Crystal West Edwards
Principal
Morristown, NJ
973.889.4263
cwedwards@pbnlaw.com
Crystal West Edwards is a Principal in the Wealth Preservation Group and has extensive experience in the areas of elder law, special needs planning and advocacy, estate planning and estate administration, and counseling.
Crystal is highly experienced working with the legal problems of aging individuals and those with disabilities. Crystal counsels seniors, individuals with special needs and their families with issues pertaining to complex estate and tax planning, asset preservation, eligibility for means-tested government benefits, fiduciary appointments and representation and advocacy. She is also a trusted advisor to financial institutions and corporate fiduciaries with judicial and administrative accountings and counseling regarding initial or continued means-tested government benefits eligibility for its trust beneficiaries.
Crystal is a sought after speaker and has authored numerous publications on the topics of elder and disability law, estate planning, special need trusts and government agencies.
She was honored in 2012 by the State of New Jersey with a Senate Resolution for "her meritorious history of professional leadership and exemplary dedication" and in 2014, she received the 2014 Young Lawyer Award from the Garden State Bar Association for her “exceptional commitment to the GSBA, the Community & the Elder and Disability Law Bar.” She is a member of the Board of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
- Speaker, "The Ins and Outs of Law Firms: Entering and Exiting a Law Firm Partnership," National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Annual Meeting, March 25, 2021.
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Speaker, "Demystifying Estate Planning and the Probate Process," Delta Sigma Theta, January 16, 2021.
- Speaker, "Charitable Planning and Board Governance," Infinity Financial Ministries, January 16, 2021.
- Panelist, "LEAP Career Forum: Trust & Estates", Metropolitan Black Bar Association (NYC), October 14, 2020.
- Speaker, "Taxation of Grantor & Qualified Disability Trusts," Conference on Special Planning and Special Needs Trusts, Stetson Law, October 13, 2020.
- Moderator, "Issues at the Crossroads: Where Elder Law and Family Law Meet", New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting, May 13th 2020
- Panelist, "Estate Planning: Wills, Durable Power of Attorneys and Advanced Directives", Webinar, Essex County Surrogate's Court, April 29th 2020
- Co-Moderated the 21st Annual Elder and Disability Law Symposium, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE), Woodbridge, New Jersey, December 18, 2019
- Co-Chaired the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys' 2019 Summit, Washington, D.C., November 14, 2019
- Co-moderated the 18th, 19th and 20th Annual Elder and Disability Law Symposium, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE), New Brunswick, New Jersey
- Co-authored, the Affordable Care Act and Its Impact on Individuals with Special Needs
- “Administration of Special Needs Trusts,” NJICLE, New Brunswick, New Jersey
- “Elderly Immigrants and Language Loss,” NJICLE, Princeton, New Jersey
- “How to Deal with Government Agencies and Nursing Homes when Applying for Government Benefits,” NJICLE, Iselin, New Jersey
- Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
- Board of Directors, NAELA
- General Council Executive Committee, New Jersey State Bar Association
- Diversity and Inclusion Trusted Advisors, Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University
- Board of Directors of the Dickinson Law Alumni Society of the Pennsylvania State Alumni Association
- Past President, New Jersey Chapter, NAELA
- Past President, Garden State Bar Association
- Life Member, Garden State Bar Association
- Member, National Bar Association
- Member, New Jersey Women Lawyers Association
- Member, Advisory Board to the Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services
- Certified Elder Law Attorney by ABA Accredited National Elder Law Foundation
- Member, Cathedral International, Perth Amboy, New Jersey
- Member, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
- Former Adjunct Faculty Member, Kean University, Union, New Jersey
- Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the ABA Accredited National Elder Law Foundation - the only African American attorney in NJ holding this designation
- New Jersey Super Lawyers® New Jersey Monthly, Elder Law, 2019 - 2021.
- "Top Lawyers," Wills, Trusts, Estates, Probate; Morris/Essex Health & Life Magazine, 2019
- "Top Lawyers," Elder Law; Morris/Essex Health & Life Magazine, 2018 - 2021
- AV® rated, by Martindale-Hubbell® for legal ability and professional ethics, based upon a peer review of the Bar and the Judiciary
- Distinguished Leader Award Recipient; New Jersey Law Journal, 2017
- Top Women in Law, New Jersey Law Journal, 2016
- Young Lawyer Award Recipient, Garden State Bar Association, 2014
- State of New Jersey Senate Recognition for professional leadership and exemplary dedication
- New Jersey Rising Stars®, New Jersey Monthly, Elder Law
- "New Leaders of the Bar," New Jersey Law Journal, 2014
Wealth Preservation