Ms. Ruthann P. Lacey Related Seminars and Products

Trace Brooks Law LLC

Ruthann Lacey has been in private practice as an attorney for 30 years.  From the inception of her practice she has concentrated in Elder Law and Special Needs Law – a practice that is dedicated to the unique and complex planning needs of seniors, their adult children, their grandchildren, and individuals of all ages with special needs. 

Ruthann is an alumna of Trinity College where she earned a BA in piano performance, and Emory University School of Law, and is licensed to practice law in the State of Georgia and Washington, D.C.  She is a member of the Special Needs Alliance, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP), and is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA). 

Ruthann belongs to the DeKalb Estate Planning Council and is actively involved with several volunteer and charitable organizations including Special Olympics Georgia and ALTA Wheelchair Tennis Leagues.  She serves on the Missions Committee at Westminster Presbyterian Church, is a past Director of the National Elder Law Foundation, a past Manager of the Special Needs Alliance, and for 17 years served as a Trustee on the Board of The Georgia Community Trust.

Ruthann is an active speaker on the local, state and national levels, to both professional and public groups and organizations, and is an editor and published author.  Engagements include serving as Program Chair for the twentieth annual Institute of Continuing Legal Education in Georgia Special Needs Trust program; presenting at the Missouri NAELA Annual Elder Law Symposium; presenting at the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Annual Convention; presenting at the Utah Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Medicaid Planning program; and presenting at Stetson University Special Needs Trusts - The National Conference.  She also has been an Instructor of Estates, Trusts and Wills and Legal Research at the National Center for Paralegal Training, and is an editor and published writer.

Among other accomplishments, Ruthann has been published in the Georgia Bar Journal and Family Law Quarterly (a publication of the American Bar Association), has appeared as a guest on the Clark Howard Show, the Layman’s Lawyer, Money Matters, Inside Money, and Atlanta Issues, and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The Atlanta Journal - Constitution and the American Bar Association Journal.

Ms. Bryn Poland Related Seminars and Products

Mayo & Poland

Bryn is partner at the firm Mayo & Poland.
Licensed to practice law in the state of Texas, Bryn is a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Houston Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Texas chapter of NAELA, and the Special Needs Alliance.  She is a member and past president of the Elder Law Committee of the Houston Bar Association, past president of the Texas chapter of NAELA, and she is currently serving on the executive committee for the Special Needs Alliance.

Born and raised a Kansas girl, Bryn earned her undergraduate degree from Kansas State University.  Bryn earned her law degree from Washburn University School of Law, in Topeka, Kansas where she was a staff member and two time published writer of the Washburn Law Journal. She was inspired to become an elder law attorney when she watched her family struggle with care options for her great grandmother, Lulu Sleeper, who lived to the age of 109. 

Bryn moved to Texas and joined the firm of Pi-Yi Mayo in 2007, partnering with Pi-Yi in 2018 to form Mayo & Poland, PLLC.  Today, she focuses her practice on special needs trust planning and administration, Medicaid planning, and qualified settlement funds.  She is a frequent speaker on these topics at continuing education conferences for attorneys and trust officers. She’s a co-author with Rebecca Morgan and Robert Fleming of the American Bar Association book “Third-Party and Self-Created Trusts: A Modern Look,” published in 2023.

In addition to practicing law, Bryn has served on the Houston Midtown Management District Board of Directors and is an active member of the Houston Area Kansas State University Alumni Club.  When Bryn isn’t helping clients, she can be found drinking wine at her wine bar, Salt+Vine Wine Co., in Mont Belvieu, Texas, or taking family adventures with her husband, twin daughters and son

Mrs. Sarah Randal Watchko Related Seminars and Products

BIP Wealth

Sarah R. Watchko, Esq., is an Estate Planning Advisor with BIP Wealth. Sarah developed a passion for working with aging and special needs clients at Wake Forest University School of Law’s Elder Law Clinic during the summer of 2007. This led her to the discovery of a career in estate planning, special needs planning, and elder law that could provide both intellectually demanding work and the opportunity to serve and improve the lives of others. Sarah finds immense joy in providing not only a high level of service, but a calm and comforting demeanor to those navigating life’s challenges.

An Atlanta native, Sarah lives in Roswell with her husband, Jeff, son Will, daughter Emma Claire, and their loving mutt, Hank. She and her brother, William, attended Marist School in Atlanta, and her husband attended Roswell High School. Both her brother and husband were collegiate athletes at Georgia Tech who went on to play professionally (the former football and the latter, baseball). Both families remain avid Georgia Tech fans.

Sarah loves reading, spending time with friends and family, staying active, traveling, and—in her rare free time—squeezing in a craft or baking project.

Rachel Baer Related Seminars and Products

Commonwealth Community Trust

Rachel Baer, Esq. is Counsel and Director of New Client Services at Commonwealth Community Trust, a non-profit pooled trust administrator serving beneficiaries across the United States who are injured, vulnerable, or have special needs.   

 Prior to joining CCT, Ms. Baer was a partner at Family First Law Group, PLLC, in Alexandria, Virginia, and her practice focused on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and guardianship and conservatorship.  Before entering private practice in 2012, Ms. Baer served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Virginia Attorney General’s Health Services Section for two years, helping to advise several state agencies that provide services to persons with disabilities.  

Karen Konvicka Related Seminars and Products

True Link Financial

Prior to returning to private practice at Thompson McMullan in Richmond, Virginia, Ms. Konvicka was the Director of Strategic Planning and Services for True Link Financial Advisors, LLC. She has served as General Counsel and Director of Client Services at a national pooled trust and has more than two decades of experience administering special needs trusts and planning for public benefits and financial security for individuals with special needs and their families. Ms. Konvicka has been a speaker for the Virginia Continuing Legal Education Foundation, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, several state chapters of NAELA, The Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, National Academy of Special Needs Planners, National Association of Estate Planning Attorneys, National Business Institute, University of Texas School of Law, Stetson University College of Law, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She is an active member of the Virginia State Bar, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and continues to speak and provide educational presentations and articles to various organizations.

Mr. Roger A. Kirschenbaum Related Seminars and Products

MendenFreiman LLP

Roger Kirschenbaum is a partner in MendenFreiman’s estate planning,  estate administration, and business law practice areas. His primary focus includes estate planning, probate and estate administration, general corporate and business law and related tax-planning matters.

Roger has significant experience in probate matters relating to wrongful death and personal injury negligence cases. In addition, he previously served as a public arbitrator for the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. From 1985 to 1996, he represented professional athletes as a registered contract advisor with the National Basketball Players Association and the National Football League Players Association, including contracts with the Chicago Bulls and San Diego Chargers. Roger also has experience in negotiating client agreements for donations of significant art collections with museums and art galleries. Prior to joining MendenFreiman, Roger had his own private practice and was an of counsel attorney with Wagner, Johnston & Rosenthal, P.C.

Mrs. Hillary Bowlick Cranford Related Seminars and Products

Georgia Fiduciary Group, LLC

Hillary is a professional fiduciary, serving across the State of Georgia as a court appointed and privately nominated Administrator, Executor, Conservator, and Trustee.  In these roles, Hillary serves on over 400 active cases and currently serves as County Administrator for Gwinnett, Cobb, Fulton, Henry, Newton, Rockdale, Athens-Clarke, and Sumter counties.  Hillary also serves as the current editor of the Probate Judge’s Handbook and Benchbook, published through the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia and available at www.gaprobate.gov. 

Hillary graduated from the University of Georgia in 2004 with degrees in English and Advertising and earned her J.D. from the University of Georgia in 2007.  Prior to starting her fiduciary practice, Hillary served as staff attorney for the Gwinnett County and Cobb County Probate Courts from 2007 to 2014 and as Associate Judge from 2014 to 2019.  Hillary’s background in the courts allows for a unique expertise in navigating the conservatorship and estate processes.  As a result, Hillary works closely with the Plaintiff’s bar to serve as Administrator, Conservator, and Trustee for litigation and settlement purposes.  Hillary also accepts private appointments to serve as Executor and Trustee through the Wills and estate plans of private individuals.        

Hillary and her team at Georgia Fiduciary Group provide boutique fiduciary services, including drafting and filing initial probate pleadings and settlement protection trusts; administering estates, conservatorships, and trusts; asset management through partnerships with carefully selected and trusted financial advisors; real and personal property management; tax matters; and successfully discharging and closing estates, conservatorships, and trusts.