Special Needs Alliance Elects 2007-2008 Board Members, Officers

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Special Needs Alliance (SNA), a national, non-profit organization dedicated to serving the legal planning needs of individuals with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who represent them, has announced its newly elected attorney members and officers to its 2007-2008 Board of Directors.

Andrew H. Hook, President - Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Hook practices in the areas of elder law, estate and trust administration, estate planning, and special needs trusts. He is certified as an elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Elder Law Foundation.

Edward Wilcenski, Immediate Past President - Based in Clifton Park, New York, Wilcenski practices in the areas of special needs estate planning, elder law, and trust and estate administration. He holds the highest rating for both expertise and ethics awarded by Martindale-Hubbell, the independent rating service of the legal profession.

Bridget O'Brien Swartz, Secretary - Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Swartz's practice focuses on the financial and legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, with an emphasis on public benefits eligibility issues. Ms. Swartz is a certified elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation.

Kemp Scales, Treasurer - Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Scales is a certified elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. He is a council member of the Elder Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and has been a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys since 1999.

The new board members and officers join the following individuals who were previously elected to the board: Ruthann Lacey (Tucker, Georgia), Calvin Curtis (Salt Lake City, Utah), Neal Winston (Somerville, Massachusetts), and Nell Graham Sale (Albuquerque, New Mexico.)

The SNA is a national, non-profit organization of attorneys dedicated to the practice of disability and public benefits law. Individuals with disabilities, their families, and their advisors rely on the SNA to connect them with nearby attorneys who focus their practices in the disability law arena. Membership in the SNA is based on a combination of relevant legal experience in the disability and elder law fields, direct family experience with disability, active participation with national, state, and local disability advocacy organizations, and professional reputation. The majority have been certified as Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs) by the National Elder Law Foundation, the certifying entity for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).

For more information about the Special Needs Alliance, or to locate a member attorney in your area, visit www.specialneedsalliance.com or call 1- 877-572-8472. Contact: Matt Russell Russell Public Communications (520) 232-9840 mrussell@russellpublic.com