Cozen O’ Connor Partner Howard Krooks Elected Chair of Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar

Cozen O’Connor announced that Howard S. Krooks, a partner in the firm’s Boca Raton office, has been elected chair of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar. Krooks, who will be inducted on June 24, will serve a one-year term beginning July 1.

The goal of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar is to cultivate and promote expertise and professionalism in the practice of law affecting people as they age and individuals with special needs. “Elder law is such an important, and personal, area of law that affects people who are the most vulnerable and who are experiencing very challenging legal and financial planning issues,” said Krooks. “I am humbled to serve as chair of the Elder Law Section and look forward to working to bring the great work of the Section and this area of law to the forefront.”

Krooks has more than three decades of experience dedicated to estate planning, elder law, and special needs practices. He is a certified elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association. He is a past president of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and is a past chair of the New York State Bar Association Elder Law Section. Krooks has developed a professional practice devoted to seniors and special needs individuals, representing clients and their families in connection with estate planning, asset preservation, supplemental needs trusts, and estate and trust administration.

“When I started practicing law, elder law was a new practice area barely known to the legal community, much less the community at large,” said Krooks. “Seeing an opportunity to help people, I focused my entire career on building elder law practices in both Florida and New York. Today, it has become nearly impossible for seniors and persons with disabilities to navigate the complex rules necessary to plan one’s estate without the assistance of an elder law and special needs planning attorney. I am extremely proud to be able to able to do all of this work on the platform that Cozen O’Connor provides with offices throughout Southeast Florida and New York.”

Krooks has written work featured in Guardianship Practice in New York State and Estate Planning and Will Drafting in New York, both published by the New York State Bar Association. He was lauded for his efforts on behalf of NAELA to enact the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act, which was signed into law by President Obama on December 13, 2016, and received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the New York State Bar Association Elder Law Section for his efforts. He also received the Outstanding Member of the Year Award from the Florida Bar Elder Law Section. He has spoken extensively around the United States and is a sought-after expert speaker in the field of elder law and special needs planning.

He received his undergraduate degree from SUNYAlbany and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

About Cozen O’Connor

Established in 1970, Cozen O’Connor has over 800 attorneys who help clients manage risk and make better business decisions. The firm counsels clients on their most sophisticated legal matters in all areas of the law, including litigation, corporate, and regulatory law. Representing a broad array of leading global corporations and middle market companies, Cozen O’Connor serves its clients’ needs through 32 offices across two continents.