Thursday, January 21, 2010
1:30–4:45 p.m.
Elder Law Committee/Probate, Estate Planning & Trust Section
3.0 MCLE Credit Hours, 3.0 Estate Planning & Probate Specialty Credit Hours, 3.0 Taxation Specialty Credit Hours 

Hot Topics in Estate Planning, Probate and Elder Law:
Protecting Clients from Identity Theft and Legislative Updates

This three-hour advanced seminar will focus on hot topics in estate planning, probate and elder law. The first 1.5 hours will be devoted to identity theft and the impact of identity theft on our clients. The topic will explore the tax, social security and financial issues that result when an identity is stolen. John P. Gardner Jr., one of the nation’s leading experts on identity theft, will educate attendees on mechanisms and procedures to help clients protect their identities and non-public information. The reality of the practice of estate planning, probate, tax and elder law attorneys is that we are advising our clients on sensitive and difficult personal matters, which are made all the more difficult by the potential for identity theft. Given the fact that there are real tax and financial ramifications to clients who are victims of identity theft, it is important for practitioners to have a better understanding of the tactics of identity thieves and the ways in which we can protect against them.

The seminar will conclude with legislative updates on the following pending legislation:

1. Probate Code legislation, including the insertion of the summons requirement throughout the Probate Code in probate litigation
2. Trust Code legislation, including the technical corrections to the S.C. Trust Code
3. Other relevant legislation (with Sen. Shane Massey)

A discussion of the undertaking of the Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Section and the S.C. Bar to revise and update the entire Probate Code will also be addressed.

1:30–3:15 p.m. Protecting Clients from Identity Theft
John P. Gardner Jr., Darlington

3:15–3:30 p.m. Break

3:30–3:45 p.m. South Carolina Probate Code Revision Update
Catherine H. Kennedy, Columbia

3:45–4:00 p.m. Update on Summons in the Probate Court
Kathryn Cook DeAngelo, Surfside Beach

4:00–4:15 p.m. South Carolina Trust Code Revision Update
Andrew W. Chandler, Charleston
Carolyn W. Rogers, Rock Hill

4:15–4:45 p.m. Legislative Update
Sen. A. Shane Massey, Aiken

Course Planner/Moderator: Andrew W. Chandler, Charleston /Leigh Flynn, Columbia