Marnie Ritchie Poncy, Esq.

Mrs. Poncy joined the Firm in 2011 and heads our Bioethics and Health Care Advocacy Department. Our Bioethics and Health Care Advocacy department offers representation to families, hospitals, trust companies, assisted living facilities, and physicians concerning the legal consequences of health care and end of life decisions. These bioethical decisions have become fraught with legal consequence and conflict, and we have found that  legal and medical guidance is often required and very welcome by our clients, their families, their physicians, and health care institutions.  At its very basic level, it furthers our ability to help our clients deal with advance directives concerning their health care, assisted living arrangements, and end of life decisions.  Most importantly, legal counsel on these subjects secures the clear wishes of our clients and avoids family conflict and potential litigation between family members and health care providers.

Mrs. Poncy is a registered nurse as well as a member of the Florida Bar. Currently, Ms. Poncy serves as Chairman of the Board of the Health Council of  South East Florida (HCSEF).  This Council is one of eleven in the State created by Florida Statue and charged with assessing the health care needs of the populations of Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River and Saint Lucie Counties.  She is an Adjunct Professor at Palm Beach State College and a visiting lecturer at the University of Miami.  She served from 2002-2009 as the supervising attorney of the Bioethics Law Project, of Palm Beach County, and is the recipient of numerous grants concerning her area of bioethical (legal consequence of health care decision) studies.  She is or has been a member of the following committees: State Attorney’s Task Force for Crimes against the Elderly, Treasure Coast Health Council Board, Ethics Committees of Hospice of Palm Beach County, Hospice by the Sea, and St. Mary’s Hospital, as well as others. She also served as the Director of Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center High-Risk Pregnancy Program and has received numerous awards, including the Hero in Medicine Award of Palm Beach County (2008), the Guardian Ad Litem Pro Bon Award (2003), and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Humanitarian Award.

Papers and Presentations: The Importance of Advance Directive Health Care Planning; Medical/Legal Issues in End of Life Care; The Physician Mandate for Patient Advance Directive Discussion and Documentation after Terri Schiavo;  Ethical and Legal Issues Surrounding Baker Acting an Alzheimer’s Patient; Discharge Planning and Advance Directives with the Post-Stroke Patient;  The Value of the Nurse in Advance Directive Care Planning;  The Role of the Guardian in End of Life Care; The Role of Clergy in Advocating for Advance Directive Planning; The Law and Do Not Resuscitate Orders, and many others.

Mrs. Poncy’s children are attorneys, doctors, and musicians, with graduates of Dartmouth, Harvard, Miami, and Vermont.

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