I was named to the Super Lawyer list in 2011 in the area of Elder Law. Elder Law is a legal specialty encompassing a number of practice areas focusing on the legal issues affecting seniors and people with disabilities. The major legal practice areas under the umbrella of Elder Law include estate planning and trust administration, including tax issues; Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid and other public benefits; probate litigation and will contests; disability planning, including guardianships and special needs trusts; and protection against abuse, neglect, and  exploitation. I was previously named to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers in Elder Law in the years 2007 through 2010.

There are more than 85,000 practicing attorneys in 55 specialty categories in New Jersey, but only 5 % are named to the Super Lawyer list each year. The selection of lawyers named to the Super Lawyer list in New Jersey identifies those lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The selection process includes peer evaluation, a review of credentials and current bar status, and review and approval from a blue ribbon panel of leading attorneys. The Super Lawyers selection methodology can be found here.

In addition to being named to the list of Super Lawyers in New Jersey for the past 5 years, in each of the past 10 years I received an “AV” rating from the Martindale-Hubbell rating system, an independent service which has rated attorneys nationwide for more than a century. An “AV” rating is the highest available, indicating that the lawyer is recognized by his peers as having achieved very high to preeminent legal ability and very high ethical conduct relevant to the discharge of professional responsibilities. Only about 20% of all lawyers nationwide who have been rated have achieved an “AV” rating. The Martindale-Hubbell selection methodology can be found here.

I don’t know why I was named to the Super Lawyer list in 2007 through 2011 when some terrific lawyers I know who practice Elder Law have yet to make the list. But I confess that I’d rather be on the list than not. Thank you for the recognition.