What Is A Certified Elder Law Attorney?
A Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) is a nationally recognized specialist in the field of Elder Law. With professional expertise in the following practice areas, a CELA is your best choice for important issues facing disabled or older Americans, including:
- Health and long-term care planning
- Planning and applications for Medicaid (MassHealth) at-home or nursing home benefits
- Estate Planning including Wills and Trusts
- Advance Directives including Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies, HIPAA Authorizations and Living Wills
- Guardianship and Conservatorship
- Special needs counseling
- Probate and Trust administration
Attorney Patrick Curley is one of only 20 CELAs in Massachusetts (as of 2009). An attorney may achieve CELA status only by meeting rigorous qualifications for certification in elder law by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF). The qualifications are summarized below:
Substantial Involvement ‑ A CELA must have spent an average of at least 16 hours per week practicing elder law during the three years preceding their application. In addition, Certified Elder Law Attorneys must have handled at least 60 elder law matters during those three years with a specified distribution among specific legal areas defined by the Foundation.
Attorney Patrick Curley devotes his law practice exclusively to Elder Law and Estate Planning and has handled hundreds of Elder Law and Estate Planning matters.
Continuing Legal Education ‑ A CELA must have participated in at least 45 hours of continuing legal education in Elder Law during the preceding three years.
Attorney Patrick Curley participates in dozens of hours of continuing legal education in Elder Law every year. He is a frequent lecturer and training expert on various Elder Law subjects.
Peer Review/Professional References - A CELA must be favorably evaluated by five elder law attorney specialists.
Besides satisfying the peer review requirements, Attorney Patrick Curley has served as an active member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and has been nominated to serve as a Director beginning in January 2010.
Bar-style Examination ‑ A CELA must pass a full‑day certification examination.
Attorney Patrick Curley passed the CELA examination on his first attempt. Historically, only a distinguished minority of CELA candidates have passed the examination on their first attempt. In addition, Patrick passed the California Bar Exam on his first attempt in 1997. The California Bar Exam is widely considered among the most difficult Bar Exams in the country.
Licensure ‑ A CELA must be licensed to practice law in at least one state.
Attorney Patrick Curley is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and California.
Practice ‑ A CELA must have practiced law during the five years preceding their application and must still be practicing law.
Attorney Patrick Curley has practiced law for 13 years (since 1997).
Integrity/Good Standing ‑ CELA must be members in good standing of the state bars where they are licensed.
Attorney Patrick Curley is a member in good standing of the Massachusetts Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), WealthCounsel and Elder Counsel.
Note: The National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) is the only national organization accredited by the American Bar Association to certify attorneys in Elder Law. NELF is a private organization, whose standards for certification are not regulated by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
