What You Need To Know As A Guardian Ad Litem – 2023

9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.

Welcome and Introduction

9:05 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

1. Part 36 of the Rules of the Chief Judge

• Review of Part 36 as it applies to Guardian Ad Litem
• Part 36 Procedural/Paperwork Requirements
• Disqualification, Part 36.2 (c)
• Compensation Limits

Speaker: Meredith R. Jones, Esq., Office of Court Administration, New York, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Areas of Professional Practice

9:30 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.

2. Basis and Need for Appointment and Role of GAL 

• Public Policy to protect interests of persons under disability (due process and equal protection issues)
• SCPA 402; 403; 404; 406
• Duty of Loyalty to Ward
• Wards for whom GAL must be appointed (SCPA 103 [40])

Appointment Procedures 

• Eligibility and Qualification (SCPA 402; 403)
• Investigation and Report (SCPA 404)
• Compensation (SCPA 405)

Speaker: Michael P. Ryan, Esq., Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP, Uniondale, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Areas of Professional Practice

9:55 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.

3. Probate Proceedings (EPTL Article 3; SCPA Articles 14) 

• Basic original probate procedure
• Letters of Administration CTA
• Preliminary Letters Testamentary
• Ancillary Probate
• Revocation of Wills
• Lost will proceedings
• General inquiries by GAL
• GAL and uncontested proceedings
• GAL and contested proceedings

Speaker: Lori A. Sullivan, Esq., Meltzer, Lippe, Goldstein & Breitstone LLP, Mineola, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Skills

10:20 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

4. Administration Proceedings (SCPA Article 10) 

• Basic original administration procedure
• Administration de bonis non
• Ancillary administration
• Temporary Administration
• Kinship Proceedings
• Public Administrator (SCPA Article 12)
• General inquiries by GAL
• GAL and administration proceeding

Speaker: Cheryl L. Katz-Erato, Esq., Cona Elder Law, PLLC, Melville, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Skills

10:45 am – 10:55 a.m.

Break

10:55 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.

5. Accounting Proceedings (SCPA Article 22)

• Generally – formal, informal, and judicially approved informal accounting
• GAL and examination of account
• GAL and contested accountings

Speaker: Cheryl L. Katz-Erato, Esq., Cona Elder Law, PLLC, Melville, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Skills

11:20 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

6. Wrongful Death Compromise

• Determine reasonableness of recovery (if settled w/o court participation), allocation of proceeds, availability of structured settlement funds during an infant’s minority, reasonableness of compensation of attorneys

Miscellaneous Proceedings 

• Construction
• Reformation
• Discovery
• Application to sell or mortgage real property
• Advice and direction
• Right of election
• Renounce bequest or distributive share (where ward requested to renounce or affected by another’s renunciation)

Speaker: Michael P. Ryan, Esq., Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP, Uniondale, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Areas of Professional Practice

11:45 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

7. Guardianships/Supplemental Needs Trusts Overview of SCPA Articles 17 and 17-A

• Role of GAL in SCPA 17 and 17-A
• Distinguish GAL from guardian
• Use of Supplemental Needs Trust and benefits/detriments to ward’s interest

Guardians ad Litem in Supreme Court and other courts 

• CPLR 1201
• CPLR 1204

Speaker: Lois Bladykas, Esq., Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C., Uniondale, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Areas of Professional Practice

12:10 p.m. – 12:35 p.m.

8. Ethical Considerations 

• Obligations to court due to appointment
• Conflicts of interest
• Continued representation of ward after disability ceases
• Representation of possible distributees discovered during representation of unknown distributees in kinship proceeding
• Delegation of responsibilities
• Use of attorneys and paralegals in GAL’s law firm Use of other professionals with leave of court
• Putnam, Weinstock issues
• New York Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.14, client with diminished capacity

Speaker: Robert M. Harper, Esq., Farrell Fritz, P.C., Uniondale, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Ethics

12:35 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

9. Guardian Education Requirements of MHL 81.39

• Legal duties and responsibilities of the guardian
• Rights of the incapacitated person
• Available resources to aid the incapacitated person
• Orientation to medical terminology

Court Evaluator Education Requirements of MHL 81.40

• Legal duties and responsibilities of the court evaluator
• Rights of the incapacitated person
• Available resources to aid the incapacitated person

Speaker: Lois Bladykas, Esq., Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C., Uniondale, NY

0.5 MCLE Credit – Areas of Professional Practice

1:00 p.m.

Adjournment