BIOGRAPHY
Theresa Varnet has been an advocate for persons with disabilities for over 40 years. In addition to being a lawyer, she is a certified teacher, licensed social worker and the parent of a disabled adult daughter. She has served as Social Services Director in a residential school for children with multiple disabilities, Coordinator for a Special Education Cooperative and as a Citizen Advocacy/Disability Rights Coordinator. While living in the Sultanate of Oman, she assisted the Omani Ministry of Social Affairs in developing the first preschool program for children with handicapping conditions.
Ms. Varnet is an active volunteer in the National, State and local chapters of The Arc, is a member of TASH, AMI, The Autism Society, past member of the Developmental Disabilities Council in MA and KY, and past member of the Governor's Advisory Panel on Special Education in KY.
She received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Her experience includes extensive work in the area of in-service training with families, special educators, social workers and other professionals. She is a frequent speaker for volunteer and professional groups and has presented nationally at the National Conferences of TASH, AAMR, and The Arc, among others. She is also the co-author, with Richard Spain, of "Home Control Through Estate and Financial Planning," a co-author of MCLE's "Estate Planning for the Aging Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts" and a co-author of ICLE's "Special Needs Trust." Ms. Varnet has been quoted on numerous occasions in national journals and publications, including the Kiplinger Retirement Report, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, the AARP Bulletin, and Exceptional Parent magazine. Ms. Varnet presents numerous seminars on her special needs planning and advocacy all over the country.
She is a member of the American and Worcester County Bar Associations, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. She is currently the chairperson of the Special Needs Law Section of NAELA. Ms. Varnet is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Illinois. She received her B.A. from Southern Massachusetts University and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Connecticut in 1979. She earned her J.D. from DePaul University in 1989. Ms. Varnet divides her time between her Chicago-based practice at Spain, Spain & Varnet and the Massachusetts offices of Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C.
Ms. Varnet's administrative assistant is Wilma Vallejos, (508) 459-8079.
Ms. Varnet is an active volunteer in the National, State and local chapters of The Arc, is a member of TASH, AMI, The Autism Society, past member of the Developmental Disabilities Council in MA and KY, and past member of the Governor's Advisory Panel on Special Education in KY.
She received her Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut. Her experience includes extensive work in the area of in-service training with families, special educators, social workers and other professionals. She is a frequent speaker for volunteer and professional groups and has presented nationally at the National Conferences of TASH, AAMR, and The Arc, among others. She is also the co-author, with Richard Spain, of "Home Control Through Estate and Financial Planning," a co-author of MCLE's "Estate Planning for the Aging Incapacitated Client in Massachusetts" and a co-author of ICLE's "Special Needs Trust." Ms. Varnet has been quoted on numerous occasions in national journals and publications, including the Kiplinger Retirement Report, The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, the AARP Bulletin, and Exceptional Parent magazine. Ms. Varnet presents numerous seminars on her special needs planning and advocacy all over the country.
She is a member of the American and Worcester County Bar Associations, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the Academy of Special Needs Planners. She is currently the chairperson of the Special Needs Law Section of NAELA. Ms. Varnet is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Illinois. She received her B.A. from Southern Massachusetts University and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Connecticut in 1979. She earned her J.D. from DePaul University in 1989. Ms. Varnet divides her time between her Chicago-based practice at Spain, Spain & Varnet and the Massachusetts offices of Fletcher, Tilton & Whipple, P.C.
Ms. Varnet's administrative assistant is Wilma Vallejos, (508) 459-8079.
