About Us
Objectives
Calendar
Speaker Handouts 
Education 
Specialties/Professions
Officers
Members
Become Member
Contact Us

Joan E. O’Brien has practiced law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts for the past twenty-six years.  She currently serves as Chief of the Elders and Persons with Disabilities Unit in Hampden County District Attorney Mark G. Mastroianni’s Office. 
She began her legal career serving as an Assistant District Attorney for former District Attorneys Matthew Ryan and William Bennett.  In 1991, Attorney O’Brien entered private practice as a partner in the law firm of Fitzgerald, O’Brien and Robin in Longmeadow, MA.

Attorney O’Brien received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Elms College with a
dual major in Education and Spanish; and obtained her Juris Doctor from Western New England School of Law.

Since assuming office in January 2011 Attorney O’Brien has worked closely with District Attorney Mastroianni in establishing prevention strategies as well as office procedures and protocols for the effective investigation and prosecution of crimes committed against elders and persons with disabilities.

REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD E. NEAL

Richard Neal is the U.S. Representative for Massachusetts's 2nd congressional district, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former city councilor and mayor of Springfield, Massachusetts.

A Springfield native, Neal graduated from American International College and received a master's degree from the University of Hartford. After graduating he became involved in politics, working as an assistant to the mayor of Springfield. He served as president of the Springfield City Council from 1979 to 1983 while teaching high school history courses and lecturing at local colleges. He served as mayor of Springfield from 1983 to 1989, overseeing a period of economic growth. With his political influence and a head start on contributions, he was nearly uncontested when he ran for election to the House of Representatives in 1988.

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, Neal is an influential figure in House economic policy. He is widely considered a frontrunner for chairman of the committee. His top legislative priorities have been to reform the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and close tax loopholes, although his success has been mixed. He has also dedicated much of his career to US–Irish relations and maintaining American involvement in the Northern Ireland peace process, for which he has won several acclamations. He has a generally liberal voting record, but is considered a moderate on such issues as abortion and trade.

He'll be sharing his thoughts on Congress and the Economy, the Federal Budget, Taxes, Jobs, and the Federal Estate Tax System.

Ken W. Shulman

Ken Shulman is a Partner with Day Pitney, LLP and practices in their Boston office.  He received his B.A. with Distinction from Northwestern University in 1971 and his J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1974.  His general estate planning practice includes estate planning and related issues for elders and for families who have disabled children. He is a former board member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Ken regularly speaks to consumer groups, professionals in the field, and others interested in issues related to aging, disability, advocacy, financial planning, and the preservation of government entitlements. He previously served as a board member for several human service agencies, including the Greater Boston ARC. He has also served as a consultant to the Massachusetts Office of Handicapped Affairs, the Massachusetts Disability Law Center, and the Massachusetts Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee. Currently he is cochairman of the Elder and Disability Planning Committee of the Boston Bar Association, and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Asperger's Association of New England and he serves on the Combined Jewish Philanthropies Committee on Disabilities and on its Committee on Caring and Social Justice.

Ken frequently represents clients in guardianship matters and often serves as a Trustee for families.
Ken is a frequent participant in lawyer training sessions sponsored by the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education organization and a regular contributor to their publications, having cochaired conferences on estate planning and preserving eligibility for government benefits for elderly and disabled clients. He has been a featured speaker on Medicare and Medicaid Liens in Personal Injury Cases at several MCLE Elder & Disability Law Conferences and he is the author of the chapter entitled "Planning for the Disabled Child" in Estate Planning for the Aging or Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts, MCLE (revised 2007). He is a regular speaker on various legal issues affecting the elderly and disabled at seminars sponsored by the Suffolk University Law School, Center for Advanced Legal Studies, the Boston Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association, and PESI.  Ken recently co-authored Managing a Special Needs Trust: A Guide for Trustees, DisABILITIESBOOKS, Inc. (2010).

William E. Hart, Esq.

Bill Hart is co-chairman of the firm's Estate Planning and Administration Department and the Business/Finance Department.  Bill focuses on estate Planning work for people of all walks of life, including professionals, owners of closely-held businesses, people with artistic and literary property, and those with real estate holdings in other states and countries.  His practice included probate estate and trust administration, business matters, and taxation.

He is a grade (cum laude) of Amherst College and the University of Denver (with honors.

He is admitted to the bars of New York, Massachusetts, and the U.S. Tax Court.  He is the author of "Drafting Wills and Trusts in Massachusetts".

Elizabeth H. Sillin, Esq.

Liz Sillin is a member of the firm's Estate Planning and Administration Department, working with individuals in all areas of estate and gift tax planning and administration. She works with nonprofit institutions, assisting with formation and operational issues including regulatory compliance as well as providing advice regarding charitable trusts and endowments.

Liz is a graduate of Wesleyan University (cum laude), Cornell University, and Western New England College (now Western New England University)(summa cum laude).  She is a co-author or "How to Probate an Estate".

She is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, and is a member of the Hampden County, Franklin County, Massachusetts and Women's Bar Associations.

Note: Bill and Liz are both members of the Pioneer Valley Estate Planning Council, as well as The Estate Planning Council of Hampden County, Inc.