As baby boomers reach retirement age, the United States is experiencing a “grey tsunami,” making elder law a growing practice area. Even if attorneys do not practice elder law, issues related to aging affect all legal practice areas and all families. This experiential learning course will focus on South Carolina and federal laws that affect the elderly. Students will gain practical experience from both the instructor and local experts. Students will learn how to draft estate planning documents and advance directives, probate an estate, and establish a guardianship and conservatorship. They also will hone their interviewing skills by conducting wellness checks on incapacitated adults under guardianship through the Charleston County Probate Court Visitor Program. The course also will cover elder abuse, funeral planning, housing, and funding long-term care, through private sources as well as government programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Designated Experiential Learning Course.