• Help develop and revise IEPs (Individualized Education Program)
• Resolve disputes with the school including suspensions and expulsions
• Ensure the school is following the anti-bullying policy required by law
• Assist with private school placement, including reimbursements
• Advocate in mediation, complaints and due process hearings

Planning for Today

Planning for the future of your special needs child requires special estate planning today. We’ll guide you through the protections you may want to consider.

• A Special Needs Trust allows you to protect your child’s eligibility for certain federal and state benefits. You may also want to appoint a “Care Manager” to help coordinate services for your child.
• A Will and Other Estate Planning Documents will help protect your child’s quality of life when you are gone. You determine who will take care of your young child, or help your adult child make decisions. Without these documents, the state will make these decisions for you, and charge hefty fees to do so.

Planning for Tomorrow

When your child turns 18, he or she becomes a legal adult, with the legal rights and responsibilities of adulthood. There are legal options you can choose to support and protect your young adult:

• Power of Attorney to help make financial and medical decisions.
• Guardianship and Conservatorship allow for a substitute decision maker appointed by a court order.

Benefits Planning

SSI, SSDI, MA, DDB … disability benefits are a bowl of alphabet soup. We’ll direct you to the proper starting points to access benefits and services.

Where to Begin?

We know all this planning may seem daunting. But you don’t have to do it all at once, and you don’t have to do it alone.

We can help. Call us for a consultation … to sit down and discuss what your dreams are for your child and what pieces you have in place. We’ll help you prioritize the next steps.

Special Education and School Advocacy

On August 4, 2010, in a case called Perry v. Schwarzenegger, Judge Vaughn Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California declared Proposition 8 unconstitutional. What does the decision say and mean?

Read a summary of the Prop 8 decision or the court decision in its entirety.

April 7, 2012, Harvard Law School
Judith Sperling-Newton co-presents at the 7th Annual Lambda Legal Advocacy Conference.

April 19, 2012, LaFollette High School
Sara Vanden Brook and Emily Dudak Taylor will participate in “An Evening for Parents with Disabilities,” a program put on by the Madison Metropolitan School District, and Partners for Inclusive Education.

April 21, 2012
Sara Vanden Brook will participate on the alumni panel at Admitted Students Weekend at the UW Law School.

May 19, 2012
The Ruby Project, Basic Food Cooperative Community Room, Janesville, Wisconsin
Emily Dudak Taylor will be presenting at The Ruby Project’s free workshop on legal questions for LGBT families. The mission of The Ruby Project is to empower and educate the local LGBTQA community through supports and services.

November 1-2, 2012
Through the Eyes of a Child Annual Conference, Wisconsin Dells
Emily Dudak Taylor will be speaking on children’s immigration issues.

November 7-9, 2012
Judicial Conference Lake Geneva
Emily Dudak Taylor will be speaking on children’s immigration issues with Judge Ramirez of Milwaukee County.

2010-2011

September 8, 2011 LGBT Family Law Institute in Los Angeles
Emily Dudak Taylor and Judith Sperling-Newton will be speaking on the International Panel on LGBT Issues at this year’s institute. The institute is a joint venture of the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the National LGBT Bar Association, and allows experienced LGBT attorneys from across the country to meet annually to share their collective wisdom and to discuss cutting-edge legal solutions for LGBT families.”

April 11, 2011, UW Law School’s Public Interests Law Foundation
Emily Dudak Taylor will be part of a panel of attorneys who practice in children’s rights and guardian ad litem capacities. The panel will be sharing their experiences and advice with law students.

December 7, 2010, Tax Planning for Gay and Lesbian Couples with Children.
The Law Center for Children & Families and Wegner CPAs and Consultants will be  discussing estate planning and income tax considerations for LGBT couples with children. 5:30-7:30 at Wegner Office, 2110 Luann Lane in Madison.

September 17-19, 2010, European Conference on LGBT Families.
Attorney Lynn Bodi will be attending  this conference in Paris, France.

September 15-17, 2010 Juvenile Law Seminar
Emily Dudak Taylor will be discussing immigrant children in the dependency system on Thursday, September 16, 2010.

June 11-13, 2010, Pridefest Milwaukee
Emily Dudak Taylor will be participating in a discussion about growing your family called “candid conversations” on Sunday, 4:30 – 6:00 near the youth stage. The Law Center for Children & Families will be exhibiting all weekend long.

May 13, 2010 LGBT Adoption
Emily Dudak Taylor will be in Green Bay to speak to Positive Voice, a Northeast Wisconsin LGBT organization. For more information, visit www.focol.org/positive

May 1, 2010  Addressing the State of our Unions
This community forum and seminar for the LGBT community will be held at the US Bank Building in Madison. Attorney Emily Dudak Taylor will be presenting Building your Family and Protecting your Children in Wisconsin. Other important topics will be addressed. For more information, go to http://ourunions.eventbrite.com/

April 19, 2010 Annual Statewide Perinatal ConferenceCarol Gapen and Lynn Bodi will be speaking about creating families through surrogacy. To find out more, go to www.perinatalweb.org.

All About Collaborative Divorce December 2009

What is a domestic partnership?
It is a legal status for you and your partner if you register with the State of Wisconsin. It is legal recognition of your commitment to each other. The benefits are limited, however. While the law is a step forward for Wisconsin, it is nothing close to marriage or equality.

The benefits include:

• Limited inheritance rights
• Limited health care rights
• The right to sue for your partner’s wrongful death
• The ability to take time off work to care for your partner under Wisconsin’s Family Medical Leave Act
• The ability to prevent your partner from testifying against you in court
• The ability to better protect attorney-client communications

The benefits do not include:

• Child-related rights
• Marital property rights
• Mutual support rights
• State and federal tax rights
• Federal and out-of-state rights in general

Do we still need a life and estate plan?
Yes. A thorough LGBT-specific life and estate plan goes well beyond the rights conveyed by the new law. Furthermore, a good life and estate plan is much more secure than a domestic partnership registration. The registration is a law, and as such, is subject to politics, legislative revision, and court challenges. Finally, federal law and most other states will not recognize a Wisconsin domestic partnership. Therefore, life and estate planning documents will continue to be essential to protecting your family out-of-state.

Should we register as domestic partners?
For most families, registering is a good idea. However, there are some families for whom a domestic partnership could have unintended consequences. It could affect gift tax liability, eligibility for public assistance, and the content and validity of current wills and property titles. This is especially true for couples who own real estate together. You should speak with an LGBT estate planning attorney before registering. Know what you are doing, before you do it, as unromantic as that sounds.

How do we register as domestic partners?
First, you and your partner must satisfy five requirements: (1) you must be 18; (2) you must be a same-sex couple; (3) you must live together; (4) you must be unrelated; and (5) you must be unmarried and not in another domestic partnership.

If you and your partner are eligible and decide to register, you may go to the Clerk of Courts Office in your county and file a state form (an “affidavit”). The first day to register is August 3, 2009. If you have been previously married or registered as a domestic partner, you will need to take additional steps before registering. Be sure to ask for a copy of your affidavit and registration for your records. If you register before speaking to an attorney, be sure to inform your attorney of your registration. You may need to update your life and estate plan.

For more information, call The Law Center for Property & Life Planning at 821-8200.