Protecting Seniors and Their Assets Legal Strategies for Preventing and Remedying Financial Exploitation

Charles P. Golbert | Cook County Public Guardian

Charles P. Golbert serves as the Cook County Public Guardian, originally appointed Acting Public Guardian in 2017 and formally appointed in 2019. He leads the only office in the nation that provides legal representation to abused and neglected children, children in custody disputes, and adults with disabilities under guardianship. His office manages more than $100 million in assets for individuals under guardianship and has recovered over $60 million previously taken from them. Golbert has dedicated his career to the Public Guardian’s Office since 1991, holding roles across every division, including Deputy Public Guardian and director of the Adult Guardianship Division. He earned both his J.D. and B.A. from Northwestern University, has taught at Chicago-area law schools, and has published extensively on elder law and child welfare. A recognized leader in his field, Golbert has received numerous prestigious awards and helped author important legislation protecting vulnerable populations.

Tom Tuohy | Tuohy Law Office

Tom Tuohy is an attorney, author, professor, and founder of Tuohy Law Offices and Dreams for Kids, Inc. He has delivered more than 6,500 Illinois Living Trust estate plans and advised hundreds of small businesses. In 1989, he created Dreams for Kids to empower youth with entrepreneurial and leadership skills, serving over 100,000 students and opening a downtown Chicago campus in 2022. A member of the Nation’s Top One Percent of attorneys and an AV-rated lawyer for two decades, he has been sworn into the U.S. Supreme Court Bar and served as Special Assistant Attorney General of Illinois. Tom holds degrees from DePaul University, DePaul College of Law, and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Business, and teaches Social Entrepreneurship at DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business. He frequently speaks on social impact, leadership, and estate planning.

Session I – Protecting Seniors: Strategies and Remedies Against Elder Financial Exploitation | 1:00pm – 2:00pm

• Elder financial exploitation: Scope, trends, and warning signs
• Case studies illustrating common schemes and legal strategies for recovery
• Guardianship: Protecting seniors while preventing abuse
• Legal rights and remedies for victims of financial exploitation
• Insights into the nation’s largest financial recovery program for seniors with dementia
• Best practices for attorneys, fiduciaries, and advocates in handling elder abuse cases

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

Session II – Protecting your Assets and Preserving your Legacy | 2:10pm – 3:10pm

• Designing financial safeguards: Powers of attorney, trusts, and account structures tailored for seniors
• Strategies for preventing exploitation in day-to-day financial management
• Leveraging technology and banking tools to monitor and protect senior assets
• Coordination among attorneys, fiduciaries, and financial advisors to enhance protection
• Educating seniors and families: Communication strategies to reduce risk
• Case studies highlighting successful preventive planning and fiduciary oversight