Testimonials

“Beth Manes was appointed temporary guardian for my father. She was excellent both in knowledge of elder law as well as helping navigate his needs during this time. Beth went above and beyond her duties to keep my sister and I updated about our dad and connecting us with valuable resources for his continuing care. Our father’s case was not easy. He was moved from an assisted living facility, to the hospital for sepsis, to a rehabilitation center, back to the hospital due to his heart requiring a pace maker, back to a rehabilitation center, then back to assisted living. Beth helped fill in gaps when we could not be present and kept us updated on his changing condition in the hospital despite it being close to midnight. Beth is a professional who is also compassionate and knowledgeable in how to help the elderly and their family members through difficult legal matters involving elder laws.”

~ P.C., South Abington Township, PA

When New Jersey Family Magazine asked for Mom to Mom referrals for a good attorney they received these testimonials for Manes & Weinberg, LLC, Special Needs Lawyers:

  • Ms. Manes: “She is efficient and direct.”
  • Ms. Weinberg: “She listens, solves and executes very well.”

“Jessica has been amazing to work with! We had a difficult situation with our school district for our son and she made all the difference for him and got him all of the supports he needed to have that still continue to remain in place today.”

~ K.S., Cranford

She is calm and listens to your problem. She provides excellent contact response. She help me with a convoluted case to ensure the money that a resident passed without a will. As a public health nurse I became aware of this 97 year old who had only one living relative. That niece has neurological issues. The job of planning and advising me how to set up an interstate transfer of the aunts money to a special needs account was convoluted by Covid-19 and the fact that the Aunt had no will. Melanie expertly guided me and was very patient with the niece with special needs. In the end, the niece received her inheritance in a method that would not remove her from Medicaid and other social supports. I felt good because I knew The elderly wanted her to receive all of her money left after she passed. Mrs. Ritter made this all happen.

~ P.A., Bergenfield

I learned of Melanie shortly after my husband’s death. Compassionate, professional, knowledgeable, personable – there are not enough words to describe Melanie. She helped me get through the difficult process of probating my husband’s will, filing all required forms, i.e. taxes, etc etc. Then helped me update all of my paperwork as well. I would not even consider using another attorney. From home sale to estate management, she has helped me with everything.

~ G.G., Parsippany

Every parent of a child with special needs, need to know Greer Gurland. She is a brilliant attorney with a caring heart. As a special needs mom herself, Greer understands the struggles we face on the day to day to advocate for our children’s rights. She is invested in supporting parents going through legal challenges by finding solutions that prioritizes the children. Greer ensures to give our children with special needs the dignity to receive the services they deserve.

~K.D., Green Brook

“Jessica is not only an incredibly skilled attorney, but her ability to relate to and connect with all parties involved is phenomenal. Her ability to make all parties feel heard, understood and to stay focused on the end-result for the benefit of her clients (the students for whom she is advocating) is unique. The relationships she forges, the trusts she builds on all levels, her willingness to make herself available – all of these make Jessica an amazing attorney. She changes lives! She afforded my son the opportunity, that I would not have successfully achieved for him without her, to be placed in a learning environment that is setting him up for success – not just academically, but has changed the way my son views himself, knowing that he is not broken, but amazing, unique and not as different as he had always felt. Thank you Jessica!!”

~ G.B., Westfield

“Thank you so much for everything! We want you to know how much we appreciate you through our difficult time and really feel you have got us on the right track. THANK YOU”.

~ Parents of M.M.

“We are so thankful that we worked with you. Your kindness and knowledge of the law were essential in getting M.R. where she needed to be. Her life is on a new course thanks to your help.”

~ Parents of M.R.

“It’s pretty clear that school districts have all the advantages when it comes to special ed law. So, parents need a legal team that not only knows the law, but also knows how to operate in a courtroom as well as negotiate behind the scenes. We started our case with a different attorney but we sensed pretty quickly that she lacked that combination of skills. A friend directed us to Beth Manes and Jessica Weinberg, who brought all of those elements to our case, which ultimately led to a fair resolution. When things seemed bleak, they kept our spirits up. On top of all that, they showed an understanding of what it means to be parents of a child with special needs. In other words, they “get it.” We can’t imagine that any other firm could have done a better job fighting for our son’s rights.”

~ Parents of J.F.

As a recently “retired” 4-term BOE member, the best advice I can give you is to listen to what Jessica Weinberg has to say.  She is extremely well-respected amongst attorneys, advocates, and educators who play in the special-education sandbox.

~ J.B., attorney in Bridgewater, N.J.

“We wanted to express our thanks for your help, counsel, patience and voice in support of getting our C.S. what he needs in school. We could not have done it without you and do very much appreciate your being his (our) advocate.”

~ Parents of C.S.

“I originally approached Jessica Weinberg because I needed to find a special education attorney that would advocate for my son’s educational rights even when faced with insurmountable odds. Not only did she help to ensure that our local school district fund an appropriate placement and services for my son, but she smoothed the path while my son’s father and I didn’t always see eye to eye. In the end, her unique combination of compassion and vast knowledge helped get my son into a perfectly matched therapeutic boarding school. She held my hand throughout the very difficult process and was always available to answer my questions and concerns. I also spoke with Beth Manes on many occasions and have found her equally capable and caring. I would recommend Manes & Weinberg in a heartbeat to anyone who was considering their firm.”

~ Parent of J.L.

Treated us like a family. Fully understood our concerns. And made sure we get what is important for our child.

~ N.M, Somerset

“We would not be where we are today from a success standpoint if it weren’t for you and your team.”

~ Parents of J.G.

“We hired Jessica and the law firm of Manes & Weinberg to represent us during a mediation with our school district. This was our first experience in this type of situation and we could not be more pleased with how it all went. We were in constant communication with Jessica and kept abreast of every aspect of our case as it moved forward. We were guided in a way that made it all simple to understand and never had any doubt that Jessica was looking out for our daughter’s best interests. We were so pleased with how the firm is run we are moving all of our business to Manes & Weinberg and looking forward to them representing us during our daughter’s guardianship and any needs we have for her trust. They truly are special needs lawyers and we feel so lucky to have found them.”

~ Parents of M.G.

“Navigating through the complexities that is special education law is not easy. Trying to do it on your own is nearly impossible. My wife and I came to Manes and Weinberg hoping they could help us settle a dispute that arose between us and our local board of education. We could not be happier with that decision. Beth and her team have been amazing throughout this process, guiding us every step of the way, and ultimately getting our son the level of education he was legally entitled to. I would highly recommend that anyone needing avocation for their child consider speaking with Manes and Weinberg.”

~ Parents of Z.O.

“Thanks to you both for guiding us through the tricky and time consuming study team process.  T. has finally received an IEP that is fair and representative of his needs.  And despite the many struggles getting to this point, we’re actually excited and hopeful going into the next school year armed with it and our new found knowledge of his rights.  We couldn’t imagine having to navigate the system without the two of you by our sides.  How do people do it?  Without their child getting cheated or short changed by the system?  We can’t thank you enough!”

~ Parents of T.T.

Beth is extremely talented, professional and responsive. She always maintains a sense of humor which is greatly appreciated as some of our conversations have had to deal with some issues that are quite emotional. Beth explains things very clearly and is always willing to answer any questions without being patronizing. I am grateful that I found her!

~C.B., Monmouth Beach

“As you know, the majority of the time people will write negative commentary rather than praise. I wanted to take the time to say a few kind words about Jessica Weinberg. I have been using Jessica for over a year and will continue to. She is exactly what you want in a special needs attorney. She knows the law inside and out, has extensive experience on both sides of the table, knows how to handle stubborn school districts and case managers, and can be gentle or tough when needed. She also knows how to handle parents (like myself) that were just so fed-up with there situation that needed to be reeled in so not to stir the pot too much. She is a pleasure to deal with, answers questions and calls in a timely manner. She really is awesome!”

~ Parents of S.W.

“In spite of our child having some obvious educational deficiencies, the school system refused to provide the support necessary for him to thrive.  The system’s pushback was, according to their testing he was performing at grade level.  They ignored the fact that we were essentially educating him at home and that there was a disconnect between his test performance and IQ.  Knowing we needed legal representation to get our son help, we consulted a family friend who was also a child advocate attorney and she suggested Jessica.  Jessica has lived up to the recommendation, she convinced the school system to pay for out of district testing, the testing highlighted specific learning disabilities, then she leveraged the document learning deficiencies to secure an IEP.  She has been a great advocate for our son.”

~ Parents of J.C.

“We are so grateful for Denise Verzella and the firm of Manes and Weinberg for helping us to secure an appropriate education for our son’s unique learning needs.  Denise is organized and professional in her communications with us and with our school district.  Her knowledge and her attention to detail are exceptional.  She is honest and shows integrity when working with us.  Most importantly, Denise is down to earth and understanding as we navigate the challenges of raising and educating a child with special needs.  She is clearly invested in advocating for our son.  Denise and her colleagues at Manes and Weinberg, work together to provide all the resources that a family needs to advocate for their child.”

~ Jen Z.