Ellen S. Morris

Member

Boca Raton

(561) 750-3850

(561) 245-6209

Recent News:

Jason Domark and Ellen Morris Named to Legal Elite Notable Managing Partners List by Florida Trend

Jason Domark and Ellen Morris have been named to Florida Trend’s 2024 Legal Elite Notable Managing Partners list.

Ellen devotes all of her professional time to elder law and special needs law transactions and litigation, including guardianship litigation, fiduciary litigation, will contests, and nursing home residents’ rights litigation, as well as wills, trusts, and advance directives, Medicaid and disability planning, including preparation of applicable trusts, asset preservation planning, and estate and trust administration.

Prior to joining the firm, Ellen was the founding partner of the law firm Elder Law Associates PA. She began her career as an assistant state attorney for Miami-Dade County, Florida, under the direction of State Attorney Janet Reno.

Currently, Ellen is the co-chair of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar and the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA) for the Elderly and Disabled. Previously, she was the chairperson of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar, the legislative chairperson  of the Elder Law Section for six years and held every executive council position as well as many committee chair positions. She also served as co-chair of the Elder Law Section of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association. In all these roles, Ellen participates in elder law and special needs law-related legislative initiatives, devoting much of her time to analyzing new laws and regulations affecting seniors, people with disabilities, and their families who require government services and protection.

Ellen has also been involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, Southeast Florida Chapter, SOS Children’s Village, Jewish Family Services of Broward and Palm Beach counties, the Florida State Guardianship Association, and Junior Achievement. She is a Washington Club and Congressional Club member of AIPAC and on the executive committee of AIPAC of South Florida. She frequently lectures on elder law and special needs’ topics. Ellen was an instructor for Florida Atlantic University’s Lifelong Learning Society (LLS). She has been featured in the Palm Beach Post’s “Moving Up” section for her developing elder law and special needs practice, and has been quoted in the Palm Beach Post, Wealth (Reuters), the Sun-Sentinel, and ABC News online. She has authored numerous articles for a variety of publications, including an article for The Elder Law Advocate titled, “4th DCA Affirms a finding of undue as a reason to invalidate advance directives.”

Ellen has consistently been named to Florida Trend Magazine’s Florida Legal Elite since 2007 and named as a Top Lawyer by the South Florida Legal Guide. Ellen has been selected by her peers as a Florida Super Lawyer since 2009 and has also been recognized as a Palm Beach Illustrated Top Attorney in Palm Beach & Martin counties. She was also the 2008 “Member of the Year” for the Florida Bar Elder Law Section and has an AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Ellen earned both her bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Florida.

News

Jason Domark and Ellen Morris Named to Legal Elite Notable Managing Partners List by Florida Trend

August 27, 2024

Jason Domark and Ellen Morris have been named to Florida Trend’s 2024 Legal Elite Notable Managing Partners list.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys in its Best Lawyers in America 2025 Edition

August 15, 2024

Best Lawyers selected 242 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America.

Super Lawyers Names 15 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2024 Florida List

July 03, 2024

Eight Cozen O’Connor attorneys have been recognized as Super Lawyers, including Susan N. Eisenberg, James A. Gale, Howard S. Krooks, Samuel A. Lewis, Ellen S. Morris, Stuart R. Morris, Ralf R. Rodriguez, and Martin T. Schrier. The seven Cozen O’Connor attorneys recognized as Rising Stars are Heather Beale, Tiffany Bustamante, J. Kent Crocker, Arielle Eisenberg, Alexandra J. Schultz, Natasha Shaikh, and Paul Souferis.

Cozen O’Connor Announces New Group Chairs, Office Managing Partners, Other Promotions

February 15, 2024

The firm announced several new practice group chairs, office managing partners, and leaders of firm committees and initiatives

Ellen Morris Named to Women Leaders in Law List by Florida Trend

January 09, 2024

BOCA RATON, January 8, 2024 – Ellen Morris has been named to Florida Trend’s 2024 Women Leaders in Law List.

Best Lawyers Honors More Than 200 Cozen O'Connor Attorneys to its Best Lawyers in America 2024 Edition

August 17, 2023

Best Lawyers selected 232 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s U.S. offices for inclusion in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Super Lawyers Names 12 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2023 Florida List

June 30, 2023

Selection to Super Lawyers is based on peer nominations and evaluations, combined with independent research. Each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only 5% of attorneys are named Super Lawyers; only 2.5% of attorneys are listed as Rising Stars.

More Than 200 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys Named Best Lawyers and Ones to Watch

August 22, 2022

210 Cozen O’Connor lawyers from 24 of the firm’s nationwide offices for inclusion in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Super Lawyers Names 10 Cozen O’Connor Attorneys to its 2022 Florida List

July 11, 2022

Super Lawyers has named 10 Cozen O’Connor attorneys to its 2022 Florida Super Lawyers list.

Ellen Morris Selected as an Honoree for Daily Business Review’s Florida Legal Awards

March 25, 2022

Ellen Morris has been selected as an honoree for the Daily Business Review’s annual Florida Legal Awards in the Innovator category.

Ellen Morris Selected as an Honoree in South Florida Business & Wealth’s 2022 Prestigious Women Awards

March 01, 2022

Cozen O’Connor is pleased to announce that Ellen Morris, member of the firm’s Elder Law Group, has been selected as an honoree in South Florida Business & Wealth’s 2022 Prestigious Women Awards.

Cozen O’Connor Expands Private Client, Trusts and Estates Group with Six New Attorneys; Opens New South Florida Office in Boca Raton

September 02, 2021

The attorneys, from the boutique firms Morris Law Group and Elder Law Associates PA, are Stuart R. Morris, Ellen S. Morris, Howard S. Krooks, Gregory S. Bloshinsky, Michael S. Gross, and Cassandra Jelincic.

Publications

A Primer for Your Clients With Disabilities or Your Clients With Children With Disabilities [Daily Business Review]

December 07, 2022

Ellen Morris discusses the benefits, implications, and accounting requirements of Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNTs) in the Daily Business Review.

I Hate This Irrevocable Trust. Can I Change or Terminate It or Ask a Court to Change or Terminate It?

August 04, 2022

Ellen Morris discusses options for trustees and beneficiaries of irrevocable trusts in the Daily Business Review.

Beneficiary Trust Rights 101 [Alert]

March 30, 2022

Cozen O’Connor attorneys Ellen S. Morris and Howard S. Krooks, CELA, CAP discuss the basics of trust beneficiaries and beneficiary rights in this video.

The CMC recently provided clarification to guidance for nursing home visitation [Alert]

January 18, 2022

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently provided clarification to guidance for nursing home visitation in the form of an FAQ document.

Events & Seminars

Past Events

Fiduciary Litigation: Common Breaches of Trust

February 07, 2023 - Key Biscayne, FL

Advanced Litigation

January 14, 2022 - Orlando, FI

Elder Law and Litigation

October 26, 2021 - Webinar

Education

  • University of Florida School of Law, J.D., 1989
  • University of Florida, B.A., 1987

Awards & Honors

Best Lawyers in America, 2023-2024

Women Leaders in Law, Florida Trend

Legal Elite Notable Managing Partners, Florida Trend, 2024

2022 Prestigious Women, South Florida Business & Wealth

Innovators Honoree, Daily Business Review

Florida Legal Elite

South Florida Legal Guide Top Lawyer

Florida Super Lawyer

Top Attorney in Palm Beach & Martin counties 

“Member of the Year” for the Florida Bar Elder Law Section, 2008

AV-Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell

  • Florida