The fourth webinar in the Closing the Justice Gap for Older Adults training series will prepare legal aid attorneys to represent individuals who may be subject to guardianship or who are under guardianship. When representing a person with a guardian or someone who is allegedly in need of a guardian, an attorney may need to take extra steps to ensure their client has the right to counsel of their choice and to be a strong advocate on behalf of the client. This includes ensuring the client is present in the proceedings and treated with dignity and that the client’s due process rights are upheld. By using procedural and evidentiary tools—including alternatives to guardianship—advocates can increase clients’ independence and autonomy and restore their civil rights.
In this training, presenters will share:
• Considerations for representing clients with a range of decisional capabilities;
• Strategies for advocating for clients’ rights;
• Standards and burdens for modifying or terminating guardianship; and
• Building systems and partnerships to engage with clients in need of these services.
Presenters:
• Introduction: Legal Services Corporation and Hilary Dalin, Administration for Community Living
• Jim Berchtold, Justice in Aging
• Gabrielle Marshall, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid