KU law student serves on Kansas AG's Vulnerable Adults Task Force

LAWRENCE -- A University of Kansas law student in KU's Elder Law Clinic, Rebekah Gaston of Parkville, Mo., is serving as an intern for Attorney General Phill Kline's Vulnerable Adults Task Force.

The task force prioritizes consumer complaints in which vulnerable adults appear to be targeted and places them on track for investigation and potential litigation. As trends of fraud or abuse become apparent, the attorney general's office distributes the information to the public through the media and advocacy groups such as AARP, Kansas Advocacy & Protective Services and county departments on aging.

A second-year law student, Gaston is one of 10 KU students working in the KU Elder Law Clinic. The clinic gives students practical experience in handling common legal problems senior citizens face. Through the clinic, Gaston applied for and obtained her internship with the Vulnerable Adults Task Force.

Gaston said that she is not only earning credit for the position but also gaining valuable experience.

"Through working with the task force, I have come to see how great a target seniors are for people committing consumer fraud," Gaston said. "Specializing in elder law is something I would be interested in doing in the future."

Gaston said research has shown that seniors sometimes are too trusting. Combine that with having large sums of money and seniors become an easy target for consumer fraud, she said. The task force is set up to provide protection for these seniors and prevent future problems.

On the task force Gaston serves with representatives from the attorney general's office including representatives from the divisions of Consumer Protection and Antitrust and Medicaid Fraud and Abuse.

Gaston is the daughter of Kurt and Marcy Gaston of Parkville, Mo., and is a graduate of Robert E. Lee Senior High School in Baytown, Texas.