Mass. Chapter of National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA) Hosts National Conference, Celebrates 25th Anniversary

The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA) served as the host of NAELA’s 2017 annual national conference, which took place April 27 – 29 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place in Boston, MA. The conference was a sold-out event for the first time in its history, with almost 400 attendees from NAELA chapters across the country. MassNAELA’s 25th anniversary of the founding of its chapter coincided with the conference, which included a special celebration to mark the occasion. MassNAELA member, Hyman Darling, an elder law attorney in Springfield, MA, was also inducted as President of NAELA, with his term to begin June 1.

Kicking off the two and a half day conference, a keynote presentation was given by Dennis Lally, co-founder of Rendever, a virtual reality platform provider offering seniors the ability to explore the world and enjoy life through virtual reality devices. Other highlights of the conference included Darling’s induction acceptance speech and current NAELA president, Catherine Seal, presenting an award to MassNAELA president, Laura Silver Traiger, to honor the chapter’s 25 years of accomplishments and advocacy on behalf of elders and people with special needs.

MassNAELA Past presidents, Judy Flynn of Hingham, MA and Margot Birke of Newburyport, MA, served as co-chairs of the conference, working with a planning committee from around the country for the past year to ensure top quality substantive sessions in elder law, estate planning, and special needs planning. Pre-conference programs included a Veterans’ Administration accreditation program and an Advanced Elder Law Review program.

Local vendors sponsored networking events for attendees as well as MassNAELA gift bags and a program outlining the chapter’s history to celebrate the 25th anniversary. An anniversary party was held with celebratory cake and refreshments. MassNAELA sponsors included Guardian Community Trust, Insight Financial Horizons, Peabody Wealth Advisors, Reverse Mortgage Funding, Milestones Realty, and The Centers for Special Needs Trust Administration, Inc.

About MassNAELA

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the premier organization of elder and special needs law attorneys in the country, is dedicated to developing awareness of issues concerning the elderly and those with special needs. Nearly 500 attorneys are members of the Massachusetts Chapter. Members work directly with the elderly and those with special needs in areas as diverse as planning for catastrophic care costs, disability planning, age discrimination in employment and housing, benefits planning, estate planning, veterans’ benefits and more. For more information about MassNAELA, visit www.massnaela.com.