Carolyn Reinach Wolf

Carolyn Reinach Wolf is a Senior Partner in the law firm of Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Formato, Ferrara & Einiger, LLP and Director of the Firm's Mental Health Law practice. 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 currently an adjunct professor at Hofstra Law School, teaching Law and Psychiatry. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Wolf was a hospital administrator and Director of Hospital Risk Management.

Ms. Wolf's practice concentrates in the areas of mental health and health care law, representing mental health and health care professionals, major hospital systems and community hospitals, institutional and community outpatient programs, skilled nursing facilities, higher education institutions, individuals and families. Her expertise includes 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 health care facilities and institutions of higher learning, Kendra's Law applications (Assisted Out-Patient 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. She also consults with health care institutions on issues of end of life decision making, development and ongoing functioning of ethics committees, advance directives, and institutional review boards.

Ms. Wolf is a frequently invited speaker and consultant to health care 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. Her topics include: mental health legal issues, health and risk management from a mental health care law perspective, the increasing rate of student suicides, serious mental illness on campus, drug and alcohol abuse, date rape, law enforcement, confidentiality, parental notification, documentation and the increasing liability of campus staff, administrators, mental health professionals and the institutions themselves.