Carolyn Reinach Wolf is an Executive Partner in the law firm of Abrams Fensterman, LLP and Director of the Firm’s Mental Health Law practice. She is the only attorney in the country with a family-focused mental healthcare practice. Supported by a team of expert clinicians, she specializes in guiding families through the complex landscape of legal issues that impact loved ones with serious mental illness and/or substance use issues. She also represents institutions, such as major hospital systems, community hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and outpatient programs, consulting on matters including capacity, mental hygiene law, end of life decision making, development and ongoing functioning of ethics committees, advance directives and institutional review boards. She also represents mental health and healthcare professionals, and higher educational institutions. A New York Times profile of her is available here.
Ms. Wolf’s expertise encompasses mental hygiene law, including retention and treatment over objection psychiatric cases; mental health warrants; capacity determinations; informed consent and medical treatment cases; confidentiality and release of records matters; interaction with law enforcement in family matters, health care facilities and institutions of higher education; Kendra’s Law applications (Assisted Outpatient Treatment Orders); Article 81 and 17-A guardianship proceedings; civil and criminal litigation and negotiation specific to mental health issues; consultation and advice in navigating the mental health system and legal interventions in the inpatient and outpatient treatment settings as well as mental health issues in the higher education setting.
Ms. Wolf is immediate Past President of the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NaBITA), a membership association serving more than 1,500 professionals in schools, colleges and workplaces whose role is to support individuals in need of mental health intervention and to minimize the potential for school and workplace violence. She is also a frequently invited speaker and consultant to healthcare and mental health organizations, as well as institutions of higher education, specifically university counseling centers and administrators, and professional associations throughout the country regarding mental health law issues and many of the above-mentioned topics. She has been selected to the New York Super Lawyers list since 2013 and the Best Lawyers of America since 2018. This year Ms. Wolf is being recognized as Lawyer of the Year for Health Care Law by The Best Lawyers in America®.
Ms. Wolf holds a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law, an M.S. in Health Services Administration from the Harvard School of Public Health and an M.B.A. in Management from the Hofstra University School of Business. She is admitted to practice in New York State and Federal Courts as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, Ms. Wolf is an adjunct professor at Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, teaching “Law and Psychiatry.” Prior to practicing law, Ms. Wolf was a hospital administrator and Director of Hospital Risk Management.
Bar Admissions
- New York
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces
- U.S. Court of Appeals Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
Education
- Hofstra University School of Law, Hempstead, New York
J.D. - Harvard University, School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
M.S.
Major: Health Services Administration - Hofstra University School of Business, Hempstead, New York
M.B.A.
Major: Management - University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
B.A.
Recent Published Works
- Qumibee CLE Course, The Ethics of Dealing with Capacity and Mental Health Issues in the Practice of Law, (October 2022), Presenter
- Qumibee CLE Course, Guardianship/Conservatorship for a Mentally Ill Person, (October 2022), Presenter
- Qumibee CLE Course, Impact of Covid 19 on Law Practice Management, (October 2022), Presenter
- Psychology Today article, September Is Back to School But Also Suicide Awareness Month, (September 2022), Author
- Latte With a Lawyer, Episode 75, (August 2022), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Red-Flag Laws Show the Limits of the Legal System, (July 2022), Author
- NY Daily News op-ed, To stop mass shootings, engage with parents, (July 2022), Author
- Psychology Today article, Student Athletes Need Better Mental Health Support, (June 2022), Author
- CGTN America segment, What to know about ‘red flag’ gun laws, (June 2022), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Why We Need More Awareness of Serious Mental Illness, (April 2022), Author
- The Hill op-ed, Biden should appoint a mental health czar, (April 2022), Author
- Psychology Today article, Expanding Kendra’s Law to Help Those Affected by Mental Illness, (March 2022), Author
- New York State Bar Association Women in Law Section (“WILS”) 3.1 Connect 14-15, Legal Tools to Respond to Mental Health Crises, (February 2022), Co-Author
- Psychology Today article, Family Members Can Play a Role in Suicide Prevention, (February 2022), Author
- Psychology Today article, Five Key Lessons from Britney Spears’ Conservatorship, (January 2022), Author
- CBS News segment, Judge Terminates Britney Spears’ Conservatorship, (November 2021), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, #FreeBritney News Coverage Deters Those Needing Conservatorships, (October 2021), Author
- Rolling Stone article, Is Britney’s Legal Battle Really Over?, (September 2021), Quoted
- CBS News segment, Britney Spears’ father suspended as her conservator, (September 2021), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Parity Laws Curb Bias Against Mental Illness When Enforced, (August 2021), Author
- CBS News segment, Britney Spears’ father agrees to step down as conservator, (August 2021), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Can Fire Departments Better Handle Mental Health Crises?, (July 2021), Author
- CBS News segment, Britney Spears allowed to choose her own attorney in conservatorship case, (July 2021), Interviewed
- NY Daily News, When conservatorships save lives: The Britney Spears case spotlights an important part of the law, (July 2021), Author
- CBS News segment, Britney Spears: “I’m Traumatized, I’m Not Happy”, (June 2021), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Some Public Figures Have It All Wrong About Mental Illness, (June 2021), Author
- NY Daily News article, Britney Spears ‘enjoying’ herself ahead of meeting with conservatorship judge this week, (June 2021), Quoted
- Psychology Today article, The Mental Health Reforms Police Departments Should Adopt, (May 2021), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health Legal and Clinical Systems, (May 2021), Co-Author
- Psychology Today article, Post-Pandemic Stress Reaction Awaits Many As COVID Subsides, (May 2021), Author
- Psychology Today article, What to Know About Conservatorships and Mental Illness, (April 2021), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Mental Health Services for Incoming Legal Professionals, (April 2021), Co-Author
- Psychology Today article, Preventive Approaches Can Help Reach Children in Distress, (March 2021), Author
- Risk Management Journal of The Association for Healthcare Risk Management of New York, Inc. (AHRMNY), Mental Health Concerns and the Importance of Self-Care During COVID-19, (February 2021), Co-Author
- Psychology Today article, Young Adults Remain at Serious Risk of Mental Health Crises, (January 2021), Author
- KCEN-TV Texas, Mental Health Experts Weigh in on Patrick Warren Sr. Shooting Incident, (January 2021), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, A Mental Health Attorney’s Reflections on 2020 (December 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, There Is No Vaccine for Mental Illness (December 2020), Author
- NYSBA Real Property Law Section Journal, Fall 2020 Edition, Alternatives to Evictions: Legal Remedies When Faced With a Mentally Ill Tenant (November 2020), Co-Author
- Good Morning America, Britney Spears heads to court to remove her father from conservatorship(November 2020), Interviewed
- Psychology Today article, Counselors Can Build Resilience to Meet Rising Demand (November 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, COVID is Limiting Access to In-patient Psychiatric Care (October 2020), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Self-Care in Time of Uncertainty (October 2020), Co-Author
- Associated Press article, Houston Chief: Officers Ignored Training in Fatal Shooting (September 2020), Quoted
- Psychology Today article, A Lesson from Britney Spears’ Conservatorship (September 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Legal Tools Can Help Families Prevent COVID-era Suicides (August 2020), Author
- Mom.com article, Moms, Let’s Come Together and Demand That People Wear Masks (August 2020), Author
- CTPost.com article, Opinion: Police Reform Needs Mental Health Provisions (August 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Re-imagined Policing Helps Protect Those with Mental Illness (July 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Liability Concerns When Practitioners Return to the Office (June 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Virtual Platforms Are Helpful Tools but Can Add to Our Stress (May 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Coronavirus Stress Can Trigger Those With Mental Illness (March 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Preventing Workplace Shootings Requires Proactive Measures (March 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Buttigieg Mental Health Plan Would Fund Needed Community Programs(February 2020), Author
- Psychology Today article, Families Enduring Mental Illness Need Hope for the Holidays (November 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Mental Health Needs Are Often Inseparable from Work (October 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Counselors, Please Consider Your Own Mental Health Needs (September 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Trump is Wrong About Institutionalizing Mentally Ill (August 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Some College-Bound Students Face a Trifecta of Challenges (August 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Murder Trial Shows Our Mental Health System’s Limitations (July 2019), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Enduring the Aftermath of a School Shooting: When Survivors Take Their Own Lives(June 2019), Co-Author.
- WealthManagement.com Op-Ed article, When Clients Loved Ones Experience Mental Health Crises (May 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Mental Health, Addiction and The 2020 Presidential Race (May 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Mental Health Laws Afford Key Legal Protections (May 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Not All Survivors of School Shootings Survive (April 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, We Need More Housing For People With Mental Illness (February 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, To Prevent Mass Shootings, Believe the Women (January 2019), Author
- Psychology Today article, Aided by Celebrity Candor, Mental Health Coming to Forefront (December 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, Prevention, Not Reaction – How to protect schools from mass shootings(December 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, Erasing Stigma, One Vote at a Time (October 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, Families of Those in Crisis Have Distinct Emotional Needs (September 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to Silver Linings Playbook (August 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, Language is Key to Easing the Stigma of Mental Illness (July 2018), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Gun Control Is Not Enough: Early Identification and Intervention for Those At Risk Means Safety and Security Before It’s Too Late (June 2018), Co-Author
- Psychology Today article, Preventing School Shootings Requires Additional Measures (June 2018), Author
- Psychology Today article, How to Stage a Mental Health Intervention (June 2018), Author
- New York Times article, His College Knew of His Despair. His Parents Didn’t, Until It Was Too Late (May 2018), Quoted
- Psychology Today article, Guardrails for the College-Bound With Mental Health Needs (May 2018), Author
- Nassau Lawyer article, Guardianship Proceedings and Mental Illness (March 2018), Co-Author
- Wall Street Journal article, Documents You Need When A Child Turns 18 (November 2017), Quoted
- Huffington Post article, Holiday Season Support: A Must for Shooting Survivors and Others in Crisis(November 2017), Author
- The Risk Management Quarterly Journal article, The Increased Threat of Hospital Liability After Munsey v. Delia (August 2017), Co-Author
- Bloomberg Law article, Improving Mental Health Care in America (April 2017), Author
- Distinguishing Dementia from Mental Illness and Other Causes of Decline, 89.1 NYSBA Journal 22-27 (Jan. 2017), Co-Author
- New York Law Journal article, ‘Munsey’ Changed Landscape of Involuntary Psychiatric Admissions (June 2016), Co-Author
- The Risk Management Quarterly Journal article, How High is the Risk to Your Organization? Risk Management and Medical Marijuana (April 2016), Co-Author
- Best Interests of the Special Needs Child: Mandating Consideration of the Child’s Mental Health, 54 FAM. CT. REV. 68 (Jan. 2016), Co-Author.
- Missing the Mark: Gun Control Is Not the Cure for What Ails the U.S. Mental Health System, 104 J. CRIM. L. & CRIMINOLOGY 851, Co-Author
- Representing Clients with Mental Illness, 64.10 NASSAU LAWYER 19 (June 2015), Co-Author
- New York Times profile/article, A Guide in the Darkness (February 2013), Interviewed
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Association for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM), New York State, President, 2007-2008
- ASHRM, New York State, Board of Directors, 1983-Present
- Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA), Hospital and Health Law Committee, Member
- NCBA, Lawyers Assistance Program Committee, Member
- New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), Health Law Section, Member
- NYSBA, Health Law Section Subcommittee on Mental Health Law, Co-Chair
- National Center for Higher Education Risk Management (NCHERM), Affiliated Consultant
- National Behavioral Intervention Team Association (NaBITA), Advisory Board Member, 2010 – Present
- NaBITA, President Elect, 2015-2016
- NaBITA, President, 2016-2017