Legal Expert Available on Rights of Older Adults
Syracuse University Law Professor Nina Kohn is available to speak to reporters about her expertise on issues related to the rights of older adults, financial guardianships and people living under conservatorships.
Kohn’s research focuses on elder law and the civil rights of older adults and persons with diminished cognitive capacity. Her articles have addressed long-term care, supported and surrogate decision-making, abuse and exploitation of the elderly, discrimination in older age, and legal education.
She is the author of “Elder Law: Practice, Policy & Problems” (Aspen, 3rd. ed. 2024). In addition, Kohn has served in a variety of public interest roles, including as a reporter for both the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act and the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act.
At the College of Law, Professor Kohn has taught classes elder law, trusts and estates, torts, family law and an interdisciplinary gerontology course. She has also served as associate dean for research as well as associate dean for online education. In the later role, she led the development of JDinteractive, the nation’s first fully interactive online J.D. program.
She is frequently in the media as a respected expect. Some of those interviews and commentary include:
- “Loss of autonomy: how guardianships threaten people’s rights,” Center for Public Integrity
- “Britney Spears’ case has shown why guardianship laws need to change” (commentary), The Guardian
- “A lack of nursing home oversight is a problem for many states,” NPR
- “Nursing Home Residents Could Tip Elections, if They Find a Way to Vote,” AARP
- “This Guardian Enriched Herself Using the Finances of Vulnerable People In Her Care. Judges Let It Happen,” ProPublica
- Wendy Williams’ guardianship case highlights the need for reforms, Marketplace
- Biden’s nursing home staffing proposal is dangerously inadequate (commentary), The Hill
- “‘The Blind Side’ subject Michael Oher’s blockbuster lawsuit against Tuohy family explained,” USA Today
Please contact Ellen James Mbuqe at ejmbuqe@syr.edu to request an interview.
