Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP  is a partner of Elder Law Associates PA and Of Counsel to Amoruso & Amoruso, LLP in Westchester County, New York. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and New York.

Mr. Krooks' professional practice is devoted to elder law and trusts and estates matters, including representing seniors and persons with special needs and their families in connection with asset preservation planning, supplemental needs trusts, Medicaid, planning for disability, estate planning, guardianship, wills, trusts and advance directives.

As a member of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section and the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, Mr. Krooks works to protect the rights of the state's most vulnerable citizens. He was invited to join a special sub-task force to review policies of The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) that may not be in compliance with federal law. The special task force will also determine whether DCF policies have followed proper rule-making procedures.

Mr. Krooks is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a member of the Council for Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). He is a member of the NAELA Board of Directors, where he serves as President. He was honored with the designation of NAELA Fellow in 2009. He serves on the Executive Council of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar as the NAELA Liaison. He is a Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), where he continues to serve on the Executive Committee. Mr. Krooks was named The Florida Bar Elder Law Section "Member of the Year" in 2010. He was chosen as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2012, a Metro New York Super Lawyer from 2008 to 2011, named to Florida Trend magazine's Florida Legal Elite in 2007, 2010 and 2011, recognized as a 2011 Top Attorney in Palm Beach & Martin Counties by Palm Beach Illustrated, and has an AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. He received a Superb Rating from Avvo amongst a select few recognized by the legal community for his superb professional conduct and experience in 2012.

Mr. Krooks received the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award from the New York Chapter of NAELA for serving as Co-Chair of a Special Committee on Medicaid Legislation formed by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to oppose New York Governor George Pataki's budget bills containing numerous restrictive Medicaid eligibility provisions that, if enacted, would severely impact the frail elderly and disabled populations. He was also recognized for serving as Co-Chair of the NYSBA Elder Law Section Compact Working Group, which is receiving national attention for developing alternative methods of financing long-term care. Additionally, Mr. Krooks served as Chair of a Special Committee created by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to address the Statewide Commission on Fiduciary Appointments formed by Chief Justice Judith Kaye.

Mr. Krooks has written widely on elder law topics and co-authored a chapter of Guardianship Practice in New York State, published by the NYSBA. He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and was an instructor for the N.Y. Certified Guardian & Court Evaluator program. As a frequent lecturer on a variety of elder law topics, Mr. Krooks has addressed many local, regional and national organizations. He has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Marketplace on National Public Radio, Prism Money (Reuters), US News & World Report, Kiplinger's Retirement Report, USA Today, The New York Post, The Journal News and the Boca Raton News. He has appeared on PBS, the CBS Early Morning Show and local cable television programs focusing on elder law.

Mr. Krooks is a Founding Principal of ElderCounsel LLC, the premier elder law and special needs planning document drafting solution for attorneys. He received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from SUNY Albany, and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Mr. Krooks and his wife have four children and reside in Parkland, Florida.

Firm Description

Elder Law Associates PA is a boutique elder law firm that practices exclusively in elder law, wills and trusts, Medicaid and nursing home planning, Medicaid applications, disability planning, Special Needs Trusts, guardianship and asset preservation, VA Planning and litigation. ELA assists clients in planning for the possibility of disability, incapacity, home health care and/or nursing home placement. The firm enables its clients to avoid impoverishment caused by the escalating cost of nursing home care, to maintain their right to make health care decisions and to avoid unnecessary medical treatment.

Partners Ellen S. Morris, Esq. and Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP are experienced and accomplished in handling a diverse range of issues affecting seniors, persons with disabilities and their families. Elder Law Associates PA has achieved an AV Peer Review Rating, the highest rating afforded, from Martindale-Hubbell. The partners' combined legal experience enables the firm to provide a high degree of service and to interpret and translate complex legal issues for the benefit of our clients.

Elder Law is a highly specialized area of law, and should be handled only by qualified elder law attorneys. The firm’s partners, Ellen S. Morris, Esq., and Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, are experienced in handling a diverse range of issues affecting seniors (including Medicaid planning), persons with disabilities, and their families. The partners’ combined legal experience enables them to provide services (such as guardianship litigation) and to interpret and translate complex legal issues for the benefit of clients.

Elder Law Associates PA has works hard to earn and keep the trust and respect of its clients. The firm first gained its reputation nearly fifteen years ago as a premiere elder law and estate planning firm by educating clients on technical aspects of the law in an understandable manner, by working as a team with other professionals providing services to seniors and persons with disabilities and by providing the highest level of personal and discreet client service. Elder Law Associates PA offers legal counsel with expert skill and a keen understanding of the needs of both individuals and families.

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