Adult Guardian ad Litem Training 2025

  • OnDemand seminar
  • Elder Law
Up to 7.0 Credit Hours
View schedule and faculty
Adult Guardian ad Litem Training 2025

Co-produced with the Elder Law & Special Needs Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin

A+ advocacy for adults

Acting as a court-appointed guardian ad litem (GAL) in adult guardianship proceedings or protective placements requires legal acumen, empathy, and a deep understanding of procedural considerations. We’re bringing back our popular annual training, packed with foundational principles and helpful advice for GALs of all experience levels.

Adult Guardian ad Litem Training 2025 will help you polish the essential skills to advocate for your wards’ interests successfully. Using interactive role play, you’ll explore guardianships from start to finish with real-world scenarios involving:

  • Initial guardianship
  • Annual Watts reviews
  • Protective placement
  • Completing forms and file setup
  • County-to-county variations
8:30 am
Guardianship Basics Scenarios

Jessica Ann Braun, Vicki Davis Davila, Jessica A. Liebau, Avery J. Mayne, Sara K. Micheletti, Blaine Patiño

  • Interactive roleplay will explore:
    • o Initial guardianships from beginning to end
10:10 am
Break
10:25 am
Scenarios, Continued
11:15 am
The Rights of Wards and Other Interested Parties

Sara K. Micheletti

12:05 pm
Lunch (on your own)
1:05 pm
The Role of the GAL in Post-Guardianship Proceedings

Polly Shoemaker

  • Parental rights of adults under guardianship
  • Navigating a ward’s rights in complex family situations
  • Constitutional rights under guardianship
1:55 pm
Understanding Professional Guardianship Systems in Wisconsin

Jenny Kraftcheck

  • Gain an understanding of the Corporate Guardianship Program (CGP) history (1977-present), current size, and vision.
  • Explore a corporate guardianship’s life cycle from the regulatory perspective, including applications, monitoring, investigations, and closures.
  • Review CGP data and trends.
2:45 pm
Break
3:00 pm
Competency Evaluations

Solomon H. Gatton, Polly Shoemaker

  • Examine how Chapters 51, 54, and 55 interact and overlap in legal and practical contexts
  • Evaluate different approaches to balancing individual rights and public safety concerns
  • Walk through scenarios that examine evidentiary standards, medication orders, and court considerations
3:50 pm
Program Concludes

Program Chairs and Presenters

Jessica A. Liebau
Wessels & Liebau LLC · Mequon
Avery J. Mayne
von Briesen & Roper S.C. · Milwaukee

Presenters

7 total
Jessica Ann Braun
Schober Schober & Mitchell S.C. · New Berlin
Victoria Davis Davila
Davis & Pledl S.C. · Milwaukee
Solomon H. Gatton
Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Office · Sheboygan
Jenny Kraftcheck
Wisconsin Department of Health Services · Madison
Sara K. Micheletti
McCarty Law LLP · Appleton
Blaine Patiño
Canellos & Patiño LLC · Wauwatosa
Polly Shoemaker
Greater Wisconsin Agency on Aging Resources · Madison

Sponsored by

Interested in sponsoring this program? Find out more.

  • Enhance your skills in adult guardian ad litem cases from appointment through payment
  • Gain hands-on experience with guardian ad litem basics, including Watts reviews and protective placements
  • Review statutory underpinnings and practical considerations for competency evaluations
  • Explore the Corporate Guardianship Program from its beginnings to today
  • Understand the GAL’s role in post-guardianship proceedings
  • Guardians ad litem for adults
  • Family law attorneys
  • Elder law attorneys
  • New attorneys looking to take GAL appointments
  • Experienced GALs seeking a refresher

Book Bonus!

Guardianship and Protective Placement for Older Adults in Wisconsin
Save 15% on the Guardianship and Protective Placement for Older Adults in Wisconsin.* This thorough guide to law and practice under the guardianship and protective placement statutes explains the basics in practical terms. Use discount code CA3793 when you order online or by calling (800) 728-7788.

*Discount applies to both print and digital Books Unbound editions of this title and cannot be applied to previous purchases. Offer valid through 12/31/26. For Books Unbound users, discount may be applied to purchase of individual Books Unbound title only and may not be used on the purchase of libraries. Discount cannot be combined with any other offers.