My Philosophy

Caring...Concerned...I founded my practice on the principles of education and preparation. I want to assist my clients by easing their concerns about important personal and business legal issues. My approach to estate planning distinguishes me from other attorneys.

Estate planning should be a comfortable process, providing an atmosphere for an open and communicative attorney-client relationship. In this environment, clients are able to express their goals and desires, enabling me to develop an individualized estate plan to meet their specific needs.

My staff and I treat every client request with respect, whether providing for a spouse, children, life partner, or beloved pet. I strive to meet the needs of my clients in a timely and economical manner, while providing the most sophisticated service possible.

My Practice Areas

• Estate Planning
    Wills & Trusts
    Special Needs Trusts
    Pet Trusts
• Estate & Gift Planning
• Intergenerational Planning
• Business Succession Planning
• Probate & Estate Administration

Admitted

• New Jersey, 1993
• New York, 1994
• United States District Court for the
  District of New Jersey
• United States District Court for the
  Southern District of New York
• United States District Court for the
  Eastern District of New York

Education

• New York Law School, J.D.
  Law Review; Cum Laude
• College of Saint Elizabeth, B.A. English Literature
  Highest Honors; Departmental Honors

Background and Community Service

Present or former member of:

• American Bar Association and the Bar Associations of New York, New Jersey, Sussex County, and Morris County.
• Chair of District XA Attorney Ethics Committee
• Member of Supreme Court Committee on Character
• Past Secretary and VP of Public Policy (Sussex-Warren Chapter) of The New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners and recipient of its Teal Heart Service Award in 2001 and Woman Business Owner of the Year Award (Sussex-Warren Chapter) in 2003.
• Officer and Director of Branchville Rotary Club
• Assistant Governor for Rotary District 7470
• Bio-Ethics Committee of Newton Medical Center
• Advisory Council of Sussex County Office of Senior Services
• Sheriff’s Crimestopper Commissioners
• Blairstown Business Association
• 2005 Chair of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce; steering committee for Leadership Sussex and Leadership Sussex Youth; Co-chair of the Fredon, Green, Stillwater Chamber Council, Chairperson of its Government and Legislative Committee.
• Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce
• Estate Planning Council of Sussex and Warren Counties.
• Trustee of SCARC Guardianship Services, Inc., the Estate Planning Council of Northern New Jersey, and the Morris County Bar Association.
• Trustee of the Senior Quality of Life Foundation
• Money$mart Week steering committee
• Adjunct faculty member at Sussex County Community College
• Alumnae Mentor, New York Law School

Of Note

• Ellie has achieved the status of AV® Preeminent™ after a rigorous peer review through Martindale.com. This rating demonstrates that Ellie has attained the highest rating available for legal ability and professional ethics. The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ are a complimentary service to the bar that enables members of the legal community to benefit from the candid and objective peer-to-peer feedback of other lawyers.
• Named by the NJ Supreme Court to serve as Chair of Part III of NJ Supreme Court Committee on Character, and also to serve as a member of the NJ Supreme Court Committee on Character's Statewide Panel
• Chosen as one of Sussex County's 15 Women, as selected by the NJ Herald and the Newton Medical Center
• Lecturer for NJ Institute for Continuing Legal Education
• The Sussex County Chamber of Commerce presented Ellie’s “Earth Angels” project, which brings holiday cheer to homebound senior citizens,
  the Community Service Award.
• Soroptomists International, Sussex County Chapter, recognized Ellie as
  a “Woman of Distinction.”
• Sussex County Chamber of Commerce awarded Ellie its Humanitarian Award.
• Awarded the “Beacon of Light Award” from NJ Women Business
  Organization (NJAWBO) 
• Ellie is a proud sponsor and supporter of the New Jersey State Fair/Sussex
  County Farm and Horse Show.
• Ellie is a founding and current member of the Animal Law Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. She lobbied for the passage of the statute that codifies the validity of trusts for domestic animals. N.J.S.A. 3B:11-38

Ellie has one son and three grandchildren, and lives on a Sussex County farm with her husband, Rich, and their dogs.

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