KIMBERLY STRAUCHON VERNER, Esq.

Kimberly focuses her practice areas on wills, trusts, elder law, Medicaid and long-term care planning, future care planning for persons with disabilities and their families, guardianships, estate planning, and estate administration, and real estate matters.

Previously, Kim founded and headed the Trusts, Estates, Elder Law and Real Estate practice area of a local law firm. Prior to graduating from Vermont Law School, Kim clerked with the South Royalton Legal Clinic where she focused on disability law issues. She also clerked with the Office of Counsel for the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. While at law school, she won two consecutive Client Counseling competitions and represented Vermont Law School at the regional American Bar Association Client Counseling Competition. Kim's previous work experience includes coordinating grant-funded, innovative independent living programs for persons with developmental disabilities at the Center for the Disabled.

Currently, Kim is serving her third term as President of the Board of Directors of the Capital District Center for Independence and was a member of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Task Force on Supplemental Needs Trusts and Housing Issues. She is also a member of the Elder Law Section and Lawyer Assistance Programs of the New York State Bar Association, and previously served on the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association's Young Lawyer Section as the section's Liaison to the Elder Law Section and coach's soccer through the Bethlehem Soccer Club. She has also recently served on the steering committee for the Arthritis Foundation's inaugural Health/Wealth Day.

Kim frequently educates professionals and the public on the topics of guardianship and disability law, estate planning, elder law, Medicaid and Medicare. She has been an invited speaker at many events including the New York State Bar Association Continuing Education seminars, Albany County Long Term Care Symposium, Albany Law School's Senior and Disability Law Days. She has also spoken before audiences at the Alliance of Women and Technology, The Capital Region Executive Women's Golf Association, the Capital District Center for Independence and for SEFCU. Kim has been a columnist in NYSARC's Guardianship Matters, featured in numerous publications including the Business Review and has appeared on news programs such as Fox News and WGY News Talk Radio.