Karen Nicolson sees firsthand an elderly population in Erie County that is on the rise - and struggling to survive in today's challenging economic times.

So when Nicolson, who is executive director of Legal Services for the Elderly, Disabled & Disadvantaged of Western New York Inc., received a call from Buffalo attorney Gayle Eagan regarding a series of proposed no-cost elder-law clinics the New York State Bar Association was organizing, she was excited.

"There is such an incredible need out there. Just in our office, we turn away nearly as many people as we are able to serve each year" - approximately 1,000 clients, Nicolson explains.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Erie County has one of the highest populations of residents 65 or older in the nation. While nationally 12.4 percent of the population is over 65, in Erie County that number swells to 15.1 percent.

Nicolson says this segment of society often struggles to deal with medical questions, housing evictions, discrimination, and other predatory concerns, and seniors are often left feeling trapped and helpless, with nowhere to turn.

The proposal on the table was for Nicolson's agency to assist the NYSBA in running two elder-law clinics to be held in the spring of 2008 in Amherst and Depew. The clinics, according to Nicolson, will give elderly citizens an opportunity to meet with a lawyer from the NYSBA at no cost for approximately 15 minutes, during which time they will be able to ask any legal questions they have and determine whether or not they need to seek further legal representation.

Eagan, a partner at the Buffalo law firm of Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP, is the local liaison for the NYSBA initiative. She says that for many seniors, the aging process is scary, and they may have simple questions but have no idea whom to turn to for answers. She hopes these clinics will help "demystify the law" for some and help others with those basic questions in a private, one-on-one setting with an attorney.

"Our lawyers are extremely generous volunteering their time, and for me, it is extremely gratifying to be part of this program."

While the NYSBA and Legal Services for the Elderly will be partnering on two clinics in Erie County, they are part of an NYSBA initiative to host elder-fair clinics statewide.

T. David Stapleton, a partner with the Auburn law firm of Karpinski Stapleton Galbato &Tehan, is treasurer of the NYSBA Elder Law Section, which is overseeing the elder-law clinics. He says the goal of the program, which began last year, is to offer two clinics per year in each of the 12 districts New York state is divided into.

"As elder-law attorneys, this type of program fits nicely into our mission," he said. "Lawyers have a proud history of working (pro bono) with people who can't pay, and it is very gratifying to see the people leave these clinics very satisfied with the assistance we offered them."

The first elder-law clinic being offered in 2008 will be held March 13 at the Amherst Senior Service Center. Melissa Rygg, program coordinator for the center, calls the clinics "a great service to the community." Rygg says she was involved in an elder-law clinic held at the center in 2006 and since then has received numerous calls from people asking when they were going to hold another clinic.

"We serve 800 seniors each day, and if there is this kind of no-cost help available, I think it is a great thing."

Charlie Battaglia, coordinator of neighborhood services for the Erie County Department of Senior Services, agrees. Battaglia is organizing an elder-law fair to be held at the Hearthstone Banquet Center in Depew May 29. The fair will host the second of the two NYSBA elder-law clinics.

"Programs like this have a very significant impact in the community, especially because so many people don't even realize when they need an attorney," Battaglia says.

Previous elder-law fairs have drawn as many as 500 people, and he sees it as a chance to keep seniors informed and educated on the law as it affects them.

As to how much can be accomplished in a single 15-minute session with an attorney, Eagan says it's more than you might think.

"Many times, people have a question about a letter they may have received from the IRS or a question about a joint account, VA benefits, or a benefits claim being denied, and we can assist them with the answers they need," she said. "We're not a jack-of-all-trades, but if we can't directly assist, we can point them in the right direction."

Matt Chandler is a Blasdell freelance writer.