elder law

The law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is pleased to welcome Shana Siegel, as a Member of the firm’s Elder Law Group. Siegel, along with her team, Lori Kayne, Geriatric Social Worker, and Laura Ocskay, Medicaid Specialist, join Norris McLaughlin from WanderPolo & Siegel. Siegel will be based out of the firm’s Bridgewater office, but will also be available at 28 Valley Road, Suite 1, Montclair, NJ, 07042, to continue serving her clients in that area.

“As the chapter of WanderPolo & Siegel comes to a close, I am excited to be bringing my innovative elder law and life care planning practice to Norris McLaughlin. This will be the best of both worlds for my clients as they will continue to receive the same level of personal attention they have come to expect, and I will also have the resources at Norris to better serve the full range of my clients’ needs,” said Siegel.

Siegel concentrates her practice in the area of Elder Law, focusing on representing seniors, individuals with special needs, and their families in connection with life care planning, public benefits, trust and estate planning, and long-term care advocacy. As one of the few Certified Elder Law Attorneys (CELA) in northern New Jersey to be certified by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF), Shana has extensive experience in probate and estate administration, asset preservation, supplemental and special needs trusts, planning for disability, guardianship and estate litigation, resident rights, health care decision making, Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance appeals.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Shana was with WanderPolo & Siegel for over 10 years, five of which were as principal.  She has been involved in health and long-term care issues for over 25 years. She is a past president of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), where she regularly met with legislators and government officials on behalf of the elder law bar and their clients. In 2015, she was invited to join NAELA’s prestigious Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP).

Siegel earned her J.D. in 1994 from Georgetown University, honors, and her B.A. from Barnard College, honors, in 1989. She is a member of the New Jersey Women Lawyers Association, the State Bar Elder Law Section, the Life Care Planning Law Firms Association, and the Bergen and Essex County Bar Associations.

“Shana’s practice will compliment and expand our Estate Planning & Administration practice, as elder care has become a big industry topic with the Baby Boomer generation. Shana has the client focus we value here at Norris Mclaughlin, and we are pleased to welcome her and her team to the firm,” said John N. Vanarthos, Chairman of Norris McLaughlin, P.A.

Kayne has been working in the healthcare field for over 20 years. In collaboration with client’s attorneys, she conducts Geriatric Assessments and develops detailed Life Care Plans to address any care, legal, or financial issues the client may have.

Prior to joining the firm, Kayne was an Elder Care Coordinator at WanderPolo & Siegel. Kayne earned her M.S.S. from Bryn Mawr College in 1983, and her B.A., magna cum laude, from Bucknell University. She holds a Certificate in Elder Care from Stockton University, and a Certificate of Gerontology from Rutgers University.

Ocskay specializes in preparing Medicaid applications, and acts as a coordinator and liaison between the attorney, client, and caseworker with regard to the Medicaid application process to ensure compliance with Medicaid rules and regulations. Prior to joining the firm, Ocskay served as a Medicaid Specialist at WanderPolo & Siegel. Before that, she was as a legal assistant for 12 years. She received her B.A. from Notre Dame College.

Posted in: Elder Law, Estate Planning & Administration, News, Shana Siegel | Tags: Asset Preservation, Elder Care Law, elder law, Elder Law Attorney, Estate Administration, Estate Litigation, Life Care Planning, Long-term Care Advocacy, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, National Elder Law Foundation, Public Benefits, Shana Siegel, Trust and Estate Planning

The law firm of Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is pleased to announce that R. Nicholas Nanovic, a Member of the Firm, recently participated on an expert panel, discussing the most common situations and challenges faced in estate and retirement planning and elder law for Muhlenberg College at their Circle of 1848 Educational Event: “The Basics of Estate Planning, Retirement Planning and Elder Law.”  He was joined by Dionysios C. Pappas, Esq., of Vasiliadis & Associates, and Paul Eichman, Principal of Oaktree Advisors.

A resident of Allentown, Nanovic focuses his practice on taxation, estate planning and administration, and business law.  His practice is focused in Pennsylvania, although he is also licensed to practice in New Jersey and Florida.  He has extensive experience in drafting estate planning documents including wills, powers of attorney, health care directives, revocable trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), intentionally defective grantor trusts (IDGTs), charitable lead trusts (CLATs and CLUTs), charitable remainder trusts (CRATs and CRUTs), qualified personal residence trusts (QPRTs), and irrevocable life insurance trusts (ILITs).  Nanovic advises clients on asset protection planning through the proper titling of property and establishment of limited partnerships and limited liability companies (LLCs).  He handles all aspects of estate administration including probate, obtaining an inventory of the assets, management of estate assets, distributions to beneficiaries, protection of executor when making decisions on handling estate debts and assets, preparation of estate fiduciary income tax returns, and preparation of the Pennsylvania inheritance tax return.

Nanovic’s tax practice is focused on personal income taxes, business taxes, and gift and estate taxes.  He also helps individuals and businesses negotiate their tax liabilities with the IRS and Pennsylvania Department of Revenue.  He also assists in the formation of business entities including corporations, S corporations, LLCs, and partnerships; advises clients on how to properly structure the governing documents; and interprets pre-existing governing documents to help clients understand their rights and obligations for their roles in the business.

Nanovic has been recognized in Philadelphia Magazine as a Rising Star, a distinction for lawyers aged 40 and under or who have been practicing for less than 10 years, reserved for no more than 2.5% of all attorneys in Pennsylvania.  He is currently a board member and President of the Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley.  He is also President of the Notre Dame Club of Lehigh Valley.

While in law school, he interned for the Small Business/ Self-Employed division of the Internal Revenue Service in the Miami, Florida, office and was actively involved with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, serving as one of the project’s leaders for two years.  Nanovic earned his LL.M. in Taxation in 2008 and his J.D. in 2007 from the University of Miami School of Law.  He earned his B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame in 2004.

Posted in: Estate Planning & Administration, News, R. Nicholas Nanovic | Tags: Allentown, elder law, Estate Administration, estate planning, Nanovic, retirement