Insight

Ellen G. Makofsky, 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Elder Law

Ellen G. Makofsky of Makofsky and Associates was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in Long Island for Elder Law.

Ellen G. Makofsky LOTY
NO

Nicole Ortiz

December 1, 2017 09:12 AM

Ellen G. Makofsky of Makofsky and Associates was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in Long Island for Elder Law.

How did you get into your practice area?

Elder law was a brand new practice area when I opened my original office in 1991. When I started, I could count on one hand the other practicing elder law attorneys in Nassau County. The idea of putting my talents to helping seniors and the disabled with their problems was very appealing to me.

Who are your typical clients?

My clients are either in the prime of life and looking to make a plan to protect their assets from the potential costs of long-term care and to make sure that they have an estate plan in place that will efficiently leave assets to heirs. Alternatively, other clients seek me out because some urgent health crisis created an immediate need for nursing home or long-term home care, and the client is terrified that he or she will lose their home and lifesavings to long-term care costs.

What is your ultimate goal in your practice?

I feel that I help clients solve their problems every day, and this is very satisfying. My ultimate goal is met on a daily basis, and this makes me a very lucky person.

Describe one of your most interesting or memorable cases.

Every case is like a puzzle; each client is unique and has a different set of issues. One case that I found memorable involved a married individual who was diagnosed with an unsuspected degenerative brain disease that would eventually leave him totally disabled. His wife was frantic that she would be unable to manage his needs and that the two of them would lose everything they had spent a lifetime accumulating for their retirement upon which they were just beginning to embark. I created a team to provide support for them, coordinating their children’s efforts and the expertise of their financial planner, and encouraged the healthy spouse to begin taking over the couple’s finances while the husband could still provide some oversight. I was able to craft advance directives for health care, powers of attorney, trusts, and wills that put a plan in place to protect their assets and provide for surrogate decision-making. Catastrophic health care issues are terrifying to family members, and I was glad to be able to ease their economic worries and help them put a plan in place to help resolve their issues.

What qualities do you possess that you find particularly relevant/necessary for practicing your area of law?

I am a good listener and try to really understand my clients’ problems and the nuances of those problems. I am a creative drafter of documents and seek to create plans that anticipate a myriad of possibilities and that work in numerous situations.

What lessons have you learned along the way?

People do not have cookie-cutter issues and clients are well-served with solutions that fit them as individuals.

What other passions/interests do you have?

I love to travel and have visited the seven continents. What interests me most about travel is meeting people from other cultures and trying to understand different perspectives around the world. I’ve learned that not everyone thinks about things as I do and that ideas that are different from my own are not necessary wrong. I’ve also learned that people around the world are more alike than different.

Related Articles

Anthony J. Enea, 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Elder Law


by Nicole Ortiz

Anthony J. Enea of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in White Plains for Elder Law.

Anthony J. Enea LOTY

Dilip Patel, 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Immigration Law


by Nicole Ortiz

Dilip Patel of Dilip Patel Law Firm was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in Tampa for Immigration Law.

Dilip Patel LOTY

Alcides I. Avila, 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Banking and Finance Law


by Nicole Ortiz

Alcides I. Avila of Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena & Ferri, LLP was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" in South Florida for Banking and Finance Law.

Alcides I. Avila LOTY

Robin Meadow, Southern California 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice


by Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland

Robin Meadow of Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland LLP was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Appellate Practice.

Robin Meadow LOTY

Ragesh K. Tangri, San Francisco "Lawyer of the Year" for Trade Secrets Law 2018


by Nicole Ortiz

Ragesh K. Tangri of Durie Tangri was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Trade Secrets Law.

Ragesh K. Tangri LOTY

Cedric C. Chao, San Francisco "Lawyer of the Year" for Arbitration 2018


by Nicole Ortiz

Cedric C. Chao of DLA Piper was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Arbitration.

Cedric C. Chao LOTY

Michael E. Gatto, Oakland "Lawyer of the Year" for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs 2018


by Van Blois Law Firm

Michael E. Gatto of Van Blois Law Firm was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs.

Michael E. Gatto LOTY

R. Lewis Van Blois, Oakland "Lawyer of the Year" for Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs 2018


by Van Blois Law Firm

R. Lewis Van Blois of Van Blois Law Firm was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs.

R. Lewis Van Blois LOTY

J. Thaddeus Eckenrode, St. Louis "Lawyer of the Year" for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants 2018


by Nicole Ortiz

J. Thaddeus Eckenrode of Eckenrode-Maupin was named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants.

J. Thaddeus Eckenrode LOTY

Martha N. Donovan, Woodbridge “Lawyer of the Year” for Litigation – Environmental 2018


by Nicole Ortiz

Highlighting Martha N. Donovan of Norris McLaughlin & Marcus and her achievements in litigation – environmental.

Martha N. Donovan LOTY 2018

Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa, Hackensack “Lawyer of the Year” for Corporate Law 2018


by Nicole Ortiz

Highlighting Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa of Archer & Greiner and his achievements in corporate law.

Gianfranco A. Pietrafesa LOTY

Jerry Glover, Chicago, IL “Lawyer of the Year” for Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures and Television


by Tess Congo

Q&A with Jerry Glover of Leavens, Strand, & Glover discussing his achievements in entertainment law.

Jerry Glover "LOTY"

Safeguarding the Community


by Sean Stonefield

When companies put profits over safety, trial attorney Daniel J. T. Sciano steps in.

Daniel J. T. Sciano of Tinsman & Sciano, Inc

Jane Snoddy Smith, Austin, TX "Lawyer of the Year" for Litigation – Real Estate


by Tess Congo

Highlighting Jane Snoddy Smith of Norton Rose Fulbright and her achievements in litigation – real estate.

Jane Snoddy Smith "LOTY"

Gina Shishima, Austin, TX "Lawyer of the Year" for Patent Law


by Tess Congo

Highlighting Gina Shishima of Norton Rose Fulbright and her achievements in patent law.

Gina Shishima "LOTY"

Protect Your Pets: Westchester Elder Law Attorney Anthony Enea Explains How to Provide for Pets in an Estate Plan


by Anthony J. Enea

Along with pet ownership comes the responsibility of ensuring your companion animal's care and well-being - even if that extends beyond your lifetime.

Elder Law - Pets Estate Plan

Trending Articles

Announcing the 2023 The Best Lawyers in America Honorees


by Best Lawyers

Only the top 5.3% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S. were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 29th edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.

Gold strings and dots connecting to form US map

Announcing the 2022 Best Lawyers® in the United States


by Best Lawyers

The results include an elite field of top lawyers listed in the 28th Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and in the 2nd Edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2022.

2022 Best Lawyers Listings for United States

2021 Best Lawyers: The Global Issue


by Best Lawyers

The 2021 Global Issue features top legal talent from the most recent editions of Best Lawyers and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch worldwide.

2021 Best Lawyers: The Global Issue

The U.S. Best Lawyers Voting Season Is Open


by Best Lawyers

The voting season for the 31st edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and the 5th edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America is officially underway, and we are offering some helpful advice to this year’s voters.

Golden figures of people standing on blue surface connected by white lines

How To Find A Pro Bono Lawyer


by Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers dives into the vital role pro bono lawyers play in ensuring access to justice for all and the transformative impact they have on communities.

Hands joined around a table with phone, paper, pen and glasses

The Best Lawyers in Australia™ 2024 Launch


by Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is excited to announce The Best Lawyers in Australia™ for 2023, including the top lawyers and law firms from Australia.

Australian Parliament beside water at sunset

How Palworld Is Testing the Limits of Nintendo’s Legal Power


by Gregory Sirico

Many are calling the new game Palworld “Pokémon GO with guns,” noting the games striking similarities. Experts speculate how Nintendo could take legal action.

Animated figures with guns stand on top of creatures

What the Courts Say About Recording in the Classroom


by Christina Henagen Peer and Peter Zawadski

Students and parents are increasingly asking to use audio devices to record what's being said in the classroom. But is it legal? A recent ruling offer gives the answer to a question confusing parents and administrators alike.

Is It Legal for Students to Record Teachers?

Inflation Escalation


by Ashley S. Wagner

Inflation and rising costs are at the forefront of everyone’s mind as we enter 2023. The current volatile market makes it more important than ever to understand the rent escalation clauses in current and future commercial lease agreements.

Suited figure in front of rising market and inflated balloon

The Upcycle Conundrum


by Karen Kreider Gaunt

Laudable or litigious? What you need to know about potential copyright and trademark infringement when repurposing products.

Repurposed Products and Copyright Infringemen

8 Different Types of Criminal Defenses in Law


by Best Lawyers

Learn about the different types of criminal defenses available in law, including innocence, self-defense, insanity and more. Protect your rights today.

Silver handcuffs laying on finger printed papers

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2023


by Best Lawyers

The third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ highlights the legal talent of lawyers who have been in practice less than 10 years.

Three arrows made of lines and dots on blue background

A Celebration of Excellence: The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 Awards


by Best Lawyers

As we embark on the 18th edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada™, we are excited to highlight excellence and top legal talent across the country.

Abstract image of red and white Canada flag in triangles

Wage and Overtime Laws for Truck Drivers


by Greg Mansell

For truck drivers nationwide, underpayment and overtime violations are just the beginning of a long list of problems. Below we explore the wages you are entitled to but may not be receiving.

Truck Driver Wage and Overtime Laws in the US

Choosing a Title Company: What a Seller Should Expect


by Roy D. Oppenheim

When it comes to choosing a title company, how much power exactly does a seller have?

Choosing the Title Company As Seller

The 2024 Best Lawyers in Spain™


by Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is honored to announce the 16th edition of The Best Lawyers in Spain™ and the third edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Spain™ for 2024.

Tall buildings and rushing traffic against clouds and sun in sky