Trust Counsel Welcomes our Summer undergraduate Interns: Columbus explorers set sails on Their law journey as Trust Counsel’s Summer Interns and learn to prepare for “Life Away from Home” as adults.

These last couple of weeks, we have had the absolute pleasure of adding two recent Christopher Columbus High School alumni to our team of summer interns: Christian Guadagno and Lucas Gory, both from the class of ’22. They have been exceptional in taking on various tasks and contributing to the success of our estate planning law firm.

About our summer Columbus Explorers:

Christian Guadagno, a diligent and motivated individual, brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong work ethic to our team. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School and is currently attending Regis College as a dual major in both business management and business analytics. Christian’s commitment to academic excellence, his passion for law, and his business and marketing skills have made him a valuable asset to our firm. His attention to detail and critical thinking skills have already proven invaluable in assisting our attorneys with legal research and drafting documents. Christian has also taken on a further role behind the scenes of our firm, diligently changing and improving the dynamics of our firm’s marketing system. His ability to grasp complex concepts quickly and effectively has impressed both our clients and colleagues.

Lucas Gory, another accomplished graduate of Christopher Columbus High School, currently attends the University of South Florida as a Criminology major. Lucas has exhibited exceptional professionalism and dedication since joining our team. With his excellent communication skills and natural aptitude for problem-solving, Lucas has seamlessly integrated into the fast-paced environment of Trust Counsel. His ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and his attention to detail have been instrumental in organizing and maintaining client files, assisting with administrative duties, and providing comprehensive support to our attorneys. Lucas’s positive attitude and strong work ethic have had a significant impact on our firm’s efficiency and overall success.

Both Christian and Lucas have showcased their ability to work collaboratively as a team, effectively leveraging their diverse skill sets to achieve outstanding results in a short period of time. Their four years at Christopher Columbus High School have undoubtedly been integral in instilling in them the importance of integrity, perseverance, and leadership, which are core values needed in a professional workplace.

Our firm takes pride in offering Christian and Lucas an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in estate planning law, allowing them to develop their legal acumen and resumes as they refine their skills under the guidance of our experienced attorneys. Christian and Lucas’s achievements and contributions to our firm truly illustrate the quality of students that Christopher Columbus High School produces, and we are honored to have them as part of our team.

Trust Counsel is confident that Christian Guadagno and Lucas Gory will continue to excel and thrive throughout their legal careers. We are excited to witness their growth during their time with us and have no doubt that they will make a significant impact in the legal field in the future.

Preparing for Life Away from Home as Adults

While we are on the topic of high school graduates and young people in general, let’s shed some legal light on something that not many parents know about as their children become young adults.

Turning 18 comes with a whole new set of rights and responsibilities, including the ability to make their own medical and legal decisions. As a parent, it’s important to understand that once your child reaches this milestone, you no longer have automatic authority to make decisions on their behalf, especially in cases where they may become incapacitated.

As young adults reach the age of 18, it’s essential for parents to recognize that their authority to make medical and legal decisions on their child’s behalf comes to an end. This can create cumbersome situations whenever adult children become temporarily or permanently incapacitated and are unable to advocate for themselves.

In these situations, specifically medical ones, if the young adult has not executed Health Care Directives, doctors are required to become their advocate, making medical decisions on their behalf in line with established guidelines and principles that may not necessarily align with their personal desires.

To secure your young adults’ voice is always heard, there are three documents that could be executed by them, granting you (the parent) or another trusted individual, the legal authority to make medical, legal and financial decisions on their behalf in case of temporary or permanent incapacity. These documents are:

1.Medical Power of Attorney also known as Healthcare Surrogate Designation: This document allows your child to choose someone they trust, like a parent or close family member, to make medical decisions on their behalf if they are unable to do so. The person they choose is called a healthcare agent or health care surrogate. The healthcare agent has the legal authority to talk to doctors, understand the medical situation, and make decisions about treatments or procedures when your child cannot express their own wishes.

2.Authorization for Release of Protected Health Information: This document will allow the agent to access all of their federally protected medical records. Without it, no one but them, could authorize the release of vital medical records that can assist you in taking care of their medical emergencies.

3.Durable Power of Attorney: This document gives your child the ability to appoint someone they trust, usually a parent or trusted family member, to handle their financial and legal matters if they become unable to do so themselves. This person, known as an agent, can take care of tasks like managing bank accounts, paying bills, handling legal paperwork, or making important financial decisions on behalf of your child.

By having their child sign their Health Care Directives, parents can ensure that trusted individuals are legally authorized to make medical and financial decisions, in the event of incapacity. These legal documents provide peace of mind, allowing parents and young adults to navigate potential incapacitation scenarios with clarity and ensure that their wishes and best interests are upheld.

It is integral to find a trusted lawyer to walk you through this process and ensure that you and your family have a sound plan to address any unexpected situations.

Here at Trust Counsel, we specialize in estate and family planning and provide what we call “Parent Sanity Plan”. This plan will give access to our team of trusted and experienced lawyers not only in executing these vital documents, but to their guidance.

With the help of Trust Counsel, take action sooner than later and enable your young adults to face the future with confidence.