VINCENT J. RUSSO, Managing Shareholder of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., Long Island's Signature Elder Law, Special Needs and Estate Planning Law Firm with offices in Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach, and Woodbury, New York has championed the rights of seniors and people with special needs since 1985.

His professional achievements include an invitation to join the WHITE HOUSE 2005 Conference on Aging as an at-large delegate. This invitation followed two other major events in Washington, D.C. as a representative of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA):(1) Testimony before the UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGING on the proposed, detrimental changes in the Medicaid Program and (2) Featured Speaker at the Policy Forum of the CATO INSTITUTE on the subject of "Medicaid and the Long Term Care Crisis."

Joining a special group of New York attorneys, Vincent Russo assumed recent and active leadership as Co-Chair of the New York State COMPACT Working Group, introducing new and innovative programs that would benefit people who depend on medical assistance within the Medicaid structure. He also joined the prestigious, invitation only, Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP) of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Vincent Russo is a Founding Member and Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), a co-founder of the Academy of Special Needs Planners and Past Board Member and Present Chair of the Guardianship Committee of United Cerebral Palsy of Nassau and a Co-Founder and Officer of The Theresa Alessandra Russo Foundation for children with special needs.

As a national advocate for people with disabilities, seniors and their families, Mr. Russo has appeared on the NBCs TODAY SHOW, WNBC NEWS, CBS SUNDAY MORNING, CNN, CNBC, the FOX NEWS NETWORK, CSPAN II, WCBSRADIO, TELECARE, NEWS 12 LONG ISLAND, as well as numerous local radio and television programs.

His press interviews include The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, the New York Daily News, the Washington Post, and Newsday. His articles have been published in the New York State Bar Journal, The Elder Law Report, Nassau Lawyer, National Underwriter and the NAELA Quarterly. His cover story in Financial Planning - The Official Magazine of the International Association of Financial Planning - was well received, at the time, by a whole new audience of professionals serving seniors. Since that lead article, Mr. Russo has written for a host of other professional organizations and has co-authored New York Elder Law Practice and two consumer books on Estate and Elder Law Planning.

Vincent Russo is a nationally recognized speaker and noted authority on Elder Law, Special Needs and Estate Planning. His distinction in Elder Law and Special Needs has made him one of the most prominent attorneys in his field.

Mr. Russo earned his law degree from Fordham University and his LLM in taxation from Boston University. He is admitted to the New York, Massachusetts and Florida State Bars, and is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation.

Marie Elena R. Puma is a Partner of the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She joined the firm in 1991 and her areas of practice include: Trust and Estate Administration, Elder Law, Special Needs and Estate Planning, Guardianships and Real Estate. She earned her law degree at St. John’s University School of Law and is admitted to the New York State Bar.

Marie Elena is a member of the New York State, American and Nassau and Suffolk County Bar Associations and a Co-Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Legal Education Committee for the Elder Law Section. She is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), has been actively involved with NAELA’s Member Relations Committee and was named to the Board of NAELA’s New York Chapter.

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Frank L. Buquicchio is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. He earned his law degree at Hofstra University School of Law and was admitted to practice in 1994. Frank is a member of the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations. Frank is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a member of the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations’ Elder Law Committees (Past Co-Chair) and the Suffolk County Bar Association Surrogate's Court Committee. He is on the Legal Advisory Committee for the Alzheimer’s Association - Long Island Chapter. Frank is the immediate past Co-Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Suffolk County Bar Association. He is admitted to the New York State and New Jersey State Bars and is also an accredited attorney with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs.

Frank has published articles in The Suffolk Lawyer, 50+Lifestyles Newspaper and Eldercare, Ltd., and has appeared in Newsday’s Act II as "Ask the Expert" and in "Gray Matters”. He has appeared as a frequent guest speaker on WALK AM Radio’s “Memories in Melodies". Frank has presented numerous seminars on Elder Law and Estate Planning throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties to both consumers and professionals.

Frank's areas of practice include: Elder Law, Estate and Trust Planning, Veterans Benefits, Trust and Estate Administration and Real Estate.

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Christopher M. Petillo, C.P.A., J.D. is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York.  He is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State.  Christopher is a member of the New York State Bar Association (Elder Law Section) and the Nassau County Bar Association.  He is also a certified elder law attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. Christopher is admitted to the New York State Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court.  He earned his law degree at St. John’s University School of Law in Jamaica, New York.  Christopher completed his undergraduate studies at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.  As the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, Christopher earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, graduating with honors.  An alumnus of Price Waterhouse LLP (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP), Christopher’s areas of practice include Elder Law, Estate Planning, Personal Income Taxation, Gift Taxation and Fiduciary income Taxation.  Christopher is a frequent lecturer at consumer seminars on numerous Elder Law topics.

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Brenda M. Lynch is a Partner with the firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., of Westbury, Islandia, Woodbury, and Lido Beach, New York. She earned her law degree at Brooklyn Law School in 1997. While there she interned for the Brooklyn Legal Services, Department of the Aging and Brooklyn Law School’s Elder Law Clinic. She was also the recipient of an Everett Fellowship, which allowed her to work with the Samuel Sadin Institute on Law of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College.

Ms. Lynch is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey. She is a member of the New York City, Nassau County and the New York State Bar Association.

Ms. Lynch’s areas of practice include: Trust and Estate Administration, Estate Planning and Estate Litigation.

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Marvin Rachlin is Of Counsel to the law firm since 1990. He received his LL.B. from the Brooklyn Law School, and was CHIEF COUNSEL to the Nassau County Department of Social Services for over 20 years. Mr. Rachlin has lectured before the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Nassau County Academy of Law, the Nassau County Bar Association and numerous community and professional organizations, both locally and nationally. The emphasis of his lectures is on educating the elderly and protecting their rights. He is a respected and recognized authority on Elder Law, and Co-Author of NEW YORK ELDER LAW PRACTICE published by WESTLAW / West Publications.

Mr. Rachlin is admitted to practice in all New York State courts, the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

He was a member of the President’s Council on Welfare Reform, and a past member of the National Association of Counties, which was created by the Governors of the fifty states to work on national legislation involving problems dealing with Welfare and Medicaid. As a Founding Member of the New York Welfare Attorneys Association, he drafted New York State legislation and regulations regarding Medicaid, and served on the New York State Governor’s Task Force for Child Welfare Reform.

Charles Bryan Baron is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York.

He earned his law degree at The Bar-Ilan Law School in Ramat Gan, Israel and a Masters of Law at The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center of Touro College.

Mr. Baron is the author of "Self-Dealing Trustees and The Exoneration Clause: Can Trustees Ever Profit From Transactions Involving Trust Property?" published in the St. John’s Law Review. This article has resulted in Mr. Baron’s qualification as an expert witness in the law of New York private trusts in New York State Supreme Court and in The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Charles is a member of The New York State Bar Association (Elder Law Section and Trusts and Estates Section). He is admitted to The Bar in New York State and the Bar in the State of Israel and is admitted to practice in The United States Tax Court, United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York and the United States Supreme Court.

His areas of practice include Tax Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Estate Litigation.

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Kim N. Christian is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at St. John’s University School of Law and served as Research Editor of the New York Litigator. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and she is admitted to the New York and the New Jersey Bars.

Kim has presented seminars on Elder Law and Estate Planning throughout Nassau County.

Kim’s areas of practice include: Elder Law, Estate Planning and Real Estate.

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Shirley M. Diefenbach is an Associate with the firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and was a member of their Tax Clinic. In that capacity, she represented low-income taxpayers in audits, administrative appeals, offers in compromise and other tax collection matters. Shirley was also the Internet Editor of the Benjamin N. Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.

Shirley is admitted to practice in New York and is a member of the Nassau County and New York State Bar Associations.

Shirley’s areas of practice include Trust & Estate Administration, Estate Planning and Tax.

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Deanna M. Eble is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at Hofstra University School of Law. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and she is admitted to the New York Bar.

Deanna’s areas of practice include: Elder Law, Estate Planning, Medicaid and Real Estate.

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Margherita Racanelli is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York.

Ms. Racanelli is admitted to practice in the State of New York (2008) and is a member of the Nassau County and New York State Bar Associations. She earned her law degree at Seton Hall University School of Law.

Margherita's areas of practice include: Elder Law, Estate Planning and Medicaid.

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Lara J. Schneider-Bomzer is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2000 after receiving her Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Most recently, she worked with Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens as a staff attorney advocating on behalf of seniors with housing and public benefits issues.

Lara is admitted to the Bars in the States of New York and Massachusetts.

Lara’s areas of practice include Elder Law and Estate Planning.