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15 Dec, 2012 by Anonymous
I highly recommend Norman Schneider as an attorney. He is very knowledgeable in a wide variety of areas. I have used his services for estate planning, and employment issues as well as other topics. He is an experienced attorney and I have used his services since 1995.
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20 Aug, 2024 by S
Peter has excellent communication skills and is incredibly knowledgeable. He is candid and will always give you the full picture as it stands. Whilst showing the utmost professionalism, the thing that has and continues to stand out for me is Peter’s human side; always showing genuine concern for the client. He will always go over and above to help. Mine was a difficult case which Peter helped to navigate in the best way possible. I would not hesitate to recommend Peter’s services - you will be in safe hands!
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02 Aug, 2024 by Gjergj dollani
Peter has been my go-to for the past 6-7 years. He has helped me tremendously with various issues from contracts to litigations, and has always pushed hard to represent my interests.
His integrity is paramount, which is of huge importance to me and my family.
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06 May, 2024 by Lyudmyla topcha
We loved our experience with Jabaly Law.
Peter provided exceptional quality of work, excellent customer service. Any questions we had, Peter made sure to answer all of them and prioritized our case! I highly recommend Peter as a lawyer, won’t regret it.
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21 Aug, 2024 by Christine walika
17 Apr, 2024 by Drake taylor
29 Oct, 2023 by Brian k
4.3
6 Reviews
4.9
15 Reviews
02 May, 2024 by Mel
I was referred to Tawnya by The Alexandria Bar Association (ACBA) Lawyer Referral Service, for my uncontested divorce.
I arrived at the office for my consultation appointment. The receptionist (a gentleman, didn't catch his name) didn't tell Tawnya that I arrived. 10 minutes later, she came out, and was surprised to see me. Unfortunate, but fine. Now we can begin.
We get to her office, and the conversation went thus:
What's your situation? I'm getting a divorce
How long were you married? 6 years
I sent you paperwork, you didn't complete it. Yes I did, I emailed it back to you.
Do you have a signed settlement agreement? No, she won't sign.
Did you send that to me? Yes, in the same email.
Oh! There it is.
I was beyond frustrated. I booked a 30 minute appointment, and the majority of it was eaten answering questions that I had already provided answers and documentation for when she requested it 4 days prior. I was very thorough, to avoid this exact scenario. I wanted this meeting to be productive. It wasn't.
She talked me through the process, answered a few specific questions I had brought with me, but ultimately, nothing I couldn't have found online. Very disappointing experience.
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19 Oct, 2023 by Kishia rivers
This law office I visited was exceptional. The lawyers were highly knowledgeable and professional. They provided clear and concise advice, and their attention to detail was impressive. The office itself was well-organized and had a welcoming atmosphere. I was thoroughly impressed with their expertise and the level of service they provided. Overall, it was a great experience and I would highly recommend this law office.
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19 Oct, 2023 by Judy mugo
29 May, 2021 by Garrett
Chris was great to work with! Very professional, responsive, timely and he gave great advice throughout the process. At our signing he made a could be stressful situation very seamless! Keep up the great work and thank you for helping us!
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27 May, 2021 by Richmond
Christopher was great! Nice guy and very thorough. Have referred him to others. Thank you Chris. Your help and professionalism was much appreciated.
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22 May, 2021 by Stephan
Chris and his staff are truly amazing at what they do. Anytime I have needed something done for my mom, they were there helping me with what I needed to be completed. Chris even went to visit my mom in a nursing facility while I was out of state to help along our trust process. The staff always pick up the phones and respond to emails promptly. I cannot stress how professional this law office is and I would recommend them to anyone that needs estate planning.
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30 Sep, 2024 by King bigga red williams
I was very impressed with there services. I know I will go back to them in the future if I have any other issues.
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07 Aug, 2024 by Orbelina avalo
I can't emphasize enough how impressed I am with their excellent customer service. From the very first interaction, their team was professional, attentive, and genuinely committed to addressing all my concerns. They went above and beyond to ensure I felt supported and informed throughout the entire process. I highly recommend the Barrara Law firm to anyone seeking legal assistance. You won't be disappointed.
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22 Jul, 2024 by Aarti savoor
We had a very good experience with Virginia Barrera and her team. They assisted my 82-year old mother with the paperwork needed to get through her interview for her citizenship. Virginia is very prompt in replying to text messages and emails. I would highly recommend this firm for your immigration issues.
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19 Aug, 2024 by Deanne
I was very fortunate to retain Deb as my Attorney in assisting me with the duties associated with administering my uncle's estate. This was my first experience with the probate process, and it seemed quite daunting at first.
As it turned out, navigating through the probate process was made much easier thanks to the exceptional experience, knowledge, organization, support, guidance and professionalism of Deb and her team. I was provided with the necessary information, documents, and referrals. Communication from her office was courteous, timely and professional, and follow-up by her office was performed in a timely manner.
I am most grateful to Deb and her team for services, guidance and support provided. I highly recommend Deb and her team for their dedication, experience, and ability to effectively and efficiently provide the necessary legal assistance associated with the handling of any estate matter, with compassion, professionalism, and respect.
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12 Nov, 2023 by Anonymous
Deb came highly recommended to me after I had a difficult time dealing with my father's estate. I did not want my family to have the same issues.
She and her time were great, explained all the steps need for a Will and estate planning, everything was done in a timely manner.
I cannot thank her enough for the peace of mind she has provided for me
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15 Aug, 2023 by Diane
Deborah has been SO helpful to us at different phases of our life. After we had children it all became real! Deb helped us with all aspects of estate planning – writing a will, establishing a trust, setting up medical directives, powers of attorney, etc. And she looked out for us over the years. When our oldest child turned 18, she helped them set up their own power of attorney and medical directive so that we could continue to legally act on their behalf if the need ever arises (something we weren’t even aware we needed to do!). Our youngest just turned 18 and completed the same paperwork and I am so grateful with how much time and care Deb took with her. She was very welcoming and patient, taking the time needed to make sure she understood everything. She has always made us feel comfortable, no matter our questions! Deb is extremely knowledgeable and very caring. Highly recommend.
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25 Apr, 2024 by Katt k
08 Mar, 2024 by Zauhirah tipu
I met with David Hagan for a consultation and he was incredibly helpful, genuine, informative, and honest! I would definitely recommend him to my friends and family. He looks out for the best interest of the client.
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23 Aug, 2023 by E w (ew)
I had the pleasure of retaining Attorney Rebecca Wade several times since 2016. She is awesome. I wouldn't seek the advice from any other attorney in Northern Virginia. Highly recommended.
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10 Feb, 2022 by Anonymous
In my opinion I was not happy with the representation. I felt bad when I left.
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29 Feb, 2016 by Lauren
We were grateful to Misha for giving us the guidance and, more necessary, the assertive encouragement to pursue establishment of documents to protect our assets and secure our children's welfare. Misha was direct, clear, and timely in his communications with us. The final product is an impressive portfolio. Misha also followed up to make sure we knew of other websites and documents that will help our wishes be made clearly to family. His affordable rate was well-worth the peace of mind achieved.
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24 Apr, 2021 by Betty
He was appointed by the state of VA to take care of my brother's affairs. The reason for this is my brother stopped all contact with the family back in the 70s. I found out about my brother's death about 2 months after he died, so I sent away for his death certificate. My bother had a military funeral. Even though Mr. Labowitz had my brother's discharge be had corporal placed on the head stone, when in fact he was a Staff Sargent. After I received the death certificate contacted Mr. Labowitz and he sent me some of my brother's stuff among the person property was my bother's discharge papers, so I was able to contact Quantico National Cemetery and get the correct title placed on his stone. I had to contact Mr. Lebowitz again to ask for the flag that was used for my brother's funeral, his response was "Didn't think you wanted that" Along with the flag I was also sent his birth certificate which had our parent's name listed. The death certificate said parents unknown. I wrote to the state of VA to add their names and was told that that could only be done buy a court order. I wrote Mr. Labowitz and asked why he didn't provide the parents information. His response was "I do not believe that I have the responsibility to add your parents’ names to the certificate simply because we had the birth certificate and the person on my staff who provided the information to the funeral home did not connect the two documents." He also suggested I hire a lawyer who can do this for $1600.
So he thinks I should pay $1600 for something he neglected to do.
What ever the state paid him it was too much.
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20 Mar, 2016 by Barry
We lived in England for the duration of our dealings with Mr K E Labowitz of Dingman Labowitz PC, Alexandria, VA which hindered communication somewhat but shouldn't have been a problem with a dedicated counsel.
Mr Labowitz. had been engaged by the executor of a will as the trustee of a testamentary trust left to our infant son: “to pay for his future university education”.
It was a sad, bad experience for us: Mr Labowitz oversaw a loss in wealth of ~63% and his failure to perform his duties as per the published directives has left a lot of questions.
For starters, the lawyer-client relationship begins with a discussion of fees, yet Mr Labowitz never discussed his fees with us even though the Virginia Bar has published instructions on this subject.
The lawyer's fee shall be adequately explained to the client. When the lawyer has not regularly represented the client, the amount, basis or rate of the fee shall be communicated to the client, preferably in writing, before or within a reasonable time after commencing the representation.
Amongst a vast (sic) amount of correspondence between Mr Labowitz, the Virginia Bar, and me, but completely out of the blue, Mr Labowitz averred that he had discussed his fees with me via a phone call. (This would have required an international call involving a 5 hour local time difference.) Sending a document via email or mail would have been more efficient and would have provided hardcopy reference material.
Even more worrying is the fact that I have never spoken to Mr Labowitz. (It is not simply the case that I have forgotten the conversation he refers to. People like us don’t receive calls from American attorneys and it would have been a memorable event.) Mr Labowitz may have been confusing me with another of his international clients. Nevertheless I asked him to check his records for the call details. He declined but the fact remains that we never knew what fees were deducted from the trust.
The VA Bar saw no need to query the differences between our versions, accepting the statement of their member.
Considering its stated purpose the trust appeared a natural candidate for investing in safe, long-term instruments for the 15 years of its lifetime yet it matured with a loss of ~63%, (down from $114k to $43K). We cannot determine how this loss came about because we never received monthly statements from the trustee or the account manager at Wells Fargo despite several requests for them over the years.
We were also unable to get answers about tax paid (even though the trust never turned a profit) as well as several other things usually of interest to an owner of managed investments.
Mr Labowitz moved the trust to a different financial institution for its final year. He never told us about the move and when we found out he would not explain why he made it. It made no sense considering the trust was severely depleted.
I made a formal complaint to the VA Bar which resisted accepting it but eventually put it on the docket and he was exonerated; things were recorded which simply hadn't happened.
This was very disappointing; all the research I had done was simply ignored.
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FAQs
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What an Elder Law Lawyer Can Do for You
An elder law lawyer specializes in legal issues that affect older adults, their families, and caregivers. These lawyers handle a broad range of topics, including estate planning, Medicaid and Medicare, long-term care planning, guardianship, elder abuse, and retirement planning. The goal of an elder law lawyer is to protect the rights, finances, and well-being of elderly individuals and to help them plan for future healthcare and financial security.
If you or a loved one is aging and facing challenges related to healthcare, finances, or legal matters, an elder law lawyer can provide essential guidance to protect your rights and interests as you age.
When Should I Hire an Elder Law Lawyer?
Hiring an elder law lawyer can be beneficial in many situations where older adults need help with legal, financial, or healthcare-related decisions. Common reasons to hire an elder law lawyer include:
- Estate planning: If you want to create or update a will, set up trusts, or ensure that your assets are distributed according to your wishes, an elder law lawyer can help with comprehensive estate planning.
- Medicaid and Medicare planning: If you need help qualifying for Medicaid to cover long-term care or need advice on navigating Medicare benefits, a lawyer can guide you through the application process and protect your assets.
- Long-term care planning: If you’re concerned about paying for nursing home care or assisted living, a lawyer can help you create a financial plan and explore options for government assistance.
- Guardianship or conservatorship: If a family member is unable to make decisions due to age-related cognitive issues, an elder law lawyer can assist in setting up legal guardianship or conservatorship to ensure their care.
- Elder abuse and exploitation: If you or a loved one is experiencing physical, emotional, or financial abuse, an elder law lawyer can help you take legal action to stop the abuse and recover damages.
- Retirement planning: Elder law lawyers can assist with planning for retirement, including managing pensions, Social Security, and other retirement income.
- Special needs planning: If you have a disabled family member who requires special care, an elder law lawyer can help create trusts or other legal arrangements to ensure their long-term financial and healthcare needs are met.
What Does an Elder Law Lawyer Do?
An elder law lawyer provides a wide range of legal services to help older adults and their families navigate the complexities of aging, healthcare, and estate planning. Their responsibilities often include:
- Drafting wills and trusts: Creating legal documents that outline how an individual’s assets will be distributed after death, ensuring that their wishes are honored.
- Medicaid and Medicare planning: Helping clients protect their assets while qualifying for government benefits to cover healthcare and long-term care costs.
- Establishing guardianships: Assisting families in setting up guardianship or conservatorship for loved ones who are unable to make decisions due to mental or physical incapacity.
- Protecting against elder abuse: Investigating claims of elder abuse or financial exploitation and representing the victim in legal actions to stop the abuse and seek compensation.
- Planning for long-term care: Developing strategies to cover the costs of nursing homes, assisted living, and other long-term care options without exhausting the elder’s financial resources.
- Managing probate and estate administration: Guiding families through the probate process to ensure that the decedent’s assets are distributed according to the law and their wishes.
- Setting up advance directives: Helping clients establish healthcare directives and powers of attorney to ensure their medical and financial decisions are carried out if they become incapacitated.
How Are Elder Law Lawyers Paid?
Elder law lawyers typically charge for their services based on the complexity of the case and the type of legal work involved. Common payment structures include:
- Hourly rate: Many elder law lawyers charge by the hour, especially for tasks such as drafting documents, handling legal disputes, or providing ongoing legal advice. Hourly rates typically range from $150 to $500 or more, depending on the lawyer’s experience and location.
- Flat fee: For specific tasks, such as drafting a will or setting up a trust, some lawyers charge a flat fee. This can range from $500 to $5,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the estate plan.
- Retainer: For long-term legal representation, such as managing a trust or handling guardianship matters, a lawyer may charge a retainer, which is an upfront payment that covers future legal work.
- Contingency fee: In some elder abuse or financial exploitation cases, a lawyer may work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they only get paid if they recover compensation for the client. This fee is typically a percentage of the settlement or damages awarded.
Be sure to discuss fees with your lawyer during the initial consultation to understand how you will be billed and what the total cost of services might be.
How Much Does an Elder Law Lawyer Cost?
The cost of hiring an elder law lawyer varies depending on the complexity of the case, the lawyer’s experience, and the fee structure. General cost estimates include:
- Simple estate planning: Drafting basic documents, such as a will or power of attorney, may cost between $500 and $2,000, depending on the complexity of the client’s assets and wishes.
- Complex estate planning: Setting up more advanced estate plans, such as revocable or irrevocable trusts, Medicaid planning, or special needs trusts, can range from $2,000 to $10,000 or more.
- Guardianship or conservatorship: Legal fees for setting up guardianship or conservatorship often range from $2,000 to $5,000 or more, depending on the complexity of the case and whether disputes arise.
- Medicaid planning: Legal fees for Medicaid planning can range from $1,500 to $10,000, depending on the level of asset protection needed and the complexity of the individual’s financial situation.
Always ask for an estimate of fees during your initial consultation to ensure you understand how much the legal services will cost.
Top Questions to Ask an Elder Law Lawyer
Before hiring an elder law lawyer, it’s important to ask the right questions to ensure they have the experience and expertise needed to handle your case. Key questions to ask include:
-
What experience do you have with elder law cases?
Make sure the lawyer has experience handling cases similar to yours, whether it's estate planning, Medicaid applications, or elder abuse claims. -
How do you charge for your services?
Clarify whether the lawyer charges by the hour, a flat fee, or a retainer, and ask for a detailed estimate of the total cost. -
What is the best approach for my case?
Ask for an honest assessment of your situation and what legal strategies the lawyer recommends. -
How long will the process take?
Whether it’s drafting an estate plan or setting up a guardianship, ask the lawyer how long they expect the process to take. -
Will you handle my case personally?
In larger firms, junior attorneys or paralegals may handle parts of the case. Make sure you know who will be working on your case directly. -
What documents should I bring to the consultation?
Ask the lawyer what documentation or information you should prepare for your consultation, such as medical records, financial statements, or prior legal documents.
How to Check the Credibility of an Elder Law Lawyer
To ensure you are hiring a reputable elder law lawyer, follow these steps to verify their credentials and experience:
- Check their bar status: Verify with your state bar association that the lawyer is licensed to practice and has no history of disciplinary actions.
- Look for elder law experience: Review the lawyer’s website or professional profile to ensure they specialize in elder law and have experience with cases similar to yours.
- Read client reviews and testimonials: Look for client reviews on platforms like Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, or Google to see what previous clients have said about the lawyer’s professionalism and success rate.
- Ask for references: A credible lawyer should be able to provide references from past clients who have worked with them on elder law issues.
- Check for certifications: Look for certifications or affiliations with organizations such as the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), which can indicate the lawyer’s dedication to elder law.
What Should I Prepare for My First Consultation?
To get the most out of your first consultation with an elder law lawyer, it’s important to come prepared with relevant documents and information. Here’s what you should bring:
- Existing estate planning documents: If you have a will, trust, or power of attorney in place, bring copies for the lawyer to review.
- Financial records: Provide details of your assets, including bank accounts, investments, real estate, and retirement accounts, as well as any debts.
- Medical information: If the case involves guardianship or Medicaid planning, bring relevant medical records that detail the individual's health condition and care needs.
- Insurance policies: Bring information about health insurance, long-term care insurance, and any other relevant policies.
- Questions for the lawyer: Write down any questions you have about your legal needs, the process, and the lawyer’s fees.
- List of family members or beneficiaries: Prepare a list of the individuals you want to include in your estate plan or who will be affected by the legal process.
By preparing thoroughly for your consultation, you can help the lawyer assess your situation more effectively and receive the best legal advice tailored to your needs.
