• B.A., 1968, Cornell University.  

• J.D. (with honors), 1972, University of Florida College of Law (Member of Law Review,  Book Awards for the highest grades in both Evidence and Corporate Taxation)

• LL.M. in Taxation, 1978, University of Miami School of Law

Military Service

• U.S. Naval Reserve (1968-1974)

Courts

• All Florida State Courts, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Tax Court, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida

Professional Activities

• The Florida Bar, since 1972, (Member of Elder Law Section, Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, and Tax Section)

• Member of the Special Needs Trusts Committee of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section.

• Member of NAELA, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys™, and member of the NAELA Trust Special Interest Group.

• Member of AFELA, The Florida Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

• Broward County Bar Association (Member, Elder Law Section and Probate and Trust Law Section)

• West Broward Estate Planning Council

• 2005-2006, Member, Florida Bar Special Committee on Website Advertising Rules.

• From 2001-2002, Member of the Technology Task Force of The Florida Bar, a state-wide panel of attorneys and judges organized to bring technology to The Florida Bar and Florida Attorneys.

• From 2001-2002,  chaired the Website Design Subcommittee of the Technology Task Force of the Florida Bar and as liaison to The Florida Bar Member Benefits Committee

• From 2000-2002, served on the Member Benefits Committee of The Florida Bar, as a member of its Subcommittee on Insurance and as Chair of its Subcommittee on Technology 

Interviews:

• WPLG-TV on October 16, 2006: Mr. Cohen was interviewed regarding the risks of elderly parents transferring property to their children.

• WSRadio.com on October 11, 2003: Mr. Cohen was interviewed on Jacqueline Marcell's Internet radio program, "Coping with Caregiving"  regarding Financial Exploitation of Seniors. Jacqueline is the author of “Elder Rage, or Take My Father… Please! How to Survive Caring for Aging Parents” www.ElderRage.com The interview is available for 24/7 online listening-on-demand, via a free download. CLICK HERE (See Segment 3)

Speaking Engagements

• Presented "Tax Issues for the Elder Law Attorney" at the January 2007, January 2008, and January 2009 Elder Law Board Certification Review Courses.

• Presented "Irrevocable Trusts: A Planning Priority in a Post DRA Environment," a live teleconference for the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys on June 30, 2008.

• Presented a Medicaid Update to the West Broward Estate Planning Council on May 6, 2008 at the Weston Hills Country Club. 

• Presented "What Estate Planning Attorneys and CPAs Need to Know About the Deficit Reduction Act" at the Northern Trust Attorney/CPA Round Table Lunch on May 1, 2008 at the Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

• Presented the topics "Ethics and Estate Planning," and "Planning Methods to Control Medical Treatment" at a program entitled Drafting Effective Wills and Trusts on April 19, 2007, sponsored by National Business Institute. The program provided continuing education for Attorneys, Certified Public Accountants, Guardians, Bankers, and Certified Financial Planners.

• Presented "What Estate Planning Attorneys and CPAs Need to Know About the Deficit Reduction Act" at the Northern Trust Attorney/CPA Round Table Lunch on April 7, 2006 in Weston, Florida.

• 2005 Broward County Bench-Bar Convention presentations: "Special Needs Trusts- Avoiding Malpractice for Personal Injury and Estate Planning Attorneys " and "Medicaid II - Guiding Families Who May Need Government Assistance."

• Presented the topics "Asset Protection for Seniors," " Long Term Care Facilities - Cost of Care and Funding Sources," and "Insurance to Fund Long-Term Care Costs" at a program entitled Elder Care in Florida: Legal and Financial Issues on July 30, 2004 sponsored by National Business Institute.

•  Spoke on on how seniors can protect themselves from the abusive marketing of annuities and trusts to The Florida Club at Century Village, Pembroke Pines  on March 10, 2004 and to The Mainlands of Tamarac, Section 5 on April 13, 2004.

• Presented  "Planning for Disability, including Health Care Advance Directives" at a program entitled Fundamentals of Estate Planning Law and Practice in Florida, on January 13, 2004, a continuing legal education program sponsored by Sterling Education Services, LLC.

• On November 10, 2003 presented "Elder Law Practice - Doing Well by Doing Good" to law students and faculty affiliated with the Health Law Society of Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center.

• Presented continuing legal education course  to the Miami Beach Bar Association  and B'nai B'rith Justice Unit entitled "Long Term Care - The Risk and Tax-Favored Solutions"

• Featured speaker at SHINE program meetings. (SHINE stands for Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, a volunteer program of The Florida Department of Elder Affairs.)

• Featured speaker at Century Village, Boca Raton, B'nai B'rith Unit on charitable estate planning.

• Keynote speaker at the B'nai B'rith Woodlands Unit Annual Installation on charitable estate planning.

Community Service

• B'nai B'rith International. Member, Board of Directors of the B'nai B'rith Justice Unit #5207 in Broward County

• Member, Arthritis Forum of the Arthritis Foundation.

Selection of Reported Cases

Horne v. Markham, 288 So.2d 196 (Fla. 1973). (involved the successful defense of a constitutional attack on the Florida Homestead Tax Exemption, both in the trial court and in the Florida Supreme Court)

Markham v. Maccabee Investments, Inc., 343 So.2d 16 (Fla. 1977). (in Florida Supreme Court, successfully reversed District Court of Appeal's grant of a property tax exemption to a private for profit business enterprise)

Maniscalco v. Hollywood Federal Savings and Loan, 397 So.2d 453 (Fla. 4th DCA  1981). (successfully overturned the trial court and recovered  a family home after it was sold in foreclosure proceedings. Lender's actions were held  to violate homeowner's due process rights.)

If you have questions about anything on this website, or if you wish to schedule an appointment, contact Mr. Cohen at (954) 315-0355 or by E-mail.

Mr. Cohen maintains offices for the practice of Estate Planning, Elder Law and Disability Law in Plantation , Fort Lauderdale and Pembroke Pines for the convenience of his clients throughout Broward County, Florida.  Maps to the offices are available by following these links.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with South Florida geography, Broward County has 30 municipalities, including:

Coconut Creek, Cooper City, Coral Springs, Dania Beach, Davie, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, (Ft. Lauderdale),  Hallandale Beach, Hillsboro Beach,  Hollywood, Lauderhill, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Lazy Lake, Lighthouse Point, Margate, Miramar, North Lauderdale, Oakland Park, Parkland, Pembroke Park, Pembroke Pines, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Sea Ranch Lakes, Southwest Ranches, Sunrise, Tamarac, Weston, Wilton Manors.

For information on these cities, click on the appropriate link.