It is extremely important to seek the advice from an attorney who is certified as an elder law attorney. Only approximately 200 attorneys in the entire country are certified in the area of elder law.

Donald B. Mark is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, the only organization that has been recognized by the American Bar Association as having the authority to certify attorneys in the field of elder law.

The Board of Directors of NAELA founded the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) in 1993. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and improvement of the professional competence of attorneys in the area of elder law. In February 1995, the American Bar Association's House of Delegates approved NELF as the certifying entity for specialization in elder law.

The purpose of the certification program is to identify those attorneys who have the enhanced knowledge, skills, experience, and proficiency to be properly identified to the public as Certified Elder Law Attorneys. To become Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the NELF, one must have been in practice for many years and have been substantially involved in the area of elder law; obtain favorable references from attorneys (Mr. Mark provided more than 15 references, including an Administrative Law Judge and a Superior Court Judge); a minimum of 45 hours of participation in continuing legal education in the field of elder law; and pass a difficult and comprehensive all-day written examination.

The written examination is designed to demonstrate the applicant's special knowledge, skills, and proficiency in the services that make up elder law. The examination also seeks to test an attorney's knowledge of the ethical rules of special concern to elder law attorneys, the special knowledge of the aging process, and the aging network and its resources.

Mr. Mark satisfactorily completed all of the requirements set forth by NELF to become a Certified Elder Law Attorney. On April 12, 2000, the NELF sent a written notice stating that they were pleased to inform him that he had completed all of the requirements to become a Certified Elder Law Attorney.