2025 VAELA UnProgram

Wednesday, February 19 - Friday, February 21

The Virginian Hotel

712 Church Street

Lynchburg, Virginia

Please note the Cancellation Policy.

REGISTRATION CLOSES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2025.

Agenda as of 11.22.24

Wednesday, February 19 (VAELA Members Only)

Beginner Seminar

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Guardianships & Conservatorships for Beginners – Sarah Aviles, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm Break

3:15 pm – 4:15 pm: The Ins and Outs of Serving as a Guardian ad Litem for Incapacitated Adults – Hannah Littlefield, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

Advanced Seminar

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm: What Does the Law say about Virginia Long Term Care Facilities & How Could Your Clients be Impacted? (Negligence, Wrongful Death, etc.) – Lauren Ellerman, Esq. (Approved for 1.5 MCLE and 1.5 GAL credits)

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Welcome Reception Sponsored by Cumberland Trust

Thursday, February 20

7:45 am – 8:50 am Breakfast; Visit Sponsors & Exhibitors

9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome & Introduction by Speaker Sponsors Minnesota Lawyers Mutual Insurance and The Million Dollar Solution

9:15 am – 10:30 am “Top Ten Tax Tips for Elders” – Hyman G. Darling, CELA, CAP, FELLOW (Approved for 1.5 MCLE credits and1.0 GAL credit)

10:30 am – 10:45 am Break; Visit Sponsors & Exhibitors

10:45 am – 12:00 pm “Pre and Postmortem Tax Planning” - Hyman G. Darling, CELA, CAP, FELLOW (Approved for 1.5 MCLE and 1.5 GAL credits)

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch Sponsored by ElderTree Care Management and West Financial Services

1:00 pm – 1:15 pm Visit Sponsors & Exhibitors

1:15 pm – 2:45 pm Adult Services in Virginia - Moderator: Beth Norton, Esq.; Panelists Carey Raleigh, Commonwealth of Virginia Adult Services/APS Program Manager; Wendy Swallow, VA Beach DSS Adult Services Administrator; Teebe Negasi, LCSW, Fairfax DSS Adult & Aging Assistant Division Director; Rosemarie Adame, Spotsylvania DSS; Angela Hackney & Karim Rosario, Albemarle DSS; and Jennifer Oakes, Roanoke City DSS Family Services Supervisor (Approved for 1.5 MCLE and 1.5 GAL credits)

2:45 pm – 3:00 pm Presentation by Cocktail Reception Sponsor Atlantic Coast Mortgage

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm UnProgram Breakout Discussions (Breakouts will be moderated by VAELA members. Moderators will not present on the topic, rather they will help facilitate discussion among the group. Breakouts do not qualify for CLE credit.)

  • Guardianship/Conservatorship & Special Needs Planning

  • Practice Management

  • LGBTQ Estate Planning

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Cocktail Reception Sponsored by Atlantic Coast Mortgage

Friday, February 21

7:30 am – 8:50 am Breakfast; Visit Sponsors & Exhibitors

9:00 am – 10:00 am Breakout Session I

• VA Benefits: Tips for Avoiding Delay, Deny, Death – Jeremy Pryor, Esq. & Patricia Servaes, VA Accredited Agent (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• HOW TO NOT GET HACKED: A cyber-attack remediation guru and an insurance expert’s perspective on how to protect your organization’s productivity – Joy Griffin, Esq. & Bryant Harrison (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• Advance Directives That Work: An ER Doctor’s Guide for Attorneys - Brittany Lamb, MD (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• ‘Til Death Do We Part (Again): Addressing post-divorce estate planning issues in Pre- and Post-Marital Agreements, Property Settlement Agreements, and Divorce Decrees - Thomas Repczynski, Esq.(Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• A Discussion on Perennial Medicaid Problems (no CLE credit) – Edward Zetlin, Esq.

10:00 am – 10:20 am Break; Visit Sponsors & Exhibitors

10:20 am – 11:20 am Breakout Session II

• Beginner Topic: Understanding the Paths and Pitfalls of Including Minors in an Estate Plan – Beth Driver, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• HOW TO NOT GET HACKED: A cyber-attack remediation guru and an insurance expert’s perspective on how to protect your organization’s productivity– Joy Griffin, Esq. & Bryant Harrison (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• Trust Taxation for the Elder Law Attorney - Nathan Olansen, J.D., LL.M., CPA, AEP® (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• Strategic Oversight: Navigating Disbursement Challenges in Special Needs Trust Administration – Benjamin Tiefenback, Esq., LL.M. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• VA Benefits: Tips for Avoiding Delay, Deny, Death – Natalie Page, Esq. & Patricia Servaes, VA Accredited Agent (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

11:30 am – 12:30 pm Breakout Session III

• Beginner Topic: Powers of Attorney in Virginia: The Basics – Jeremy Pryor, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Advance Directives That Work: An ER Doctor’s Guide for Attorneys - Brittany Lamb, MD (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Will Contests and Undue Influence – Beth Norton, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Trust Taxation for the Elder Law Attorney - Nathan Olansen, J.D., LL.M., CPA, AEP® (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• ‘Til Death Do We Part (Again): Addressing post-divorce estate planning issues in Pre- and Post-Marital Agreements, Property Settlement Agreements, and Divorce Decrees - Thomas Repczynski, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

12:30 pm – 1:30 pm – Lunch Sponsored by Members Trust Company and ASHBER

1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Visit Sponsors and Exhibitors

1:45 pm – 2:45 pm Breakout Session IV

• Beginner Topic: Introduction To Medicaid Crisis Planning – Is Qualification Enough? If We Protect Assets, How Do We Do It? – Ari Sommer, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Trust Administration: The Basics in Ten Steps – Robert Haley, Esq., CELA, CAP (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• Strategic Oversight: Navigating Disbursement Challenges in Special Needs Trust Administration – Benjamin Tiefenback, Esq., LL.M. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Embracing the Journey of Life and Death (no CLE credit) – Cricket Haley, INELDA Trained End of Life Doula; Certified Elder Care Coordinator

• A Discussion on Perennial Medicaid Problems (no CLE credit) - Edward Zetlin, Esq.

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Breakout Session V

• Recent Changes in Guardianship Law – Sarah Aviles, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Trust Administration: The Basics in Ten Steps – Robert Haley, Esq., CELA, CAP (Approved for 1.0 MCLE credit)

• Will Contests and Undue Influence – Beth Norton, Esq. (Approved for 1.0 MCLE and 1.0 GAL credit)

• Embracing the Journey of Life and Death (no CLE credit) – Cricket Haley, INELDA Trained End of Life Doula; Certified Elder Care Coordinator

Continuing Education Credit: The 2025 UnProgram has been approved for 12.50 MCLE credits and up to 6.0 GAL (adults) continuing education credits.

Lodging: There are a limited number of rooms available at The Virginian Hotel at the group rate of $159/night plus parking/taxes/fees for Wednesday, February 19, and Thursday, February 20.  If you wish to stay Friday, February 21, you will need to contact The Virginian for availability/pricing.  Click here for online reservations, or you may call The Virginian Hotel Front Desk team at (434) 329-3200 x 0 and use Group Code ‘VAELA’ to access the group rate.  The group block rate is available until January 19 or until the block is full. Please note The Virginian’s cancellation policy when making reservations.

Alternative Lodging Options: Craddock Terry Hotel and Lynchburg Grand Hotel

Register for the 2025 VAELA UnProgram

Please fill out the registration form below. You will be redirected to the payment page after submission of your form. Your registration is NOT complete until payment is received.

Breakout Room Selection: To ensure we assign topics to the appropriate room sizes and accommodate all attendees comfortably, we kindly ask that you select your preferred breakout sessions as part of your conference registration process. If you change your mind during the UnProgram, you are welcome to attend a different breakout session—provided space is available. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us create an enjoyable experience for all attendees.