• Check-in at registration desk
• Light breakfast and refreshments available
• Networking opportunities with attendees and exhibitors

Description: This session provides a fast-paced review of the key changes reshaping special needs trusts, including significant updates in the Social Security POMS over the last 10 years, updated Social Security rules, and other regulatory guidance affecting beneficiary rights, Medicaid payback rules, and trustee responsibilities. Designed for both new and experienced practitioners, it ensures attendees gain a clear understanding of today’s legal landscape. Participants will leave with actionable takeaways to apply immediately in their practice.

Presenter: T. Nikki Mitchell, JD, Owner, Mitchell, Brown and Associates, LLC

Description: Attendees will gain practical guidance on handling challenging beneficiary requests that can create risk for trustees, attorneys, and families. With over 15 years of exclusive experience in special needs trusts, Kristin Mathison shares her wisdom on unusual requests and complex situations, offering clear, actionable answers. Participants will leave with strategies to protect benefits, uphold fiduciary duties, and maintain positive family relationships while navigating real-world scenarios.

Presenter: Kristin Mathison, JD, Senior Trust Officer, Northwest Trustee and Management Services, Spokane, WA

• Refreshments available
• Vendor booths open
• Restroom break

Description: This advanced, practical session zeroes in on federal and state tax issues that arise in creating, funding, administering, and correcting special needs trusts. This session covers key topics such as naming SNTs as IRA beneficiaries, determining when K-1s should be distributed, and practical drafting and filing requirements. Designed for attorneys, trustees, and financial professionals, participants will gain actionable guidance to ensure compliance, avoid pitfalls, and optimize trust administration for their clients.

Presenter: Hyman G. Darling, JD, Shareholder Emeritus, Bacon Wilson Attorneys at Law, Boston, MA

Navigating Home: Putting All the Pieces Together
Presenter: Janet Williams, PhD, Founder & CEO, Minds Matter, Overland Park, KS

Description: Since the beginning of Minds Matter in the early 1980s, Dr. Williams has been serving individuals and families affected by brain injuries. Her approach of delivering person-centered, advocacy-driven care empowers clients to live independently and thrive in their communities. Learn Dr. William’s approach to coordinating care, services, and financial supports.

Description: An IEP is one of the most powerful documents a child with special needs will ever have. But too often, it becomes a compliance form instead of a strategic roadmap. Join experienced elder and special needs law attorneys Amy Delaney and Shannon Briggs to learn how to best formulate and implement an IEP.

Presenters: Amy Delaney, JD, Founding Partner, DDV Law, Ltd., Chicago, IL and Shannon Briggs, JD, Partner, DDV Law, Ltd., Chicago, IL

Description: A practical case study on using decanting to repair defective special needs trusts and preserve means-tested benefits. Learn step-by-step strategies, sample clauses, and ethical considerations trustees, attorneys, and financial advisors need to know to fix drafting errors without jeopardizing SSI/Medicaid.

Presenter: Alec Feather, JD, Associate Attorney, Shepherd Elder Law Group

Q&A session: 10 minutes

• Visit exhibitor booths
• Check and respond to texts, e-mails and voicemails
• Refreshments available

Panelists:

• Patti Dudek, JD, Principal, Patricia E. Kefalas Dudek & Associates, Farmington Hills, MI
• Alissa Bundy, MSW, Senior Trust & Care Officer, Assured Trust Company, Overland Park, KS
• Natalicia Hosseinzadeh, Special Asset Administration, Cumberland Trust

Moderator: Melissa Leavy

Description: Our panel of seasoned professionals shares collective wisdom as they tackle real-world housing issues, including occupancy, repairs, taxes, family dynamics, and property risk. Attendees will hear firsthand experiences, explore common pitfalls, and gain actionable guidance for navigating complex housing scenarios with confidence and fiduciary care.

• Final opportunity to connect with exhibitors and attendees
• Refreshments available

Description: This session provides a clear overview of pooled special needs trusts, how they function, and the benefits they offer. It will cover when and how to use these trusts, as well as strategies for combining them with ABLE accounts to protect public benefits — illustrated with case examples.

Presenter: Kathleen Shollenberger, VP of Advancement, Secured Futures, Phoenix, AZ

Description: Join Professor Frank for an in-depth examination of special needs planning vehicles, including payback trusts, pooled trusts, third-party special needs trusts, and ABLE accounts. The session demonstrates the intricacies of selecting the right vehicle for each client, coordinating benefits, and avoiding common pitfalls through specific scenarios.

Presenter: Professor Jason Frank, JD, Of Counsel, Stavely & Sallitto, Annapolis, MD; Adjunct Associate Professor of Law, Tulane University Law School

• Refreshments available
• Vendor booths open
• Restroom break

Description:  Unwittingly, online contribution campaigns can have unintended negative consequences for public benefits. Learn the hidden pitfalls of online donations and discover practical, compassionate strategies that protect benefits while honoring generosity. Real cases, clear solutions — essential for advocates, attorneys, and donors. 

Presenter: Beth A. McDaniel, JD, Principal Attorney, Law Offices of Beth McDaniel PLLC

Description: This session examines three common drafting mistakes that can jeopardize special needs trust benefits and create unintended consequences for clients. Attendees will see how seemingly small errors in language or structure can disrupt Medicaid/SSI eligibility, complicate administration, and create legal challenges.

Presenter: Amy Haupert, JD, Law Office of Fay Blix, Laguna Hills, CA

• Buffet lunch
• Networking
• Vendor booths open

Moderator:

• Samantha Shepherd, JD, CEO, Assured Trust Company; Managing Attorney, Shepherd Elder Law Group

Panelists:

• Melissa Leavy, JD, Managing Attorney, Eldercare Law Practice, St. Louis, MO
• Beth A. McDaniel, JD, Principal Attorney, Law Offices of Beth McDaniel PLLC
• Kristin Mathison, JD, Senior Trust Officer, Northwest Trustee and Management Services, Spokane, WA

Description: Serving clients with mental health challenges requires both legal precision and practical sensitivity. This panel offers guidance for attorneys, trustees, and financial professionals, including effective communication, risk mitigation, balancing discretion with oversight, and coordinating care with families and other professionals. Panelists will share their experiences, to help practitioners provide effective, compassionate, and compliant service.

Facilitators:

• Patti Dudek, JD, Principal, Patricia E. Kefalas Dudek & Associates, Farmington Hills, MI
• Cynthia P. Letsch, JD, Owner and Managing Attorney of Letsch Law Firm, Grimes, IA

Description:
High-energy, fast-paced Jeopardy that turns dense special needs planning into bite-sized, must-know tactics. Teams race through scenarios, drafting traps, and trustee do’s and don’ts. Participants will test their knowledge, reinforce critical concepts, and review their understanding of key SNT topics in an engaging, interactive format.

Presenter: Professor Bobbi Flowers, JD, Professor of Law, Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, FL

Description: Professor Flowers guides lawyers, trustees, and financial advisors through the ethical issues posed in special needs trusts. When declining cognition wavers and fiduciaries multiply, who gets to steer the ship? A practical look at instruction-giving authority when guardians, agents, and trustees all believe they’re the captain.

Speaker: Evie Curtis, President, Heartland Special Needs Foundation