Attorney Profile

Susan E. Durre

Susan Durre has practiced law since 1971, and opened her own practice in 1975. Attorney Durre has been active in community service throughout her career. Her interests have focused on both children and the elderly. She has served as a Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout Den Mother, classroom aide, as well as a teacher of religious education at church.

When Miami-Dade County's first nonprofit corporate guardian was formed, Susan Durre served as its legal counsel for several years, providing legal service to indigent pro bono. More recently, she served on the board of directors of the Alliance for the Aging, Inc., the area agency providing services to the elderly of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. She also served as its Treasurer in 2002.

After the state revised Florida's guardianship law requiring each judicial circuit to produce an 8-hour course for guardians. At the request of the court she produced the course to meet the legislative mandate. At about the same time, she organized a series of monthly luncheons for attorneys to meet and hear speakers on the current issues in probate and guardianship. Corporate sponsorship was secured, and the series ran for several years.

Association Involvement

She served as chair of the Probate and Guardianship section of the Miami-Dade County Bar Association 1988-89 and was active in the legislative hearings on guardianship reform. Previously, she served as President of the South Miami-Kendall Bar Association from 1978 to 1979. Recently, she served as President of the Miami Business Exchange. Susan Durre has lectured at legal seminars on probate and guardianship for the bar and civic groups.

Working as a sole practitioner since 1975, attorney Susan E. Durre has been handled thousands of estate planning and administration cases since 1971. With a bachelor's in business administration and major in accounting, she understands the financial implications of the decisions made by her clients. She has received Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating, a AV, for her work in the 11th judicial circuit and other Florida courts.

Areas of Practice

• Probate & Estate Administration
• Estate Planning
• Wills
• Trusts - Preparation and Administration
• Health Care Directives
• Estate & Gift Taxation
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Elder Law
• Contracts

Bar Admissions

• Florida, 1971
• U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida, 1979
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1987

Education

• University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, Florida, 1971, J.D.
• University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 1966, B.S.B.A., Major: Accounting

Published Works

• Relationship of Domicile on Estates The Surviving Spouse, November, 1989
• Classes/Seminars Taught
• Organized Probate and Guardianship Education Seminars, 1985
• Organized Guardianship Training Seminar, Eleventh Judicial Circuit-Dade County, January 27, 1990
• Handling Special Guardian of the Property Problems, Guardianship Law, Florida Bar Seminar, 1986
• Creditor's Rights in the Estate, Probate Forum - The Surviving Spouse, 1988
• Florida Association of Court Clerks Summer Conference Seminar, Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. V. Pope, June 30, 1988
• Probate or Non-Probate Assets, National Business Institute Seminar, August 21, 1988
• The Various Forms of Administration, National Business Institute Seminar, August 21, 1988
• Conducting Competency Hearings - a Practical Guide, Florida Bar Seminar, October 28, 1988
• The Relationship of Domicile on Estates, Probate Forum - The Surviving Spouse, November 20, 1989
• Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section Convention Mock Incapacity Hearing Participant, Probate Forum - The Surviving Spouse, 1990
• Florida Uniform Transfers to Minors Act, Probate Forum, 1990
• Guardianships, Lorman Education Services Seminar on Fundamentals of Probate Administration, Wills, Trusts and Guardianships, August 14, 1991
• Living Wills, Lorman Education Services Seminar on Fundamentals of Probate Administration, Wills, Trusts and Guardianships, August 14, 1991
• Alternatives to Guardianship, Fundamentals of Probate Administration, Wills, Trusts and Guardianships, Lorman Education Services Seminar, August 14, 1991
• Mock Mediation Participant, Dade County Bar Association, Probate and Guardianship Committee, 1991
• Conducting Competency Hearings Probate and Guardianship Law Seminar, Florida Bar, 1988

Honors and Awards

• Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rated

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Dade County Bar Association, Probate and Guardianship Sections, 1988 - 1989, Chairman
• Probate & Guardianship Division, 1987 - 1988, Vice-Chairman
• Probate & Guardianship Division, 1987 - 1990, 11th Judicial Circuit Bench/Bar Liaison Committee
• Miami Business Exchange, 2004 - 2006, President, 2004
• Alliance for Agining, Inc. Dade & Monroe Counties, 2000 - 2003, Member, Board of Directors & Treasurer
• Guardianship Program of Dade County, Inc., 1981 - 1986, Counsel
• South Miami-Kendall District Bar Association, 1978 - 1979, President