prior to that as a criminal prosecutor.

Honorees

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

PODCASTS

Now Featuring

Staying Connected: Meaning and Purpose For The Senior Lawyer

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

Retirement Life Planning After Covid-19: Where are You and Your Practice Heading (Part II)

Retirement Life Planning
Recorded on March 9, 2021

View Recording

Retirement Life Planning After Covid-19: Where are You and Your Practice Heading (Part I)

Retirement Life Planning
Recorded on February 9, 2021

View Recording

Untangling Fear in Lawyering

UntanglingFearinLawyering_Social_675X250
Recorded on January 12, 2021

View Recording

Contact Us

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