Anthony J. Enea, managing member of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP, has been working to protect the rights of seniors, the disabled, and their families for the last 30 years. Enea notes that in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was one of only a handful of attorneys practicing wills, trusts and estates, and elder law. Enea was drawn to the field out of a desire to help the elderly and otherwise vulnerable protect their life savings from what he believed would be the two biggest problems impacting their savings: estate taxes and the cost of long-term care.
“When someone is suffering from Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, or any other debilitating disease, it will inevitably affect their ability to handle their affairs, and the need for significant long-term care can be costly, especially if you cannot access Medicaid,” says Enea. “The substantial costs related to long-term care can be devastating if proper planning is not implemented and the application for Medicaid is not properly handled. Dealing with the bureaucracy that is Medicaid requires skill, patience, and a real understanding of the law.”
Enea and his partners and associates have both the knowledge of the law and the practical experience necessary to tackle the challenges facing seniors, the disabled, and their families. Enea explains that “we’re not dealing with corporations; we’re dealing with families and the fear and worries of providing care to a loved one without losing one’s life savings. To be good at this, you must have a great deal of compassion and empathy for the individuals you work with, along with the ability to navigate the legal intricacies involved.”
Enea has played foundational and leadership roles in a number of professional organizations, including his service as past-chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), member of the NYSBA’s Trust and Estates Section’s Executive Committee, past-president and founding member of the New York Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), past-president of the Westchester County Bar Association (WCBA), and current president of the Westchester County Bar Foundation.
Enea is the recipient of numerous legal accolades and commendations from peers and colleagues, including the “Above the Bar” award, bestowed on him by Pace Law School in 2013 for his long-running leadership in elder care law. In addition to this year’s award from Best Lawyers®, Enea has received high peer-review ratings in previous years to win Best Lawyers 2015 and 2017 White Plains “Lawyer of the Year” award for Trusts and Estates and 2016 and 2018 White Plains “Lawyer of the Year” award for Elder Law. He has been honored in Super Lawyers for his accomplishments in Elder Law for the last 11 consecutive years and has been named a Top 25 “Super Lawyer” for Westchester County multiple times. He has been rated an AV Preeminent attorney by Martindale-Hubbell since 2002.
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