Jeffrey H. Minde, Esq

Attorney and Counselor At Law

Special Needs Estate Planning ● Expert Witness Services in Disabilities

EDUCATION:

University of Miami School of Law 
Juris Doctor awarded 1993

University College London (Bentham Faculty of Laws) 
Comparative Legal Studies Program completed 1992

Adelphi University School of Social Work 
Master of Social Work (Social Policy and Planning) awarded 1985

Adelphi University 
Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare awarded Magna cum Laude 1984

State University of New York, Nassau Community College
Associate in Arts awarded Magna cum Laude 1983

LICENSURES:

United States District Court for The Southern District of Florida
State of Florida: Attorney and Counselor-At-Law
State of New York: Licensed Clinical Social Worker

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Jeffrey H. Minde Attorney and Counselor At Law P.A.
Delray Beach, Florida 33484
(1994-Present)

Areas of General Practice:  

  • Special Needs Trusts 
  • Trusts and Estates Planning 
  • Probate
  • Expert Witness in Special Needs matters

Areas of Business and Corporate Practice:

  • For-Profit and Not-For-Profit Incorporations
  • 501(c)(3) and Florida Charitable Solicitations Act
  • Business Plan consultation, development and promotion

Representation of Special Needs Clients:

  • Special Needs Trust and Cooperative Master Trust estate planning 
  • Americans With Disabilities Act practice
  • Rehabilitation Act of 1973 practice

Residential Facility Development:

  • Establishment of organizational residential care facilities
  • Residential care facility licensing procedures
  • Not-for-profit organization registration procedures

Seminars, Workshops and Presentations: 

  • Certification of Qualified Special Needs Professionals
  • Public informational seminars on Special Needs Estate Planning
  • Training seminars and workshops for Special Needs professionals  
  • Development of public relations materials for support groups 
  • Development of multimedia materials for professionals
  • Web designer/webmaster
  • Research and Litigation Support
  • Expert Witness 

The National Special Needs Network Inc.
Delray Beach, Florida 33484
(1995-Present)

Principal, President, and Chief Counsel of a service corporation engaged in the development and administration of specialized life care services and products for the disabled. The corporate policy of the National Special Needs Network is to develop and promote the full usage of available governmental benefits and local disability resources for persons with congenital and acquired disabilities and chronic health issues. In addition, NSNN works to encourage the use and development of Special Needs Trusts and Cooperative Master Trusts as an adjunct to traditional benefits and services as vehicles for alternative funding of services for disabled and chronically ill individuals 

Present nationwide membership is comprised of approximately 150 independent associates. Independent associates include professionals in the medical, therapeutic and future planning fields and lay individuals with an interest in Special Needs

As Chief Executive Officer responsibilities include:

  • Exploration and development of resources serving the national special needs community
  • Initial contact and establishment of working relationships with local service providers
  • Consultation with local service providers 
  • Supervision and coordination of central office services 
  • Liaison with care management resources 
  • Liaison with Trust administrators and banking executives 
  • Responsible for design and implementation of Special Needs and Cooperative Master Trusts 
  • Provision of public informational seminars on Special Needs Estate Planning and Trust Management. 
  • Supervising the development of public relations multimedia materials for the corporation
  • Provision of professional training seminars and workshops on special needs and health issues
  • Supervising the development of professional training multimedia materials
  • Web designer/webmaster

Responsible for the creation of fifty residential facilities in association with local parent support organizations, and other agencies, including: 

  • General project management 
  • Incorporation
  • IRS not-for-profit 501(c)(3) design and application procedures 
  • Federal, State and local not-for-profit registration procedures
  • Compliance in regard to State-required facility licensing processes 
  • Site evaluation  
  • Establishment of initial agency policies and forms      
  • Initial staffing 
  • Residential and day program design

As a Disability Advocate

  • Author of “Humanitarian Welfare Reform,” a Proposal which spurred the adoption of tax incentives for the purchase of Long-Term Care Insurance, as per the Welfare Reform Act of 1996, and the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Program (1999), permitting persons with disabilities to retain eligibility for governmental benefits while sustaining employment.
  • Author of the “Roslyn and Martin Gold Amendment to the Social Security Act,” creating broader exceptions to Medicaid Waiver income and assets “deeming” policies as per the Community Spouse doctrine. 
  • Initiated Continental Airlines’ policy of providing reduced fare seating to discrete trial trainers of the autistic.
  • Designed the initiative for a Lexis/Nexis program in affiliation with law schools nationally to provide no-cost legal research resources to students with disabilities.

(1993-1994)
Jeanette E. Smith, Attorney and Counselor At Law P.A.
Miami, Florida 33143

Associate in a Firm specializing in international transactional matters and Immigration and Naturalization law.

(1988-1990)
Center For Developmental Disabilities
Woodbury, New York 11797

Clinical Chair and Family Services Clinician in the Children’s Day Program nonresidential school component of an agency serving the autistic

(1987-1988)
Daleview Nursing Home Inc./Daleview Manor Inc.
Farmingdale, New York 11735

Director of Social Work in a Skilled Nursing Facility/Health Related Facility

(1986-1987)
New York State (Nassau County) Department of Social Services
Mineola, New York 11501

Child Protective Services Officer

(1985-1986)
United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County “Renaissance”
Bayville, New York 11709

Clinical Chair and Client Coordinator in an Intermediate Care Facility serving the severely disabled

SPECIALIZED PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

New York State Office of Health Systems Management:
Qualification in Social Work

State of New York:
Qualified Mental Retardation Professional

Incorporated Village of Freeport, New York:
Certificate in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Counseling

State of Florida: 
Notary Public /   Remote Online Notary Public

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

The Florida Bar
National Association of Social Workers
American Bar Association

PROFESSIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIPS:

The Florida Bar Member Benefits Committee (2006 – 2008)
The Florida Bar Justice Teaching Project (2019 – 2020)

EXPERT CONSULTANT:

Past clinical team consultant for the film Rain Man
Past legal Consultant to The Guardian television program
Past disabilities consultant to Adelphi University student recruitment film Ivy
Past Special Needs Trust consultant to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Affiliates
Past Special Needs consultant to the Los Angeles Dodgers

FEATURED MEDIA APPEARANCES:

“Planting Seeds For Success” The Coach Judy Live Show, April 14, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/

“All About The Benefits, Baby!”  The Ramp. It. Up. Podcast, April 28, 2022  https://open.spotify.com/

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game … But Which One?” CityScoops. July 26, 2010

“Crenshaw Backs Bill To Help Disabled Save Money” The Florida Times-Union. July 5, 2010

“Palin Says Obama Planning To Tax Special Needs Trusts” ABC News. October 28, 2008

“The Screening Room.” WHDT-TV. March 6, 2006

“Personal Responsibility versus Political Correctness.” The Empower Hour. February 19, 2006

“Seeing Special Needs.” The New York Times. November 17, 1996  

“Couple With Cerebral Palsy Fights Home.” The Sun-Sentinel. March 24, 1996

FACULTY AFFILIATIONS:

State of Florida Governor’s Developmental Disabilities Council
Featured Co-Presenter, conference on “Legal and Financial Options of the Disabled” (1999) 

University of Miami School of Medicine
Past Faculty, Center for The Aging Developmentally Disabled

Long Island Center For Independent Living
Past Member-at-Large, Board of Directors

Mental Health Association of Broward County, Inc
Professional Member; Keynote Speaker at 1996 Annual Meeting

Coral Springs Advocacy Committee for the Disabled, Inc
Past Program Advisor

Retired Seniors of America Foundation
Past Member, Board of Directors

Florida Special Arts Center
Past Member-At-Large, Board of Directors

Tamarac Bulldogs, Inc.: A Special Needs Organization
Past Member, Advisory Board of Directors 

United Cerebral Palsy Associations, Inc.
Life Member, United Cerebral Palsy Association of New York

PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS:

The Special Needs Advocate  
An E-Book treatise designed to provide information and referral resources to a general readership interested in special needs

“Home Sweet Home” by Lois K. Solomon. Appeared in the Sun-Sentinel August 31, 2009. 

Contributor to article detailing the opening of new group homes in Boca Raton, Florida.

“The Developmentally Disabled Are Aging Too” by Rebekah Gordon (2005): Contributor to article prepared for the Columbia University School of Journalism 

“Grandma As Trustee: Losing More Than Just The Pie” (2001): Article discussing the requirements of Special Needs Trusteeships.  Appeared in Q Notes, the Quarterly Newsletter of the National Association of QMRPs, Vol. 3, no. 2 

“Serving Special Needs Kids” by Pamela Savage Forbat (2001): Contributor to article appearing in Registered Representative magazine, no. 266, September 11, 2001

““First Do No Harm”: An Overview of Liability Issues for Respite Providers” (2001): Prepared for the ARCH National Respite Care Network What Is a Special Needs Trust?’ © 2000, Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith. All rights reserved

“What Families Should Know” (with L. Jerry Cohn, Esq.) (1997): Article discussing the specifics of Special Needs Estate Planning. Appeared in The ARC Family Focus family services newsletter, Vol. VI, no. 2

“Residential Care and Resident Sexual Behavior” (with L. Jerry Cohn, Esq.) (1996): A guidebook for residential programs outlining current legal and other issues of facility liability in relation to client sexual behavior. Contains a fully adaptable model sexuality policy and full discussion of client rights  

Project “PREPPARE” (1995-1996): As part of a design team at University of Miami School of Medicine created teaching modules and curricula on life care issues of aging persons with disabilities for the use of geriatric and disability specialists, other professionals, students and families of the geriatric disabled

University of Miami International and Comparative Law Review (1991-1993): Member of Editorial Board of inaugural and sophomore issues

“Mental Health Funding in Florida” (with Alexander J. Labora) (1992): Original research monograph addressing parity in the fiscal appropriations scheme of Florida’s State-managed residential mental health facilities

United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau County, Inc. “`Renaissance’ Intermediate Care Facility Policy on Client Privacy and Intimacy” (1986): Prepared for United Cerebral Palsy of Bayville, Inc.

 “A View from the Other Side” (1977): Article discussing the impact of public perceptions on disabled adolescents. Appeared in Spectrum newsmagazine, Vol. III, no. 5

NONPROFESSIONAL FACULTY AFFILIATIONS

Solaris Fairy Astrology and Tarot
https://www.youtube.com/c/SolarisFairyAstrologyandTarot
Creative Consultant

Southern Palm Zen Group of Boca Raton
Past Member, Planning Committee

Buddhist Peace Fellowship
Member, South Florida Regional Affiliate

Zen Peacemakers Order
Member-at-large

Brooklyn Dodgers Historical Society
Past Member, Board of Directors

Delray Beach Film Festival
Member, Advisory Board of Directors

NONPROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Sword of The Golem—A Novel (with Ken Tucker) © 2004

The Council of Eleven: Shall We Not Revenge? (with Ken Tucker) © 2005

The Ratline (with Ken Tucker) (in preparation)

BLOGS 

Once A Civil War  
https://konreicivilwar.blogspot.com

Of Flying Clouds and China Clippers
https://flyingcloudschinaclippers.blogspot.com

ACADEMIC COMMITTEES:

University of Miami School of Law Disabilities Issues Committee (1991-1993)
University of Miami School of Law Committee for Human Rights (1991-1993)
University of Miami School of Law International Law Society (1990-1993)
University of Miami School of Law Maritime Law Society (1990-1993)

Adelphi University School of Social Work Curriculum Committee (1983-1985) 

ACADEMIC SOCIETIES:

Phi Alpha Delta
Phi Theta Kappa

MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:

Theodore Roosevelt Association
Friends of Sagamore Hill
Federalist Society
Titanic Historical Society
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)