Attorney Profiles

Partners:

Michael J. Amoruso, Esq., Managing Partner of Amoruso & Amoruso, LLP. Mr. Amoruso concentrates his practice on Elder Care, Asset Preservation, Estate Planning, Estate Administration and Guardianship. He is Past Chair of the New York State Bar Association ("NYSBA") Elder Law Section, a member of the Executive Committee and former Chair of the Legislation Committee and the Estate & Tax Planning Committee.  In 2011, he received an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell.- the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards.

Mr. Amoruso was chosen as a 2010, 2011, and 2012  New York Metro Super Lawyer for Elder Law.  In 2011 and 2012, he was named one of the Top 25 Westchester Super Lawyers among all practice areas.  He is also the 2010 recipient of the prestigious NYSBA Elder Law Section Award as a principal drafter of NYSBA's significant amendments to the 2009 Power of Attorney statute and the 2007 recipient of the NYSBA Elder Law Section Award for work as a principal drafter of rthe New York State Compact for Long Term Care - a bill that offers an alternative to Medicaid coverage for long term care services.

Mr. Amoruso is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys ("NAELA") and is Co-Chair of the NAELA Chapter Presidents Council, Chair of NAELA's Webinar Education Committee and a member of the NAELA Public Policy Board, the NAELA Program & Education Committee Member and the NAELA Education Task Force.  He also served as President of the New York Chapter of NAELA.  Mr. Amoruso is the 2010 recipient of the NAELA Outstanding New York Chapter Member Award.  Locally, Mr. Amoruso was a member of the Westchester County Bar Association Board of Directors ("WCBA"), Chair of the WCBA Elder Law Committee and President of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County.

Mr. Amoruso is a nationally published author and frequest lecturer for the New York State Bar Association, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, National Association of Estate Planners and Councils, Stetson Law National Supplemental Needs Trust Conference, WealthCounsel LLC and ElderCounsel LLC, the Westchester Business Journal and Generations on cutting edge topics including "Flexibility and Simplicity: The Drafting Keys after EGTRRA 2001", "Preserving the Homestead: Tax, Medicaid and Title Issues," "Long Term Care Insurance", "DRA 2005: Changes to the Medicaid Look-back and Commencement of the Penalty Period", "Medicaid Planning in a Post DRA World", "Promises, Promises...An Overview of Promissory Notes and Annuities after the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005", "The New Crisis Planning Strategy: How to Draft and Use DRA Compliant Promissory NOtes"; and "Being a Caregiver is Stressful Business."  Mr. Amoruso hosts the weekly "Eldercare on the Air" radio show on WFAS AM  and is a frequest source of quotes and opinions for the local and national press.

Mr. Amoruso is a Founding Principal of ElderCounsel LLC, the premier elder law and special needs planning document drafting solution for attorneys.  Most importantly, however, Mr. Amoruso is the doting father of two beautiful girls.

Sreelekha Chakrabarty Amoruso, Esq.

Sreelekha is a full-time partner focusing primarily on the Firm's Elder Law and Medicaid Application practices. She is licensed to practice law in New York and Massachusetts. Sreelekha knows first-hand the stresses and planning issues that face our aging parents as they attempt to navigate through the current long term care crisis while dealing with devastating chronic illnesses. Her personal experiences with such challenges have been, and continue to be, a steady source of empathy, strength and comfort for innumerable clients.

Sreelekha holds a B.A. in Government from Cornell University, an M.B.A. in International Business from George Washington University, and a J.D. from Boston College Law School. She is licensed to practice law in New York and Massachusetts. Sreelekha brings to the practice knowledge of Employee Benefits law including Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit and Health and Welfare plans. She has lectured on such topics as COBRA coverage and health insurance portability and is a member of the NYSBA Elder Law Section and the Taxation and Real Property, Probate and Trust Sections of the American Bar Association. Sreelekha is the devoted mother of two incredible daughters.

Of Counsel

Howard S. Krooks, Esq. Howard S. Krooks, Of Counsel to Amoruso & Amoruso, LLP in Rye Brook, New York and a partner of Elder Law Associates PA in Florida, maintains an active elder law practice in New York, splitting his time between New York and Florida. Mr. Krooks' practice is devoted to elder law and trusts and estates matters, including representing seniors and persons with special needs and their families in connection with asset preservation planning, supplemental needs trusts, Medicaid, planning for disability, guardianship, wills, trusts and advance directives.

Mr. Krooks has been practicing New York elder law and estate planning for nearly 20 years. He is the former Chair of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law Section and serves on the NYSBA Executive Committee. Mr. Krooks is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a member of the Council for Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). He serves as Secretary of the NAELA Board of Directors. He was honored with the designation of NAELA Fellow in 2009. He serves on the Executive Council of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section. As a member of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section and the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, Mr. Krooks works to protect the state's most vulnerable citizens. He was chosen as a 2008, 2009 and 2010 Metro New York Super Lawyer, a 2008, 2009 and 2010 Florida Super Lawyer, named to Florida Trend magazine's Florida Legal Elite in 2007, and has an AV® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Krooks received the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award from the New York Chapter of NAELA for serving as Co-chair of a Special Committee on Medicaid Legislation formed by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to oppose New York Gov. George Pataki's budget bills containing numerous restrictive Medicaid eligibility provisions. He was also recognized for serving as Co-chair of the NYSBA Elder Law Section Compact Working Group for developing alternative methods of financing long-term care. Additionally, Mr. Krooks served as Chair of a Special Committee created by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to address the Statewide Commission on Fiduciary Appointments formed by Chief Justice Judith Kaye.

Mr. Krooks has written widely on elder law topics and coauthored a chapter of Guardianship Practice in New York State, published by the NYSBA. He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at NYU's School of Continuing and Professional Studies and was an instructor for the NY Certified Guardian & Court Evaluator program. A frequent lecturer, Mr. Krooks has addressed many local, regional and national organizations. He has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger's Retirement Report, USA Today, The New York Post, The Journal News and the Boca Raton News. He has appeared on PBS, the CBS Early Morning Show and local cable television programs. Mr. Krooks is a Founding Principal of ElderCounsel LLC, the premier elder law and special needs planning document drafting solution for attorneys.

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