Reviews

We recently were notified by our insurance company that after 25 years our daughter's private duty nursing hours were being reduced. A mom of a special needs child recommended we contact Valerie Powers Smith for help. Valerie had an instant understanding of our problem and immediately took charge of the situation. In just three days she collected and reviewed hundreds of pages of medical information, interviewed pertinent medical personnel, made numerous phone calls and had the insurance company decision overturned. Valerie kept us informed of her progress daily through emails and phone calls. She understood the stress we were under and was always available for questions. I highly recommend Valerie Powers Smith to anyone who is in need of an attorney .

I am writing for the purpose of recommending, in the strongest possible terms, that anyone who needs legal advice or representation for a special needs family member contact Valerie Powers of Slovak, Baron, Empey, Murphy and Pinkney. I have had a very long relationship with Valerie Powers as my special needs brother’s stay at the home he had been living in for 48 of his 50 years had been legally challenged multiple times and Valerie worked tirelessly to make sure he was not moved. Her care, concern and compassion about some sensitive personal and legal issues made it easy for us to talk openly with her. She went over and above in contacting the appropriate agencies involved and was available very early while practicing from the West Coast, we reside in Connecticut, to weigh in on some very time sensitive issues. We also had the utmost faith that her knowledge of this legal system would ensure us the best possible outcome under the constraints of the law.

I retained Valerie Powers Smith to represent my interests in a trust litigation matter. It was a difficult time for me with very difficult people to deal with. Without a doubt, I would not have made it without her help. She really got every nuance of all the characters and completely understood my position and what I wanted. She guided me through the process legally, and emotionally, explaining the process and my options until I could understand. She supported me, listened and genuinely cared. She is truly a special person and exceptional attorney.

Attorney Powers is extreamly knowledgable in her field of law. She has represented us many times and has always worked out a successful solution. She is always available, returns call promptly and is a pleasure to work with.

We just completed conservatorship of our son a few days ago. He was our grandson until we adopted him a few years ago. He has multiple mental disabilities and has undergone 3 open heart surgeries. He is now 18 years of age and considered an adult; hence a conservatorship was necessary so we can legally handle his medical, schooling, financial, needs, etc. When we began asking various resources (including other attorneys) as to who was the best attorney in town to complete a conservatorship, only one name continually popped up - that of Valerie Powers Smith. Valerie is extremely knowledgeable in this field and provided the guidance and understanding we needed during this trying year. There is no better attorney than Valerie in the desert area to handle these matters. She is all of the above plus much more. She keeps you in the loop thru emails, and answers your questions immediately. Valerie will be the attorney we use for estate planning and a special needs trust for our son. It was a pleasure to work with her.

We had a tough case, and did not win, but it was not due to anything Valerie did for us. She was prepared and organized and turned over every stone. If we had enough money to continue, I believe she could have won the Supreme Court Appeal. She is a terrific attorney. It was refreshing to not have to start at the beginning. She "gets" it.

As both a client of and a co-presenter on developmental disabilities health insurance with Valerie Powers Smith, I recommend her not only on the four categories mentioned above, but for her sincere devotion to families affected by autism and other developmental disabilities, her understanding of all involved issues and her ability to quickly focus attention towards a speedy and successful resolution. As a parent of a son with autism, I know and appreciate the need for knowledgeable and decisive legal representation and Valerie Powers Smith is superb in her field of practice.

I heard about Valerie Powers through Easter Seals of South East PA. I have a 6 year old daughter that has special needs and she attends Easter Seals. Through the generosity of Easter Seals and Valerie, they offered free consultation for future planning. I had just gone through a divorce and was left alone with a disabled daughter. Meeting with Valerie gave me hope and confidence that I could make the right decisions for my daughter. I continued to work with Valerie to set up a long term plan and trust for my daughter so even if something happened to me, she would still be taken care of. During this process I hit many rough times, Valerie was very patient with me and worked with me. Everything is complete, and I have peace of mind. One less thing I have to worry about in my hectic life I have referred her to several people I know that would benefit from Valerie’s services. . I am very grateful to have met Valerie, It is never easy planning the what ifs, and she made it a easy pleasant process . Missy R.

Ms. Powers-Smith is an example of a competent, thorough, honest and hardworking attorney. She is not only excellent at her craft, but she truly cares about her clients and the work she presents. Her reputation is stellar and she is a true professional. She handled our adoption for our son and it went without any complications and she was thorough with the paperwork. I highly recommend her.

There are no words that can express our gratitude for the dedication and superior work of Valerie Powers Smith. It is because of her skillful and outstanding legal representation that many young medically fragile children continue to receive the set of healthcare services that they need. Children's Medical Daycare serves the most vulnerable residents in the inner-city of Trenton, New Jersey. Specifically, we serve children between the ages of birth to 4 with special healthcare needs. The hallmark of our program is that we serve children that live under challenging social circumstances that place them at risk of medical neglect. Most of the parents of our children are teenagers and young adults with very little resources and education. The medical daycare serves as a safety net for young medically fragile children and a hub of support for the young parents and families that struggle to render care. One day our medical daycare received a call from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services informing us that 53 of the 70 children that attended the program were disqualified from receiving services and could no longer attend the program. Needless to say, we were bombarded with calls and letters from desperate parents and families begging us not to discontinue services. One parent wrote: "There have been many nights when I have stayed up to make sure that my baby was breathing and many nights that I had to spend in the hospital while leaving my other children at home. If it wasn't for Children's Medical Daycare I wouldn't have a job right now. So I write this letter pleading my case that we [my daughter and I] need this center. We need the staff." Understanding that our parents would not be in a position to effectively advocate for their children to remain in the program, we called on Valerie Powers Smith. We will forever be grateful to her for not only taking all 53 cases, but fighting each and every one tooth and nail to the very end. She seamlessly filed for 53 Fair Medicaid Hearings within a matter of days! Ultimately because of her fierce advocacy and brilliant legal representation ALL of the cases were dropped and the children were able to continue to attend our medical daycare! The lives of the following children are better because of Valerie's work. Their parents and families have all expressed their heartfelt appreciation. A. Wadley-Ruthledge A. Spotwood A. Scott A. Saunders A. McBride A. Houston-Parks A. Hill A. Hayward A. Blanche B. Champion-Allen C. Williams C. Trent C. Ortiz D. Saunders D. Ramos D. McDuffie D. Cloyd D. Miner D. Miner E. Noncent E. Johnson F. Thompson F. Grier I. Candya-Richardson J. Houston-Parks J. Scott J. Roberts J. McDuffie-Miller J. Brown-Louis J. Barnes J. Anderson K. Lilly K. Jean- Pierre K. Bethea K. Barnes K. Ashe L. Jones M. Williams N. Rattley N. Enis O. Waugh O. Benning P. Rice Q. Young R. Rattley S. McDuffie T. James T. Burrell Y. Taylor Y. Jean-Pierre Y. Acosta Z. Whitacker Z. Taylor Z. Coley Z. Barnes If you are in need of a super exceptional lawyer, and one with compassion and integrity look no further. I speak for the entire Children's Medical Daycare family when I say it is an honor to call Valerie our lawyer and friend.

Valerie's strengths can be summed up into these words: Respectful, Thorough, Trustworthy, Responsive. Valerie showed genuine interest in the case and her problem solving methods reflect her best intentions -- that is succeeding in the best interest of her client(s). I've known and have been privileged to work with Valerie for a few years now. She took complicated issues in my case, scalpeled her way through it, and at the end of the day offered a fair solution that I was happy with. She treated me like a good friend and with total respect. Her communication skills (with emails) were almost as instantaneous as having a dedicated one-to-one chat. She always kept me informed in a timely fashion. The latter I find important given today's available communication tools (email on smartphones and i-devices). I highly recommend Valerie and will continue to recommend her to my friends, relatives and colleagues.

Excellent in dealing with New Jersey Insurance and Medicaid law when dealing with a child with disabilities.