On June 19, 2008, the Chicago Lawyer Chapter presented a panel entitled "Safeguarding our Seniors: Perspectives on Elder Law and Nursing Home Litigation," co-sponsored by the Public Interest Law Initiative. The panel featured Professor Marguerite Angelari who is the Goedert Professor of Law and Director of the Elder Law Initiative at Loyola University Law School, Steven Levin, of Levin & Perconti, and Kathleen Swanson who is the supervisory attorney of the Suburban Seniors and Ombudsman projects for the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago. Susan Feibus, a partner at Ungaretti & Harris moderated the panel and her firm hosted the event.

Professor Angelari discussed current questions about guardianship and what rights elders have when guardianship is a consideration, as well as sharing her experiences as a clinical professor. Steven Levin discussed the federal and state protections for nursing home residents and presented various issues currently facing nursing home abuse lawyers. Kathleen Swanson discussed nursing home residents' rights and how some individual rights and dignities are lost in long term care.

The Chicago Lawyer Chapter would like to thank PILI for co-sponsoring, Ungaretti & Harris and Susan Feibus for hosting the event, as well as Liz Tinley and David Burciaga for coordinating the CLE materials.