by Bruce Rosenblatt | May 9, 2016 | Blog, Assisted Living
SELECTING AN ELDER LAW ATTORNEY
It may seem very easy to open a phone book or search the internet for a name of an elder law attorney; however, finding the RIGHT one that fits your needs actually will require some research.
Over a cup of coffee, I met with a friend and colleague to discuss how exactly do you chose the right Elder Law attorney. According to Elder Law attorney, Ed Smith of Southwest Florida Estate Planning, (www.southwestfloridaelderlaw.com), there are some key factors involved in selecting the right elder law attorney. These include:
Seek a referral/recommendation. Talk with your friends, your financial advisor, your accountant, your family attorney and your anyone else that may know of an elder law attorney.
Evaluate the credentials. Attorneys must be licensed in the state that they are practicing law and must be registered by the Bar Association of that specific state. In addition, Elder Law attorneys can be members of National Elder Law consortiums, such as ElderCounsel (www.eldercounsel.com) or NAELA (www.naela.org) which can be a resource to use for credentials and overall information. Attorneys can also become Board Certified or maintain other awards which can assist with learning about the attorney’s credentials.
It’s all about the relationship. Utilizing the services of an elder law attorney is very personal. It is important that you trust that your attorney is looking after your best interests. Many attorneys can provide you the end result, however a good elder law attorney will present you with a number of options to help solve your situation. Empathy is an important consideration as well. Your attorney should truly understand your situation and have a genuine interest in helping you.
Understand the fee structure. Some attorneys will charge hourly while others will charge a flat rate. It is important to know this upfront and be comfortable with the arrangement. A flat rate might appear a bit high at first, however you won’t be nickel and dimed for every 5-minute phone call you make. The scope of work should be defined as well terms should be clear should you want to terminate the agreement.
There are many types of attorneys, however an Elder Law attorney specializes in Medicaid and Long term planning, veteran benefits, and other special need and government assistance planning. An Elder Law attorney is not a financial planner but should be willing to work with your financial planner and CPA to help you develop a solid plan for your future.
A good elder law attorney should help understand your current status and have an open discussion about what you want to accomplish in the end. You and your attorney should openly discuss goals, objectives, as well as pros and cons of certain approaches.
by Bruce Rosenblatt | Oct 16, 2015 | Resources
Collier County Bar Association
The mission of Collier County Bar Association is to serve our members and the community, enhance the legal profession and educate the public concerning the legal profession.
Address:
3315 East Tamiami Trail
Suite 505
Naples, FL 34112
Website:
www.colliercountybar.org
Contact:
Lisa Mead
Executive Director
Office: 239-252-8711
Email: [email protected]
by Bruce Rosenblatt | Oct 16, 2015 | Attorneys, Eldercare Directory, Estate
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Stephen A. Kotler, esq
Business Description:
Practice focuses on comprehensive wealth transfer planning, asset preservation, probate and trust administration, federal transfer tax and elder law.
Awards/ Certifications:
Steve Kotler is AV preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest peer review rating for both legal ability and professional ethics granted by the over 140 year old publication. Steve has been selected as a Florida Super lawyer in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Steve has been named as Florida Trend Legal Elite and U.S. News & World Report Best Lawyer. Steve has a Avvo rating of 10.0. Steve is am accredited attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Florida Bar Board Certified in Wills, Trusts and Estates
Year opened: 2009
Address:
999 Vanderbilt Beach Road Suite 200
Naples, FL 34108
Website:
www.kotler.com
Contact:
Steve Kotler
Office: (239)325-2333
Email: [email protected]
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by Bruce Rosenblatt | Oct 14, 2015 | Eldercare Directory, Medical, Medical Planning
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Susan Cassidy, MD, JD
Business Description:
- CRITICALMD provides a broad range of services including:
- Cognitive Capacity Assessments
- Personalized Medical Planning
- Mediation and Arbitration
- Home Care and Assisted Living Evaluations
- Advocacy, Medical Resource and Referral Services
As the Medical Director for the NFL Player Benefits Plan, Dr. Cassidy had a key role in the design and execution of the NFL Player Neurocognitive Benefit. Since leaving the NFL Player Benefit Plan, Dr. Cassidy formed CRITICALMD to provide assistance to patients, families, elder and estate attorneys, and wealth management professionals.Her clinical experience includes; private medical practice and Medical Director positions at IBM and at Aetna Health Plans. She had a lead role on Ford Motor Company’s Health Care Team in Ford’s bargaining with the UAW, serving on Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Board of Directors. After Ford, she was a Senior Director and then Vice President at Sanofi-aventis Pharmaceuticals.
As CEO of a medical device company, Dr. Cassidy drafted legislation, The Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act, to mandate equity in Medicare coverage of prosthetics for women with breast cancer.
Unique Aspect:
Being a physician and an attorney with broad expertise in clinical care, cognitive issues, advocacy, and managing health care conflicts.
Awards/Certifications:
Dr. Cassidy is a Board Certified Internist who received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and her Juris Doctor degree from University of Connecticut School of Law. In addition to Board Certification in Internal Medicine, she completed a Psychiatry internship at Vanderbilt. She is a faculty member teaching Public Health Law for the American College of Preventive Medicine. While serving as a coach for Georgetown Law School’s International Mediation Competition Team, she taught mediation as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University School of Law.
Dr. Cassidy is an experienced mediator. Representative matters include: Professional Privileges, Appropriateness of Care, Patient Family Issues, Professional Relationships and Conduct, Crisis Management, Ethical Considerations, End of Life Decision-making, and Adverse Events.
She is nationally recognized speaker and is known for her expertise and the passion she brings to a variety of medical and legal topics.
Year opened: 2013
Address:
Naples, FL 34103
Website:
www.criticalmd.com
Contact:
Susan Cassidy
Cell: (908)361-9678
Email: [email protected][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
by Bruce Rosenblatt | Oct 13, 2015 | Attorneys, Eldercare Directory, Estate
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Ed Wollman
Business Description:
Estate law, elder planning, guardianship and long term care consulting
Unique Aspect:
We are an elder law and estate consulting firm with over 25 years experience handling unique situations pertaining to seniors
Awards/ Certifications:
Ed is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the highest peer review rating for both legal ability and professional ethics granted by the 140 year old publication. Ed was named a Florida Super Lawyer in the category of Estate Planning and Probate in the annual Florida Super Lawyers from 2007 through 2016 editions of “Law and Politics.”
Year opened: 1994
Address:
2235 Venetian Court Suite 5
Naples, FL 34109
Website:
www.probate-florida.com
Contact:
Edward Wollman
Office: (239)435-1533
Email: [email protected][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
