Rose Mary Bailly has seen a lot of seniors who don’t know where to turn when they need legal advice. They worry that if they call an attorney, they’ll have to pay or they’ll be obligated to use that lawyer’s services.
Those fears can be put to rest at Albany Law School’s annual Senior Citizens’ Law Day, where, among other things, older adults can take part in a pro bono law clinic. Representatives from the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association and the Albany Law School Clinic and Justice Center will provide one-on-one counseling sessions. Seniors can bring any concerns and questions they have and get feedback free of charge.
Bailly said the sessions are one of the most popular aspects of the event, now in its 18th year.
“(Seniors) get a 30-minute appointment to talk to an attorney, and many of them are so prepared, they don’t need all of the time,” she said.
This year’s Law Day is Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It kicks off with The Nancy M. Sills ‘76 Memorial Lecture at 9 a.m. Elizabeth Loewy, a 1984 Albany Law graduate and head of the Elder Abuse Unit for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, will give the talk, focusing on elder abuse law and domestic violence law. Recently honored as Albany Law’s Spring 2011 Alumna in Residence, Loewy oversees assistant district attorneys who prosecute more than 500 elder abuse cases each year. Bailly noted that Loewy prosecuted the Brooke Astor case, in which the New York socialite’s son was found guilty of looting his mother’s $185 million fortune.
“She will give examples of how you have to be on the alert,” Bailly said. “(Fraud) can happen with family, friends and strangers.”
When Loewy’s talk wraps up, the audience is free to check out one of the dozens of workshops being held throughout the day. Bailly, a long-time faculty member at Albany Law, rattled off some of the topics that will be covered: veterans and long-term care, an everyday guide to philanthropy (“It’s not just for very high-end, wealthy individuals,” she said), voter registration, finding a balance in your budget and how to challenge insurance denials for medical issues.
In all, there will be 30 seminars, staffed by a mix of lawyers and other experts. Law school students don’t take part in the seminar, but they will be on hand for the free legal clinic, at which local attorneys donate their time.
“It helps students appreciate the practical reality of what they’re learning in class,” Bailly said. “We get a lot of students who want to volunteer.”
Six attorneys will man the clinic each hour. Bailly said concerns seniors have brought to the clinic in the past include how much it would cost to draft a will, questions about Medicare and Medicaid and how to deal with distributing their assets when they are on a second marriage and have children from the first marriage.
“It’s an opportunity to come in and assess the landscape of what their problem entails,” Bailly said.
Sometimes, the attorneys can point seniors to non-legal remedies, she said. Other times, they will advise seniors to hire an attorney. That’s because, Bailly stressed, the clinic is just a consultation.
When the Law Day was launched, the school wanted to provide seniors with “solid legal advice with no pressure,” Bailly said. Based on the feedback Albany Law has gotten over the years, that goal has been met.
“We have received nothing but praise,” Bailly said.
The event, organized by the Government Law Center at Albany Law School, is free and open to the public. Advance registration is not required. For more information, contact 518-445-3368.
