Tim was referred by a friend of my brother. He came to my home as soon as I called him about my car accident. I was hit by a car while I was crossing the street. The driver ran a stop sign while I was in the crosswalk. Tim is the constant professional and is very informative. Tim explained the entire process to me and assured me that he was going to see that my health was okay and that I was compensated. He is honest, upfront and was in my corner every step of the way. In the end, I received a large cash settlement and I was very happy with the results. I would recommend Tim to anyone dealing with a car accident.

Patrick was great! We hired him after consulting two other attorneys. We had a situation complicated by Delaware law requiring us to post ads in South Korean newspapers regarding custody and offer proof to the court. The law was unclear about how to go about this, but Patrick guided us through the process and the court ruled in our favor. The adoption went through with no hassle on January 25th and our family is thrilled to now be legal under the same family name. We originally attempted to do this ourselves which turned out not to be a very good idea, way more complicated than we thought. Patrick was able to undo our mistakes and get us on the right path. Thanks, Patrick for your hard work and getting results. We highly recommend Patrick for anyone needing counsel for adoption!

Brian always responded promptly and answered any questions I had. He was very professional and courteous while dealing with this matter. I would highly recommend him.

Good Morning Jeff,

I just wanted to thank you so much for taking the time out to educate the blind community on workplace rights and accommodations. This is typically a very confusing, intimidating, and anxiety-inducing topic to tackle within the blind community, but you provided us with so much information in such a digestible and comfortable way. I can honestly say that I learned just as much as our students, and they took a lot away from your presentation.

Perhaps what I enjoyed the most is that you gave us such a good foundation surrounding strategies to use when advocating for accommodations, as well as our responsibilities and how we can protect ourselves throughout the process. For example, you began by informing us that the process starts with knowing ourselves and our needs, and particularly, knowing what we need to perform job duties effectively before we even address accommodations with the employer. I also loved that you managed expectations by sharing that receiving accommodations is often an “incremental and fluid” process that may take some time, but that throughout that process, it is important to communicate clearly and respectfully. This really ties into how we teach our students to advocate in every aspect of their lives.

I also appreciate that you informed us on further responsibilities on the employee side while also contrasting employer responsibilities. For example, I did not know that laws can vary in how they are applied depending on the number of employees and that protections for employees may only apply if employee numbers at a business exceed fifteen in many states, or four in PA due to specific state laws. I am also glad that you explained how employers have to provide accommodations during the application process as well as on the job and that overall, they must ensure that we have the same opportunities as others to perform in the workplace as long as it does not constitute an undue hardship. You also beautifully defined undue hardship including hazards, disproportionate financial hardship depending on company size, or negative impacts on other people’s ability to do the job and gave great examples including that of the forklift operator. You also detailed how employers should ultimately be providing training and adjustments and have a legal obligation to address issues like scheduling and issues with the workplace environment if reasonable. It is good to know that cost and whether accommodations may be disruptive to the workplace are the biggest concerns of employers, because it allows us to think ahead and plan  how we can address their concerns and “open dialog and negotiations” so that solutions are mutually beneficial.

You clearly explained that it is ultimately the responsibility of both the employer and the employee to find a solution to the issue of accommodations and that the burden is not solely on the employer. It was also vitally important for our students to know that in the case that they themselves do not follow up or provide the necessary information to support the accommodation process, judges can rule that they have not fulfilled their responsibilities as an employee. Therefore, we have to advocate for ourselves and be responsible for both having the conversation and complying with the necessary steps. The best way to do so is to advocate for ourselves by having a direct conversation with an employer; record the interaction by creating a paper trail; and protect ourselves by keeping a journal throughout the process. This was so important for you to add because I have seen first-hand how this can protect someone should they have to press a lawsuit.

In short, you were a phenomenal presenter and your information will be invaluable to all of us, not just the students. I feel a much greater sense of clarity and confidence knowing more about my rights and responsibilities; employer responsibilities and concerns; trouble-shooting solutions; and strategies to protect myself, and I know our students felt the same. Thank you so much for also taking the time to answer our questions patiently and concisely. I truly felt that you left no stone unturned. This was a great way to introduce work accommodations and your presentation alleviated a lot of stress surrounding this topic. Please join us again if possible. Your service to the blind community is so appreciated. I wish you and your family the best!

Sincerely and with the utmost gratitude,

X

While it is certainly necessary, discussing and developing a will is not an easy thing to do. When you have a child who has special needs, estate planning is even more important, and for me and my husband, even more difficult. We are so grateful to Steve for walking us through this process step-by-step with impressive knowledge, compassion, and understanding. I’m sure that there are many attorneys who are “qualified” to conduct estate planning. I can’t imagine that there are many who care as much as Steve does about the people he is helping. My husband and I never felt like we were just “clients.” Steve’s professional, yet sensitive and genuine approach made us feel like we mattered to him, and that our son’s well-being was important to him, too. We will absolutely use Steve again in the future. If you want to hire an attorney who has reasonable rates and really does “put people first,” then your search is over- Steve is your guy!