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Hinkle,
Fingles & Prior Attorney Biographies
Attorneys
at Hinkle, Fingles & Prior have more than seventy
years of combined experience providing expert counsel
and legal services to families of people with disabilities
and seniors. The firm's attorneys have argued many
of the precedent setting cases affecting people with
disabilities in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
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Herbert
D. Hinkle has
represented people with disabilities and the elderly
continuously since 1974. He served as Director
of the New Jersey Division of Advocacy for the
Developmentally Disabled for 10 years. Mr. Hinkle
has served on the Board of Directors for a variety
of non-profit organizations, including United
Cerebral Palsy Associations, the Arc of New Jersey,
COSAC, Easter Seals, the Alzheimer's Association
and NAMI NJ. He has argued precedent-setting disability
rights cases in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including
five cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court.
He has been a consultant to Rutgers University's
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and the New
Jersey Commission on Bioethics and is a widely
published author and lecturer. His work has been
citied in the Wall Street Jounal.He holds a JD
from Rutgers University and a Masters in Taxation
from Temple University. He is a member of the
New Jersey and Pennsylvania Bar, the Association
of American Trial Lawyers, and the National Academy
of Elder Law Attorneys |
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Ira
M. Fingles has
devoted his legal career to the representation of
individuals with disabilities and their families.
His motivation to enter this field stemmed from
his experiences with his sister, who has multiple
disabilities. He has provided legal representation
to individuals with disabilities in a variety of
areas, including educational rights for children
with disabilities, benefits and services for adults
with disabilities, guardianship, and estate planning.
He has argued precedent-setting cases in federal
and state court, and before administrative agencies
in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He has written extensively
on topics related to disability law and has presented
to disability groups across the nation. Ira is Immediate
Past President of the Autism Society of America
- Greater Philadelphia Chapter, and serves on the
board of directors and as an advisor to disability
advocacy groups in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
He received his JD from Temple University School
of Law and is a member of the Pennsylvania and New
Jersey Bars. |
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S.
Paul Prior has
spent his legal career representing people with
disabilities. As the younger brother of a man with
autism, he has a life-long commitment to disability
law. His legal work has focused on special education,
guardianship, financial entitlements, and access
to appropriate services. A substantial part of his
practice is devoted to assisting families in estate
and trust matters. He has successfully argued leading
cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court, Third
Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as other state
and federal courts. He served as a federal monitor
overseeing conditions at state-operated institutions.
He holds a JD from Seton Hall University School
of Law, and serves on the board of directors of
for the Arc of New Jersey, Special Olympics New
Jersey and the Eden Foundation. He is a member of
the Elder Law Section of the New Jersey Bar Association.
He writes and lectures frequently on topics concerning
the law and disability as well as issues affecting
siblings. |
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Valerie
A. Powers Smith has
focused her legal career on representing people
with disabilities and their families. She has
concentrated her work on health care law and has
vigorously advocated for families and people with
disabilities to gain medically necessary care
from private insurance companies, Medicaid, and
other health insurance providers. Valerie also
practices in the areas of guardianship, estate
planning, special needs trusts, government disability
services, special education, and employment discrimination.
She has written extensively on a variety of disability
law topics, and has co-authored several publications.
She lectures frequently for disability groups
throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Valerie
was appointed by Governor Codey to the New Jersey
Medical Assistance Advisory Council. She serves
on the advisory council for Family Voices and
is a former member of the Board of Directors for
the Bucks County (Pennsylvania) ARC. She also is a member of the Board of Directors of CareGivers of New Jersey. Valerie holds
a JD from Widener University School of Law and
is a member of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania
Bars. |
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Hillary
D. Freeman is deeply committed to her
work representing people with disabilities and
their families. As the sister of a man with autism,
she is able to combine personal experience with
her legal training to help families advocate for
services and supports. She has experience before
Administrative agencies and Superior Court in
special education issues, section 504, and guardianship
and adult services. She is a member of the American
Association for Trial Attorneys, the International
Dyslexia Association and COSAC. She holds a JD
from Widener University School of Law and is licensed
to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. |
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Amy E. Duff concentrated her entire legal career on disability law. Her legal work is informed by her experiences as a mother of three children, two of whom received special education services. Before joining Hinkle, Fingles & Prior, she served in the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, handling cases dealing with access to disability services, guardianship and special education. She clerked for State Supreme Court Justice Peter Verniero.
Committed to parent advocacy and participation, Amy served on the Hillsborough Board of Education and as Vice-President of the Central Regional Early Intervention Collaborative. Amy holds a Masters Degree in Public Health from The Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health and a law degree from Rutgers School of Law – Newark, and is a member of the New Jersey Bar. |
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Giving
Back to the Community
In
addition to donating time to local groups and organizations
throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Hinkle, Fingles
& Prior supports the work of several statewide
not-for-profit organizations.
The
attorneys helped COSAC,
The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for
the Autism Community, launch the
Autism New Jersey Foundation. They are proud to be
charter supporters of that foundation.
The
firm supports Special
Olympics New Jersey as a bronze
level sponsor.
The firm is proud to support the work of the Arc
of New Jersey as an annual sponsor
of their Walkathon.
The
attorneys regularly provide speaking
and workshop services at no charge
to parents, family groups and organizations in Pennsylvania
and New Jersey.
Click
here to learn more about speaker
and workshop services we offer. |
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