Reviews

Shana Siegel, does not shy away from“taking on the establishment!” Shana was instrumental in the case against my mother, by the Division of Human Services, Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services as well as, Medicaid in the State of New Jersey. Both branches, county and state levied an inconceivable attempt to reverse the “exempted” Holocaust restitution pension status, and ultimately were trying to retrieve moneys appropriated to Victims of the Nazi persecution, to go to their agencies. A true injustice by a government agency, towards a Holocaust survivor! Shana reached out to local and overseas institutions to produce documentation of proof of my mom’s eligibility status, spoke to numerous persons with first-hand knowledge, filed affidavits and testimonies on my mom’s behalf. Besides being a true advocate of the Elderly, Shana Siegel is knowledgeable, confident, easy to talk too, and was always readily available. I never felt rushed while expressing my thoughts or concerns or needing to talk over different options. Without Shana’s empathy and passion, to fight for the justice my mom so deserved, I truly do not think there would have been such an “amazing” outcome. With the Sincerest Gratitude, Susan

I was referred to Ms. Shana Siegel this past spring/summer 2021 regarding serious elder care matters surrounding my father. The pressing matters had continued over from the 2020 corona virus pandemic year into the current year of 2021. There were several moving parts. My husband and I needed an advocate in the field of elder care to see us through tedious processes that required expertise beyond the scope of what we could do. We enlisted Ms. Siegel and she was able to assist my family in obtaining Medicaid for my father and finding placement for him in a new facility for care immediately from the hospital. This period was quite stressful and contentious for family for a myriad of reasons, but Ms. Siegel saw us through the process. Through unforeseen matters and issues surrounding negligence with other entities at play, I was also advised ahead of time to prepare to obtain guardianship for my elder parent. Ms. Siegel was professional and kind through our legal process and my family was able obtain favorable outcomes in circumstances that are usually difficult to achieve.

She was consistently unprepared for court. It felt like she didn't know the case at all. I was extremely disappointed and had to fire her mid-trial. Ended up representing myself pro se. Lawyers like her are why people don't trust legal professionals.

She assumes things, ignores what you tell her and ask her to do, makes excuses for not returning calls for weeks on end on timely issues. Doesn’t ask the right questions, and now we have to go back and do it all again. Run do not walk

We are both attorneys who practice family law and I used to work with him in his office. I greatly respect him and his ability in court.

My parents supported my disabled brother into his middle age. When my dad needed long term care that would have financially ruined my parents, Mary WanderPolo (Ms. Siegel's partner) guided me through the steps necessary to obtain Medicaid for my dad, set up a Special Needs Trust for my brother and position my mom for the possibility that she might need long term care herself one day. (Thankfully she didn't.) As my brother's dementia progressed (on top of his lifetime schizophrenia diagnosis) during his long term stay at a state psychiatric hospital, I again needed assistance. Thanks to Shana Siegel's help and tremendous support from Lori Kayne, Geriatric Care Coordinator, I have been able to obtain Medicaid for my brother and transfer him to a much more appropriate behavioral unit in a nursing home. I always receive prompt replies to email and phone messages. All fees have been explained clearly. No way could I have successfully handled the ins and out of my family's estate planning and health care needs without the assistance of WanderPolo and Siegel.

Shana Siegel and her paralegal Maureen Roger assisted my family in estate planning for our parents and later settling the estate of my mother. They were very available, understanding and skilled in helping my family make these plans and then carry them through when my mother died. At such an emotional time it was a great comfort to work with this highly skilled law firm who were able to make the entire process understandable to all of us.

Shana Siegel and her team were amazing! When my Father was moved from our home to a nursing facility, I was scared, lost and completely overwhelmed. I was his POA and had no idea what that meant. On top of these difficult emotions and mental state, I was the only one in my family who was responsible enough to manage my fathers affairs. I heard about Shana's team and knew they would be the best fit for my family's needs. I was right and they were perfect! They made this troubling transition smooth and took the burden off of my shoulders. I provided them with all of the necessary information and they did the footwork to get anything else they needed. They made my part easy and effortless. More importantly, they showed empathy and warmth towards me which I truly appreciated. Since my Father was in a nursing facility and couldn't write or speak as a result of his stroke, they went so far as to meet my at the facility to help explain his rights to him and assist with the paperwork. They did this in private which I loved because they treated my Father like a person and not an invalid. On top of this, their social worker came to the facility to participate in a care plan meeting with my family and the facility. It was very comforting having her there and it helped diffuse some hostility between my family members about my Father's care. This meant the world to me! In addition to all of this, they worked with me to keep the fees low enough for me to afford them with my finances. They were always available with anything I needed via phone, email, live meetings, and anything else necessary in order to meet our family's needs. When I was there for live meetings, I often had to send paperwork to the state and facility, among others. They let me use their office materials and equipment to get the job done which was extremely helpful since I didn't have to run back-and-forth between multiple locations. Their offices are very clean, comfortable and professional as well. I am so grateful for them and all that they did for me and my family! Thank you all so much!!!

Several months ago my family and I met with Shana Siegel and a member of her staff, Lori Kayne (Care Coordinator, Social Worker) to ask for their assistance in helping us find the best nursing care unit for my husband, who has dementia and is disabled. We were also looking for a facility that would, in the future, offer Assisted Living units for me so that we could be in the same facility. We were offered many options in the area, all of which we visited, and eventually made a decision that we are very comfortable with. Shortly after moving him into his room, Lori Kayne met with me, my daughter and the facility's staff to ascertain that the move went smoothly and we were satisfied. Shana also spent lots of time with me to set up a five-year plan moving forward, including suggested financial advice, legal documents, etc. Shana and her staff spent numerous hours with us, including meetings at their office, speaking by telephone and many e-mails. I cannot thank Shana Siegel and her staff enough for seeing us through this emotional time. Bernadette

When my father fell ill and needed to move into a nursing home, my family turned to Wanderpolo and Siegel to guide us through the daunting Medicaid application process. Never having done this before, we needed their guidance to hold our hands and walk us through each step. They have failed miserably in this regard. We felt neglected, ignored, disrespected, and foolish. They consistently missed meetings and key deadlines. Their office staff is beyond incompetent, delivering documents late and riddled with mistakes. When Shana Siegel was confronted with these complaints, she made excuses and tried to brush them aside as insignificant. She clearly doesn't understand who is paying her bills. Once they realized their billable hours exceeded the fixed price of our contract, it became very difficult to reach them or get a status on my father's application. We were relegated to the bottom of the pile. The application was ultimately approved, due in large part to my family's Herculean efforts. Run, do not walk, away from Wanderpolo and Siegel.