Donald Vanarelli

I have been practicing law since 1983, admitted in NJ and NY. A graduate of Rutger’s Law School, I practice in the areas of elder law, estate planning and administration, special needs planning, probate and guardianship litigation, Social Security and SSI disability appeals. Before attending law school, I worked for the Social Security Administration adjudicating claims for benefits under the Social Security, SSI, Medicare and Medicaid programs. I served as law clerk to Hon. Herbert S. Alterman, J.S.C. I am board-certified as an elder law attorney. I am also accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to prepare, present and prosecute claims for veterans. In 1992, I founded my own law firm. I now employ other legal professionals and support staff. In 2015, I received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Elder and Disability Law Section. The Lifetime Achievement Award, the Elder and Disability Law Section’s highest honor, is bestowed on an attorney with an established history of distinguished service who has made significant contributions in the field of elder and disability law throughout his or her career. I was recognized based on my advocacy in elder and disability law, including a number of precedent-setting legal victories which advanced the rights of seniors and persons with disabilities. I’ve been named to the NJ Super Lawyer List from 2007 to the present, and was rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, signifying professional excellence. I also co-founded the Elder Mediation Center and the NJ Collaborative Law Group. I have litigated cases in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. I am happily married and the father of three children.