Susan I. Jean & Associates

Susan I. Jean has been in practice on the Peninsula for nearly fifteen years, focusing on Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Estate Planning for Disability. She is certified as an elder law attorney through the National Elder Law Foundation, the only organization accredited by the American Bar Association to offer certification in this area of law (the Virginia State Bar does not offer or recognize certification). She is the past president of the Virginia Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) as well as being a member of the national organization. She has taught these subjects to other attorneys as a speaker for certified legal education for the Virginia Bar Association, for the National Business Institute, and for Half Moon Seminars. She is a frequent community speaker, to churches, charities, and fraternal and community organizations. Mrs. Jean is the past president of the York-Poquoson Bar Association, sits on the Board of Directors for the Peninsula Pastoral Counseling Center, and is a member of the Peninsula Estate Planning Council.

Christina C. Balaban became associated with Susan I. Jean in May of 2004, prior to which she was practicing law in North Carolina. Her practice areas include estate planning, elder law, guardianships, conservatorships and disability law.
Mrs. Balaban earned her Juris Doctor degree from The Pennsylvania State University - Dickinson School of Law. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where she was an Andrew J. Rider Scholar, as well as graduating summa cum laude with numerous honors having been accorded to her.
Mrs. Balaban is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Guardianship Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association and the York-Poquoson Bar Association where she served as Treasurer from 2005-2006.

William H. Carmines became associated with Susan I. Jean in June of 2007. Prior to joining Susan I. Jean & Associates, he worked in Washington, D.C. on Capitol Hill and with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom. His practice areas include estate planning, estate administration, asset protection, elder law, as well as guardianships and conservatorships.

Mr. Carmines earned his Juris Doctor degree from Case Western Reserve University School of law in Cleveland, Ohio. He has had his research published and used as teaching aids by professors in several law schools around the country. He earned his undergraduate degree in International Relations and Psychology from the College of William and Mary, in Williamsburg, Virginia. Additionally, he studied community and family counseling in a masters program at the College of William and Mary before entering law school.

Mr. Carmines is a native of Poquoson, Virginia and has lived in the Hampton Roads area for most of his life. He is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the Virginia Guardianship Association, the Virginia Bar Association, the York-Poquoson Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Republican National Lawyers Association.

Elizabeth E. Bircher joined the firm as an associate attorney in June 2007. Her practice areas include Elder Law and Special Needs Planning as well as Estate Planning. She earned her law degree from the College of William and Mary’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Bircher was a member of the school’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Team where she twice won the negotiation competition, partnered on a regional finalist negotiation team, and partnered on a team that placed as an alternate in the school mediation competition. Ms. Bircher earned her undergraduate degree in Anthropology from the College of William and Mary.

Before joining Susan I. Jean & Associates, LLC, Ms. Bircher researched and wrote a manual on Election Law to be used by state court judges. She developed her extensive experience in customizing services to meet clients’ unique needs during the years she worked in the information industry prior to attending law school.

Ms. Bircher is a member of the Virginia Bar Association and serves on its Community Service Council. She also volunteers with Newport News CASA, the Peninsula SPCA, and the PORT Emergency Homeless Winter Shelter program.