CHARLES F. ROBINSON is a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney in Clearwater, Florida, who specializes in Elder Law, including asset protection planning (Medicaid), incapacity planning, veterans benefits planning, disability planning, special needs planning, probate, and fiduciary services (trust and estate administration).  He is a futurist with special focus on the future of the legal profession.

Education

Charlie received his AA Degree from St. Petersburg Junior College and his BA and JD degrees from the University of Florida.

Professional Accreditations

• Florida Bar Board Certified Elder Law Attorney
• Accredited Attorney for Veterans Benefits
• Certified Court-Appointed Arbitrator
• Certified as a Civil Circuit Court Mediator by the Florida Supreme Court.
• Association of Professional Futurists

Honors and Awards

• Charlie has been named a Super Lawyer in the area of Elder Law in the Florida Super Lawyers and Florida Trend's  Florida Legal Elite.
• Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
• Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
• Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Florida Bar Foundation.
• Fellow of The College of Law Practice Management.
• Charlie was awarded the Charlotte Brayer Public Service Award by The Florida Bar Elder Law Section in 2006 for his outstanding contributions to the elderly.
• Charlie was a member of the special Public Policy Task Force that was awarded the “Outstanding Member Award” by The Florida Bar Elder Law Section in 2005.
• Charlie was a member of the Medicaid Task Force that was awarded the “Outstanding Member Award” by The Florida Bar Elder Law Section in 2004.
• Charlie received the Judge E. Earl Zehmer Award from the Florida Bar for contributions to legal technology exemplifying commitment to bring the legal profession into the Information Age.
• Charlie was named one of eight small firm Lawyers of the Year by the newspaper, Lawyers Weekly USA.
• Charlie was the recipient of the "Outstanding Member" award from the Florida Academy of Elder Law Attorneys in 1994.

Martindale Hubbell

Elder Law Presentations

• "Drafting Special Needs Trusts" for The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section, Tampa, FL on November 3, 2005, and in Miami on November 4, 2005.
• "Special Needs Trust" for the Pinellas County Clerk of Court, Clearwater, FL, July 2005.
• "New Multi-Jurisdictional Rule" for the Florida American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Manalapan, FL August 2005.
• “Trends vs. Cycles”  for the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section joint meeting with the Virginia Bar in Williamsburg, VA,  December 2004.
• “Fiduciary Liability: Preventative Practices and Procedures”  for the NAELA Joint Conference in Colorado Springs, CO, November 2004.
• "Analysis on the Current Changes to Medicaid and Update on Task Force" for the Clearwater Bar Elder Law Section and 2004 Probate Update, Clearwater, FL, February 2004.
• "Finding the Future of the Estate Planning Practice: Trends versus Cycles" for the Florida Legal Education Association Seminar Estate Planning in the Real World 2003, Tampa, FL, October 2003.
• Panel-"The System-Part Two, The Doctrine of Worthier Title" for the Special Needs Alliance at Stetson Law School, St. Petersburg, FL, October 2003.
• Panel-"Greatest Generation, Silent Generation, etc" for the National Institute for Senior Centers at Stetson Law School, St. Petersburg, FL, October 2003.
• “Business Issues Affecting Lawyers and Trust Officers” Panel for the Real Property Probate & Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar 22nd Annual Attorney/Trust Officer Liaison Conference, Naples, FL, June 2003.
• "Elder Law Issues 2003" for the State Senior Concerns Division of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, May 2003.
• "Special Needs Trusts-Tricks & Traps for the Estate Planner" for The Florida Bar Real Property Probate and Trust Law Section, St. Petersburg, FL, May 2003.
• “A View to the Future” for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 2003 Symposium, Miami, FL, May 2003.
• “Serving as a Fiduciary” for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys 2003 Symposium, Miami, FL, May 2003.
• “Special Needs Trusts – Tricks & Traps for the Estate Planner” for the Real Property, Probate & Trust Law Section of The Florida Bar Probate & Trust Law Seminar, St. Petersburg, FL, May 2003.
• “What an Elder Law Attorney Can Do for You” for the State Federation for the Blind Conference, St. Petersburg, FL, May 2003.
• “What Elder Law Can Do for Me” at the World War Veterans Club, Clearwater, FL, April 2003.
• “Future of Elder Law” to Professor MA Jackson’s Law Practice Management Class at Stetson College of Law, March 2003.
• “What Financial Planners, Trust Officers, CPA’s & Estate Planning Attorneys Should Know about Elder Law” for the Pinellas County Estate Planning Council,  Clearwater, FL, February 2003."
• So You Want to Do Ancillary Business" and "Elder Law Perspective on Ancillary Business" for the Florida Bar Young Lawyers Ancillary Business Seminar at the Florida Bar Mid-Year meeting, Miami, FL, January 2003.
• "Alphabet Soup" for the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section Probate Round Table meeting, St. Augustine, FL, November  2002.
• "Medicaid & Eligibility" for Professor Sarah Williams' class at Stetson Law School November 2002.
• “Alphabet Soup-MJP, MDP, ABP, SA- What Does It Mean For Your Practice?” for FLEA The Probate Team 2002 Probate Code Revisions Seminar, Orlando, FL, October 2002.
• “Attorney Acting as a Trustee” to The Special Needs Alliance, St. Petersburg, FL, October 2002.
• "What Long Term Care Ombudsman Need to Know about Advance Directives" for the Mid and South Pinellas County LTCOC, Largo, FL, August 2002.
• "Protecting Florida's Elderly and Disabled" for The Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section Legislative Update Seminar, Boca Raton, FL, July 2002.
• "What Insurance Agents Should Know about Medicaid Planning" for Amerilife agents, Clearwater, FL, January 2002.
• "Ancillary Business Opportunities for the Elder Law Practitioner" for the Florida Bar at the Mid-year Meeting, Ancillary Business Seminar sponsored by the Young Lawyers Division and the Special Commission on Multidisciplinary Practice and Ancillary Business, January 2002.
• "Special Needs Trusts as Related to the Developmentally Disabled" for the UPARC Foundation, Clearwater, FL, January 2002.

Elder Law Publications

• The Florida Bar Administration of Trusts in Florida (2d ed. 1999, 3rd ed. 2001, 4th ed. 2005) "Medicaid Trust Administration" Chapter, co-authored with Attorney Linda R. Chamberlain.
• A Directory of Resources for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders, "Legal Considerations" by Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council Area Agency on Aging, 1992, 1994, 1999.
• "Elder Law Defined" Martindale-Hubbell on line 1998.

Elder Law Activities

• Member of the Department of Elder Affairs Advisory Council.
• Member and Past Chair of the Florida Bar Elder Law Section (1997-1998).
• Member of the Florida Medicaid Task Force.
• Elder Law liaison to and a member of the Executive Council of the Florida Bar Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section.
• Member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
• Member of Florida Chapter of Elder Law Attorneys (FLEA).
• Member of the Elder Law Alliance.
• Member of Pinellas County Estate Planning Council.
• Member of Clearwater Bar Elder Law Committee.
• Member of National Advisory Committee on Caregiving at Life's End for The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast.
• Served for three years as a member of the American Bar Association Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly and continues to serve as a liaison to the Commission from the American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section.
• Served on the Florida Guardianship Oversight Board from 1991 until its termination.
• Facilitated the first planning retreat for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
• Member of the NAELA Board of Directors for four years.
• Member of the steering committee of Project Grace, a multidisciplinary think tank dealing with end of life decision making.
• Lectures frequently in Florida and throughout the United States on legal problems of the elderly and asset protection issues.

Charlie is an active advocate for the older person. He has written numerous articles on issues dealing with legal problems of the elderly.

Practice Management Activities

• Board of Trustees of The Fellows of the College of Law Practice Management
• Served as a member of the American Bar Association Coordinating Commission on Legal Technology 1989-1995

Past Chair of:

• The American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section
• The Florida Bar Practice Management and Technology Section
• The Law Office Management Advisory Committee (LOMAS)
• The Florida Bar Committee on Technology
• The Florida Bar Special Technology Advisory Committee (1996-1998) to assess the technology needs of the Florida Bar and make recommendations

Consulting Activities

• Consultant for law firms as a principal in Shuey Robinson. He represents the viewpoint of the solo and small firm attorney.
• Frequent lecturer at seminars in Florida and throughout the United States on law practice management.
• Numerous articles discussing technology in the law office.
• Videos for both The Florida Bar and the American Bar Association on technology in a law office.

 Local Activities

• Member of the Board of Directors of the local Area Agency on Aging Pinellas-Pasco since 1989; Treasurer 2004; President 2005-2007.
• Member of the Professionalism Committee for the 6th Circuit appointed by the Chief Judge.
• Member of the University of South Florida Suncoast Gerontology Center's Development Board and the Institute on Aging Development Planning Committee of the University of South Florida.
• Advisor to the Board of the Advocare Trust for Developmentally Disabled.
• Past member of the Community Advisory Board of the Junior League of Clearwater-Dunedin.
• 1984 graduate of Leadership Pinellas.

Charlie's bio as a futurist.

Updated 3/19/09