Mark W. Worthington

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Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC

Experience: 32 years

Elder Law and Estate Planning

Outstanding Chapter Member of the Year, Member of the Year and 3 others

Awards 5

Experience 32y

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I have been in private practice exclusively in special needs law, elder law, and estate planning for 27 years. I have taught law school at the JD and LLM level since 2005, and recently stepped down as a full-time Professor and Director of the Graduate Program (LL.M.) in Elder Law and Estate Planning at Western New England University School of Law to return to full-time private practice as a partner at Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC (“SNLG”). I continue to teach in the LLM program at Western New England as an Adjunct Professor.

Let me tell you more about Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts ("SNLG"). Most websites, including SuperLawyers, have no category for "special needs," or more accurately, "Special Needs Advocacy and Planning," which better than any other short phrase describes what SNLG does.

Special needs families comprise about 75% of SNLG clients. When we talk about Special Needs, we are generally referring to family members who have had some kind of disability or challenge since birth or perhaps from young adulthood, rather than simply aging into disabilities.

Disabilities don't discriminate: SNLG's Special Needs families come in all kinds, from the wealthy to the financially struggling.

The rest of the SNLG caseload is mostly complex elder law situations. A high percentage of SNLG Special Needs families also have either primary or secondary elder law issues in the mix, and just about all SNLG Special Needs families have estate planning needs – indeed, more significant estate planning needs than many other clients.

The Founder of the Firm, Attorney Annette M. Hines, and I have walked the walk. Between us we have raised a 27 year old daughter who was debilitatingly ill with chronic Lyme disease for 6 years, a daughter who was severely disabled since birth who passed away at the age of 17 in 2013, and a “typical” 18 year old.

Professional Experience

2018 - Current

Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC

Senior Counsel

A law firm practicing exclusively in Special Needs Advocacy and Planning, Estate Planning, and Elder Law

2018 - Current

Western New England University School of Law

Adjunct Professor for Graduate Program (LL.M.) in Elder Law & Estate Planning

2016 - 2018

Western New England University School of Law

Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Elder Law and Estate Planning

Courses taught: LLM - The Grantor Trust Rules; Medicaid; Estate Planning for Retirement Plan Benefits JD - Trusts & Estates

2013 - 2016

Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC

Senior Counsel

A law firm practicing exclusively in Special Needs Advocacy and Planning, Estate Planning, and Elder Law

2012 - 2016

Northeastern University School of Law

Adjunct Professor

JD courses taught: Estate Planning

2005 - 2016

Western New England University School of Law

Adjunct Professor for Graduate Program (LL.M.) in Elder Law & Estate Planning

Courses taught: Federal Income Taxation of Trusts, Estates, & Beneficiaries; Advanced Elder Law II

2010 - 2013

Oppenheim & Cole, LLC

Of Counsel

2007 - 2010

Smith Worthington, LLC

Partner

1992 - 2007

Mark W. Worthington, Counsellor at Law

Attorney

Education

2004

Boston University School of Law

LL.M. (2004)

Honors: Rank 5 of 77

1991

Northeastern University School of Law

J.D. (1991)

Activities: Clerked Vermont Supreme Court (Summer 1990) Clerked US District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Judge William G Young (Summer 1989)

1980

University of Rochester

B.S. (1980) | Electrical Engineering

Awards

year - Mark W. Worthington

Outstanding Chapter Member of the Year

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

year - Mark W. Worthington

Member of the Year

NAELA - Massachusetts Chapter

Mark W. Worthington

Massachusetts

Super Lawyers, 2008 - Present

AV Rated Preeminent

Martindale-Hubbell

Ranked 10.0 "Superb"

AVVO.com

Contacts

Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC 20 Speen St Ste 101 Framingham MA 01701 Telephone: (508) 861-3453

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Mark W. Worthington Special Needs Law Group of Massachusetts, PC

Experience: 32 years

Phone: (508) 861-3453

Location: USA

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Practice Areas

Elder Law

Estate Planning

Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills

Languages

English

Certifications

Certified as an Elder Law Attorney CELA. 2004 - Present

National Elder Law Foundation