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Advising Estate Planning Attorney (2.5 CLE Ethics Credits)

Dec 2, 2016

Webinar: Estate Planning Attorney – Malpractice & Ethics Florida Bar approved webinar for Estate Planning Attorney’s by West Palm Beach Probate Attorney John Pankauski regarding malpractice and ethics. *This webinar, is worth 2.5 CLE Ethics Credits until June 2017. Course Description – a one hour ethics CLE for attorneys who prepare estate plans, wills and trusts. Outline: Introduction Why do we care? $56 Trillion wealth shift Increased litigation What is Malpractice? Defined/ elements of cause of action Privity requirement Exception to privity requirement Estate planning malpractice Fact Pattern: requested change to estate plan not completed by attorney; client passes away Who can sue? Castleberry case and spendthrift trusts Limitations of DCA opinions Statute of limitations When does cause of action accrue? Can’t I draft around it/limit my liability? (no) Ethics Ethical Rules How doe Ethical Rules impact practice? Legal services contracts Charging liens Conclusion John J. Pankauski is a partner with Pankauski Hauser PLLC in West Palm Beach, Florida.  Mr. Pankauski has spent over 20 years of his career handling matters involving wills, trusts, estates, probates, and guardianships.  His practice is limited to disputes, trials and appeals of such matters.  He is AV Preeminent rated by Martindale Hubel.

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Pankauski Hauser Offers FREE Webinar for CLE Credits: Advising the Estate Planning & Probate Attorney

Uncategorized Nov 29, 2016
post about Pankauski Hauser Offers FREE Webinar for CLE Credits: Advising the Estate Planning & Probate Attorney

John Pankauski, managing partner at Pankauski Hauser PLLC, will be hosting a FREE webinar on December 1, 2016 at 12 p.m. Advising the Estate Planning & Probate Attorney, is a two + hour ethics CLE course. It is designed for Florida attorneys who prepare estate plans, draft wills and trusts, and administer estates.  Florida estate planning attorneys are eligible for 2.5 ethics credits/2.5 general credits/2.5 wills, trusts, and estates credits.

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Former Army Ranger Wrongly Forced into Guardianship

Uncategorized Nov 28, 2016
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Do you have a Florida estate plan?  Did you know that meeting with an estate planning attorney can help you to avoid a Palm Beach guardianship that you do not desire ? Communities Digital News(CDN) recently reported about a former army ranger who says his parents forced him into an unnecessary guardianship. He says he was not mentally incompetent and was able to care for himself. Could you imagine not being allowed to make decisions for yourself?

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Florida Guardianship Law Section 744.331

Uncategorized Nov 28, 2016
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What is a guardianship? When is a guardianship necessary? Can a Palm Beach guardianship help to protect my mother who has dementia? Guardianships are not the only means of helping an incapacitated person in the State of Florida.  In fact, Florida Guardianship Law actually requires the use of the least restrictive alternative to protect persons incapable of caring for themselves and managing their financial affairs whenever possible. What does this mean? What is an acceptable less restrictive alternative to a guardianship?

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Why 744.331 Verified Statements Give Florida Guardianship Lawyers Heartburn

Uncategorized Nov 21, 2016
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Back in September of 2013, Florida’s 2nd District Court of Appeal issued its opinion in the Searle v. Bent case, 137 So. 3d 1028 (Fla. 2nd DCA, 2013). This involved a guardianship of an adult, actually someone’s mother, not a minor child.   Many people think of a guardianship as being a legal proceeding for a minor, but that is certainly not always the case.  In Florida, guardianships for adults are very common.  And, for good or for ill, so is guardianship litigation.

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Palm Beach Clerk’s Office Earns International Recognition For Guardianship Fraud Program

Uncategorized Nov 9, 2016
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In 2009, Palm Beach Clerk Sharon Bock implemented a guardianship fraud program and hotline. This program was created “to allow anonymous tips on waste and financial fraud in court-appointed guardianships over the elderly, minor children and other wards.” Palm Beach Country Clerk & Comptroller’s Office has had major success with the program. This September, the program was recognized at the 4th World Congress on Adult Guardianship, an international recognition.

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The Right to Vote, Susan B. Anthony, and the 2016 Presidential Election

Uncategorized Nov 9, 2016
post about The Right to Vote, Susan B. Anthony, and the 2016 Presidential Election

As an American, the right to vote is an extremely important one. It is a right that both male and female Americans possess thanks to woman rights advocates like Susan B. Anthony. However, it is important to realize that some Americans die without the right to vote. In fact, the Washington Post, on November 8, 2016, published an article about Susan B. Anthony and how she died without the legal right to vote. Could you imagine if women still did not have the right to vote? Well, if you become incapacitated and subject to a Florida guardianship, your right to vote could be taken away from you.

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Florida Supreme Court Establishes Guardianship Workgroup

Uncategorized Nov 4, 2016
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On October 24,2016 Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga released information about a Supreme Court Workgroup. This Workgroup will focus on guardianship issues in Florida’s courts. People are living longer and longer. Therefore, guardianship litigation in Florida is booming! As guardianships ” are increasing in number and complexity” a workgroup to study guardianships seems necessary.

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Pankauski’s Trustees Guide Featured in USA Today

Uncategorized Oct 19, 2016

West Palm Beach probate litigation attorney, John Pankauski,  is the author of Pankauski’s Trustee’s Guide: 10 Steps to Family Trustee Excellence. This book provides insight for those individuals who may serve as trustee of a family trust in Florida. This book on trusts and trustees was featured in USA Today and USA Today online.

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Florida Guardianship FAQS

Uncategorized Sep 7, 2016
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What is a guardianship? What do I need to know about Florida guardianship law? How long do guardianships in Florida last? How do probate judges decide if someone needs a guardianship? What is a “Ward”? What are the duties of a guardian in Palm Beach County?

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