Answers to Collaborative Professionals’ Frequently Asked Estate Planning Questions

Program Registration:
Members: Free 
Non-Members: $49.00

In this session, Hollis Laidlaw & Simon P.C. estate planning & elder law attorneys Moira Laidlaw and Jaime Lewis will present an overview of some of the basic tools of estate planning as well as the roles and authority that come with being the executor of a will or the trustee of a trust. Additionally, we will cover the special spousal status, including the elective share, waiving that share and protections during the divorce/separation process. This session will also touch on the special issues that come into play where minor children are involved including guardianship, oversight of child’s inheritance, beneficiary designations and special needs planning.

Jaime Lewis began her legal career practicing corporate tax law at the Wall St. firm of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft and securities law at Norton Rose Fulbright in London. In 2017, she established her own law firm on Long Island. A University of Maryland School of Law graduate, she also holds a Master of Laws in taxation from the NYU School of Law. Ms. Lewis is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Trusts & Estates and Elder Law Sections and the Nassau County Bar Association, Surrogates Court, Estates & Trusts Committee. Based in the Firm’s new Long Island office, Ms. Lewis provides estate planning counsel to individuals and succession planning for businesses. She also advises clients in elder law and special needs planning. Ms. Lewis will be an integral part of the Firm’s long-term strategic plan to expand its presence in the New York Metropolitan Area. 

Moira Laidlaw’s practice encompasses a broad range of trust and estate planning services, including wills, trusts, guardianship, probate, and estate administration. Her depth of experience also includes elder law, special needs planning, Medicaid, long-term care asset protection, small business planning, and high net worth estate tax planning. Additionally, she handles fiduciary litigation concerning trusts, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and related accountings.  Ms. Laidlaw is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), one of approximately 400 attorneys in the U.S. who hold this designation, as accredited by the National Elder Law Foundation and the American Bar Association. As an executive committee member of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section, Ms. Laidlaw is one of an elite group of attorneys who help advocate and set policy on matters that impact the elderly and special needs community. She frequently lectures and educates on topics such as Medicaid as it relates to long-term care financing; special needs planning; and probate, estates, and gift tax issues.  Ms. Laidlaw takes great pride in her client relationships and is known for her compassion, principled approach, and ability to guide her clients through complex matters in a comprehensible way. Her clients include individuals and families, as well as trust companies, throughout Westchester, New York City, and surrounding counties.