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Agenda
Wednesday January 25, 2012
3:00 - 5:00
Panel Discussion: Changing Maine: Serving the Legal Needs of Maine's Growing Aging & Immigrant Populations
Panel: The Honorable A. Ellen Gorman (moderator); Dr. Georgia J. Anetzberger, ACSW, LISW; Donald Kerwin, Esq.; Jaye L. Martin, Esq.; Susan A. Roche, Esq.
5:00-7:00
Symposium Reception
Thursday January 26, 2012:
8:30-9:30:
Plenary: Race, Gender & Poverty: Barriers to Justice
The Honorable Fern A. Fisher
Maine is changing. It is now the oldest state in the
nation with an ever-growing number of foreign-born
residents. Judge Fisher will share her expertise in
how justice can effectively be delivered to a diverse
community.
9:45-11:15:
Cultures Across Time & Space: Dealing with New Waves of Immigrants & the Tsunami of Older Adults in Maine
Panel: The Honorable Peter A. Darvin (moderator);
Suzanne Fox; Dr. Marilyn Gugliucci
This session will provide practical information and
insights for working with various cultures including
the culture of aging. Panelists will provide guidance
for working effectively with aging clients, and tips for
avoiding cultural barriers in order to work effectively
with newcomers to Maine who are seeking legal
assistance.
11:30-1:00
VLP Awards Buffet Lunch
1:15-2:45 Concurrent Sessions:
The Potential Pitfalls of Long Term Care Planning
Panel: Victoria Powers, Esq. (moderator); Dr. Georgia
J. Anetzberger, ACSW, LISW; Denis Culley, Esq.; Aria
Eee, Esq.; Kate Geoffrey, Esq.
This session will explore the issues around advising
a family concerning asset preservation in the context
of long term care planning. Topics will include: an
exploration of the motivations of families when it comes
to asset preservation; how to distinguish between the
goals of the elder and the goals of others; how to best
provide information regarding asset preservation so
that a family can make informed decisions; and when a
plan falls apart, what lawyers can do.
Representing Immigrant Clients: How Abuse & Exploitation Affect Access to Justice
Panel: Susan A. Roche, Esq. (moderator); Jennifer A. Archer, Esq.; Michael Guare, Esq.; The Honorable Valerie Stanfill
Learn how a client's immigration status, language
and culture can affect her ability to participate in
the legal system when she is a victim of domestic
violence, crime, trafficking, or employment-related
abuse. The panelists will provide an overview of
immigration basics, including immigration statuses
and procedures, and they will offer tips on important
questions to ask your client, necessary documents to
review, and situations that trigger the need to consult
with an immigration expert. The presenters will discuss
strategies to overcome your clients' challenges, as well
as resources and relief that may be available to them
under the immigration and employment laws. The
session will also cover working with interpreters, both in
attorney-client interactions and through the use of the
mandated court interpreters.
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3:15-4:45 Concurrent Sessions:
The Six Pillars of Capacity: Alternative to Guardianship
Panel: Vanessa Pelzer Bell, MPPM (moderator); The
Honorable Thomas A. Berry; The Honorable Susan W.
Longley; The Honorable Joseph R. Mazziotti
Learn ways to enhance the capacity of older adults
through less restrictive alternatives to guardianship.
Maine's population is aging rapidly and it is projected
that Maine's probate courts will see an increase in
guardianship proceedings. This will place a strain
on a system that requires that the least restrictive
alternatives are explored in each and every case.
This session presents an overview of a new approach
to making judicial determinations of capacity in
guardianship proceedings, called the Six Pillars
of Capacity. This approach was developed by the
ABA Commission on Law and Aging, the American
Psychological Association and the National College
of Probate Judges, and it is already in use in several
Maine probate courts. After the overview of the
Six Pillars, three Probate Judges will discuss their
experiences in using this new approach in Maine.
Truth or Consequences: The Impact of Criminal & Family Law Proceedings on Immigration Status
Panel: Iris Gomez, Esq. (moderator); Cynthia C. Arn, Esq.; Sarah A. Churchill, Esq.; The Honorable Peter A. Darvin; Barbara H. Taylor, Esq.
Receive important information about the potential
impact of criminal and family law cases on the
immigration status of litigants who are not U.S. citizens
and learn strategies to ensure that immigrants have
equal access to court proceedings. Specifically,
presenters will outline how court dispositions in
particular categories of crimes can threaten the
status and residency rights of immigrants and
the corresponding obligations of criminal defense
attorneys to counsel clients about these potential
consequences in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's
opinion in Padilla v. Kentucky (2010). Attendees will
also learn about the interaction of family law, including
domestic violence issues, and immigration law. The panel—which includes experienced immigration law
attorneys, a member of the judiciary, and criminal and
family law practitioners—will outline best practices forattorneys and judges to avoid negative immigration law consequences from other legal proceedings.
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Thank you to our Symposium Series Sponsors:.jpg) 
Legal Aid providers:
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