Donald D. Vanarelli

About Donald D. Vanarelli

New Jersey attorney Donald D. Vanarelli is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, by NJ State Bar Assn., Elder and Disability Law Section. TheÿLifetime Achievement Award recognized Mr. Vanarelli?s advocacy in elder and disability law, including a number of precedent-setting legal victories which advanced the rights of seniors and persons with disabilities.ÿHe is also a Certified Elder Law Attorney, by National Elder Law Foundation, accredited by the ABA. He has been named to the Super Lawyers list for 14 years, and he's rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale-Hubble, the highest rating available for legal ability and ethical standards.

Mr. Vanarelli focuses his practice on elder law, estate planning, special needs planning and probate litigation. With his Westfield-based firm, Mr. Vanarelli represents elderly and disabled individuals and their representatives in cases involving long-term medical care, Medicare, Medicaid, VA, and other public benefits, will contests, contested guardianships, administrative appeals, elder abuse trialsÿand special needs planning. He also has experience with family law matters such as elder mediation, divorce mediation and collaborative services.ÿ

Mr. Vanarelli was lead counsel in Saccone v. Police and Firemen?s Retirement System, a precedent-setting Special Needs Trust case decided by the NJ Supreme Court, and inÿIn re Keri, a landmark NJ Supreme Court Elder Law / Guardianship case. Mr. Vanarelli was also co-counsel in Galletta v. Velez, in which a federal court held, for the first time, that VA pension benefits are not countable in determining Medicaid eligibility.

Mr. Vanarelli's qualifications allow him to represent a diverse range of clients in Westfield and throughout the metropolitan area. Early in his career, Mr. Vanarelli served in the Peace Corps and worked for the Social Security Administration. A graduate of Montclair State University, Mr. Vanarelli earned his law degree from Rutgers School of Law and is licensed to practice in both New Jersey and New York.

Mr. Vanarelli is a founding member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners of the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys and a charter member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners.

Other professional organizations that Mr. Vanarelli belongs to include the National Guardianship Association, Inc., the New Jersey State Bar Association and the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators. He also served as a panelist on the Union County Probate Early Settlement Panel and on the board of directors for the Society on Aging of New Jersey. He currently serves as a representative for the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives.

*AV?, AV Preeminent?, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell? is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell? Peer Review Rating? fall into two categories ? legal ability and general ethical standards.