Agenda / Content Covered

1. HOW TO FILE AN ESTATE IN PROBATE COURT
   9:00 - 9:30, Written by Karen Nolan. Presented by Vicki L. Eskin in Orlando and Karen Nolan in Tampa.
   1. Distinctions Between the Modest and Larger Estate
   2. The Estate Timetable and What Needs to Be Done
   3. Steps for Proving the Will
   4. Steps for Challenging the Will
2. WORKING WITH EXECUTORS AND ADMINISTRATORS
   9:30 - 10:15, Written by Vicki L. Eskin. Presented by Vicki L. Eskin in Orlando and Shelly Schrand in Tampa.
   1. Duties of Executors or Administrators During the Probate Process
   2. Paralegal Contact With Executors or Administrators
   3. How Misconduct and/or Removal of Executors or Administrators is Handled
   4. Compensation
   5. Special Administration
   6. Duties of the Attorney for the Executor - Who is the Client?
3. HOW TO PREPARE AND FILE THE INVENTORY
   10:30 - 11:00, Written by Vicki L. Eskin. Presented by Vicki L. Eskin in Orlando and Karen Nolan in Tampa.
   1. Preparing the Inventory - What Every Paralegal Needs to Know
   2. Statutory Requirements
   3. Notice
   4. Working With the Attorney to Collect, Maintain and Manage Assets
   5. How to Successfully Solve Common Inventory Problems
4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE ESTATE
   11:00 - 11:30, Written by Vicki L. Eskin. Presented by Vicki L. Eskin in Orlando and Shelly Schrand in Tampa.
   1. Dealing With Creditors' Claims
   2. Disclaimers
   3. Assisting With the Estate Cash Management
   4. Insolvency
   5. Preparing Partial Distributions
5. ETHICAL PERILS IN THE PROBATE PROCESS
   11:30 - 12:30, Written by Vicki L. Eskin. Presented by Vicki L. Eskin in Orlando and Karen Nolan in Tampa.
   1. Distinguishing Between Privileged and Non-Privileged Communications
   2. When the Client Asks for Legal Advice - Knowing How to Say "No"
   3. Protecting Your Firm From Malpractice Actions - Tools You Can Use to Meet Deadlines
6. DEALING WITH SPOUSE'S ELECTIVE SHARES
   1:30 - 2:30. Written by Brooke M. Benzio. Presented by Brooke M. Benzio in Orlando and Diane B. McWhirter in Tampa.
   1. Homestead Allowance
   2. Dower and Curtesy
   3. Spousal Rights and Personalty
   4. Rights of Election
   5. Procedures
7. UNDERSTANDING THE LAWS OF INTESTACY
   2:45 - 3:45, Written by Diane B. McWhirter. Presented by Wesley R. Harvin in Orlando and Diane B. McWhirter in Tampa.
8. CLOSING THE ESTATE
   3:45 - 4:30, Written by Karen Nolan. Presented by Wesley R. Harvin in Orlando and Karen Nolan in Tampa.
   1. Tips for Assisting With Final Accounting
   2. Preparing the Distribution of the Estate to Beneficiaries
   3. Discharge of the Fiduciary

Accreditation Details:

BROOKE M. BENZIO is an attorney with the law firm of Rossway Swan Tierney Barry Lacey & Oliver, P.L., which has offices in Vero Beach, Melbourne, and Coral Gables, Florida. Ms. Benzio practices primarily in the Vero Beach and Melbourne offices, in the areas of estate planning and wealth preservation, special needs planning and elder law, health law, and estate and trust administration. She is a Department of Veterans Affairs accredited attorney, frequently speaks and writes on topics related to estate planning and elder law, and has previously been a speaker at the St. Thomas University School of Law’s Elder Law Symposium. Ms. Benzio is a member of The Florida Bar sections on Elder Law, and Real Property, Probate and Trust Law; the Indian River County Bar Association; and the Brevard County Bar Association. She earned her Bachelor of Science in political science from the Florida State University and her Juris Doctorate with a certificate in health law from the Beazley Institute of Health Law and Policy, at Loyola University Chicago School of Law, where she was an Honors-at-Entrance Scholar.

VICKI L. ESKIN, owner of Levy & Associates, P.A., in Longwood, Florida, is an experienced transactional and litigation attorney, practicing estate and trust planning and administration, probate, and real property. She is a member of The Florida Bar and Iowa State Bar Association, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals for the U.S. Armed Forces, and the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Florida. She served as chair in multiple years for the National Solo and Small Firm Conference for the GP|Solo Division of the American Bar Association and as an ABA advisor to the Uniform Law Commission Committee for Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets, as well as serving on The Florida Bar's RPPTL Committee, drafting a similar proposed legislation. Ms. Eskin has taught seminars and written numerous articles on estate issues of interest to attorney practitioners. She also assists foster care children aging out of the system by setting up guardianships and special needs trusts, serving as a mentor to those young adults and young lawyers starting solo and small firm practices. Ms. Eskin earned her B.S. degree from the University of Florida and her J.D. degree from the University of Florida College of Law.

WESLEY R. HARVIN II is an attorney with Harvin & Harvin LLP. His areas of practice include business planning with tax emphasis, estate planning, wills, trusts, elder care and Medicaid planning. Mr. Harvin is admitted to practice in Florida and in all courts in the state of Florida. He is a member of The Florida Bar and the Martin County Real Property Association. Mr. Harvin earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Florida; his J.D. degree from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law; and his LL.M. degree in estate planning from the University of Miami School of Law.

DIANE B. McWHIRTER has been an attorney in the Orlando area since 1983. Currently, she practices probate, guardianship, and bankruptcy law as a sole practitioner. Ms. McWhirter has been certified by the Florida Supreme Court in family and county law mediation since 1991, and since 2010 in circuit civil mediation. Ms. McWhirter has lectured and written articles on legal professionalism, family, probate, guardianship, mediation and juvenile law topics. She is the past chair of the Orange County Bar Association's Elder Law Committee; and of its Estate Guardianship and Trust Committee and the past vice-chair of its Law and Education Committee. She earned her B.A. degree from Duke University and her J.D. degree from the University of Florida, College of Law.

KAREN NOLAN is an attorney at the Tampa law firm of Wetherington Hamilton, P.A. Her practice concentrates on trusts and estate planning, Medicaid planning, special needs planning, probate and trust administration, guardianship, and elder law. Ms. Nolan is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Academy of Special Needs Planners, Florida Guardianship Association, Elder Law and Real Property Probate and Trust Law sections of The Florida Bar, and Hillsborough County Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section). She has been an adjunct professor of legal studies at Seminole State College teaching wills, trusts and estate administration and legal research and writing courses and she has also guest lectured at Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law. Ms. Nolan is admitted to practice in Florida. She received her B.A degree from the University of Miami and her J.D degree from Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Nolan was a member of the Editorial Board of the Barry University Law Review; a legal research assistant; and served as a judicial intern in 18th Judicial Circuit Court, in Sanford, Florida.

SHELLY SCHRAND is a Florida registered paralegal with Carey, O'Malley, Whitaker, Mueller, Roberts & Smith, P.A., where her main areas of practice are construction litigation and complex litigation. She handles cases from initiation through trial. Ms. Schrand conducts legal and factual research, and investigation. Among her many tasks, Ms. Schrand also prepares pleadings, discovery, witness and exhibits lists, trial notebooks, demand and settlement documents, and deposition summaries. Ms. Schrand also coordinates and manages document production, assists lawyers at trial, and maintains general client contact. Ms. Schrand has handled probate cases from initial client contact through dismissal. She has been a Florida registered paralegal from April, 2008 to present. Ms. Schrand graduated from Tampa Bay Business Academy.