Attorney Jonathan M. Feigernbaum is a smart, no-nonsense attorney who rapidly and effectively helped me navigate my way toward clarity around an insurance / legal issue. His prompt response to my questions led me to believe that he cared about me and my issue, and that my dilemma could be resolved effectively without the need to head to the courthouse. I enthusiastically recommend Attorney Feigenbaum to those seeking legal help as he can be counted on to work in his clients' best interest!

A few years ago, I experienced a life altering health crisis which left me unable to work. The last thing I expected to have to deal with was fighting for my disability insurance. At a time when all of your energy should be focused on recovery, you need a professional with the expertise to fight for your benefits. I was so fortunate to have found Jonathan to help with my case. He patiently explained the complexities of disability law, and was persistent over years fighting for me. There is no way that anyone can face the challenges of a complex case by themselves, and Jonathan's experience was invaluable in guiding me through the steps necessary for a positive outcome. He provided caring, personal representation, never making me feel that I was just another case. He understood how difficult it can be for an individual to face the issues associated with fighting a large insurance company for disability benefits, and through timely communications, knowledgeable representation, and persistence, brought about a positive resolution to my case. My family and I are very grateful for Jonathan's representation and I highly recommend him.

We contacted attorney Feigenbaum with a very unusual situation which, without getting into details because there is a settlement in place, presented a potential mid/high five-figure tax liability for us - money we do not have. Attorney Feigenbaum was professional, approachable, responsive and showed absolute mastery of his field. His sound advice and rich experience helped us navigate this delicate situation and secure the most favorable outcome possible (the problem was basically eliminated). We strongly and wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone in need of legal representation or advice.

Chuck McGilvray

I was denied my Long Term Disability Benefits.
Luckily I was referred to Attorney Jonathan Feigenbaum. From the first phone call Jonathan acted and responded professionally and he was successful even through tough negotiations.
I personally would like to thank Attorney Jonathan for representing me and thoroughly handling this stressful situation. It was a pleasure dealing with him.

I contacted Jonathan because I had heard of his stellar reputation in the industry, and that he was one of the best. When Jonathan communicates with Defendants, they take notice. Jonathan clearly explained the strengths and weaknesses of my case and focused us on the key elements. He then successfully and professionally represented me. He kept me up to date on the issues, was readily available by email or phone and effortlessly explained the legal aspects so that we could focus on our approach. He remained professional at all times, even during intense negotiations. His sense of humor and wit were an advantage, and he was always able to maintain his poise and demeanor throughout. It was a pleasure working with him, and I am so grateful for the relief he brought my family.

We consulted multiple attorneys on the insurance claim and only Attorney Jonathan was willing to take the case (SO GRATEFUL). He looked at things in professional perspective, knows how to represent his client ( VERY IMPORTANT!) and always available on the phone/email whenever we needed! Because of Attorney Jonathan's exceptional work, we finally had great outcome on this case. Overall, I highly recommend Attorney Jonathan.

Jonathan was very diligent, professional and exceptional through the process of my Disability Case, not only my short term but long term . He was very aware of the ERISA laws and never gave up. He knows his specialty and is a true professional. He was exceptionally timely on the appeals and returning my phone calls the same day.

I can say I would have never won the case without Jonathan. Thank you.

Jonathan correctly advised me regarding the first steps in an apparent billing error when I was ready to jump to the conclusion a lawyer letter would be the first move. The hospital had no explanation for the error but a check of my balance with them resulted in them saying I had no outstanding balance.

The hospital isn't going to get as good a review. You can't just go around sending out large erroneous bills.

I have been working with Jonathan Feigenbaum on preparing my long term disability claim as well as covering other aspects of going on long term disability. Jonathan was easy to reach initially, took my call right away, and has been exceptionally accessible. He responds quickly to my emails, speaks in language easy to understand and has done a great job interpreting the policy for me. He knows his specialty well and is a true professional.

I had a group long term disability policy through my employer. I became disabled in July of 2011 I was eligible for long term benefits in January 2012. I submitted my claim and it was denied. I hired Jonathan in Feb. 2012 he was able to have my decision reversed. Anyone that has been denied benefits I would strongly recommend them to use Jonathan for relief. He is very professional he always returns calls in a timely manner and explains things very well.

I had to appeal a denied insurance claim. Jonathan gave me all the right forms to fill out and set me up with the appropriate vendors to get my appeal reversed. It took a year but Jonathan was there for me the whole time answering all my questions and following up with the insurance company. He is very easy to talk to and is responsive to voice and emails quickly.

Jonathan Feigenbaum is an amazing attorney. Jonathan is very professional and knows how to represent his client. Jonathan was very knowledgeable in the company we were going against. Perseverance against the insurance company. It was very easy communicating with Jonathan whether it be by telephone or email he was there for me. He was always willing to answer any question I had. I highly recommend Jonathan.

OUTSTANDING, KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PERSISTENT ATTORNEY!
Due to suffering a chronic back injury, I hired Jonathan to assist me with my Long Term Disability claim. Over the four years of working with him, he provided outstanding, consistent service with a high level of integrity. He assisted me with a total of THREE appeals and he was successful in overturning EACH AND EVERY ONE. Thanks to Jonathan, I've still been able to maintain at least some level of dignity during my highly strenuous, chronic battles with my health and the insurance company. He was persistent and continued to persevere in his efforts to fight for my rights even when I was ready to give up. He is highly knowledgeable, understanding, fair with his fees, consistently laid down the law with my insurance company, and always had the client's best interest at heart. I highly recommend Jonathan if you want an attorney who is truly going to fight for you and get you the outcome you deserve.

Jonathan Feigenbaum has been my attorney and trusted confidante for the last 10 years. He has helped me to deal with the complexities of an insurance claim with strength and calmness which one does not often feel in this situation. He is responsive and experienced in dealing with these kind of claims and I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending him to anyone with a similar claim or situation. You can be assured he will give the most pragmatic advice even though at times you may not believe it! I would not be writing this testimonial if not for his advice and skill.

I came to Jonathan at a very low time in my life. I was denied my Long Term Disibility and with that I would have lost all company status, such as my health insurance and retirement benefits. My only option was a successful appeal. Jonathan came highly recommended so I gave him a call. From the very start I new I was in good hands. He was very professional, knowledgeable of all my rights and laws of disability insurance matters. He always got back to me in a timely manner and had no problem in dealings with my company and the insurance company. He has these specialty forms he’s designed to help aide in the appeal process. He did give me some homework ugh... but in the end it was all worth it. I’ve just received notice from Jonathan that a determination has been made that the prior decision should be overturned. I’ve been fully reinstated and all arrearage has been paid up to date. If you find yourself in a predicament like mine than I would highly recommend Jonathan Feigenbaum.

As I was near the end of my options I located Jonathan online via Google search. I gave Jonathan a call gave him a brief history of my situation he made an appointment with me to further discuss my situation. From that moment I put all my trust into Jonathan, that he would do whatever he could to resolve my issue. Jonathan did not disappoint he was very professional from day one, he took time to explain everything in simple layman’s terms. Every step of the way he never did falter in anyway. Thank you Jonathan for the exceptional job you did for myself the best lawyer I have worked with. May you continue to have great success in your future endeavours .

Jonathan was able to take my Father in Law's case right away and explain in depth the details surrounding the case. He knows the companies that we were dealing with very well and their back story. He was persistent in getting the outcome we wanted. It is a huge relief for our family to be able to focus on the care of our family member, not the red tape and paperwork involved in a case like this.

I have been working with Jonathan since 2017 when I first applied for LTD benefits through my employer. He assisted me with the complicated process of drafting and submitting the various forms, reports, affidavits and so on to the employer and their insurance company. I was approved fairly quickly. So far so good. In 2018 my benefits were terminated for no clear reason. I called on Jonathan again. We appealed the termination which required us to assemble a much larger package of proof. Jonathan helped me at each step by editing my documents, constantly pressing for responses from the various parties, and staying optimistic about the end result. In mid-2019, I won my first appeal of the termination. I received every penny that I was owed me by the employer. I am now back "on claim", my health insurance has been restored, and all other benefits reinstated. I would not have been able win out over two large and powerful institutions without Jonathan's invaluable help.

I was referred to Jonathan about 2 years ago from a local disability lawyer. Even though I was almost 2 hours away from Jonathan, we made it work easy and effortlessly. From day 1 Jonathan treated me as if I was his only client and gave me his undivided attention. If I ever had questions they were always answered and if he didn’t know he was honest and followed up with me later when he did.

He was always up forth and realistic with what we could be facing while perusing my LTD case. He made a very confusing, stressful time, understandable to me.

Some of the many things I always appreciated about Jonathan was he was very easy to talk to and “real”/genuine, along with compassionate to me AND my family.

As far as communicating he was always super-fast with an email response and always only a quick phone call away. I never had to wait for a response very long.

Going through a LTD case when you are already sick and exhausted can be very trying. Jonathan took over as soon as I hired him and helped take a lot of the burden off of me, so I could focus more on me and my appointments/therapy.

I am forever grateful for Jonathan and although I hope to never have to hire him again (nothing personal lol), I would definitely do so for myself or any family member again in a heartbeat!

I am blessed to have found closure in my case, but I will miss Jonathan, as I now consider him to be one of my friends. Good luck to you in your future endeavors and I will always be thankful to you!

I was referred to Jonathan by another Elder Care/Disability benefits law firm as someone who could specifically assist in the area of navigating the Long Term Care Insurance claim process for an elderly mother in Wash. D.C. Not only did Jonathan take the time to thoroughly review the policy but he then went out of his way to discuss strategies for filing the claim while providing assurance that if needed, he could successfully advocate for full payment of benefits from the insurer. I found Jonathan to be extremely knowledgeable, compassionate and transparent and his guidance and knowing that he is there should we need to litigate has proved to be an enormous relief as we move forward in this difficult process. I could not recommend him more highly for those in similar circumstances.

I am beyond pleased with Jonathan Feigenbaum’s treatment & results with my Long term disability case. He was very professional and always great at keeping me attuned to the process of my case and further appeal.
I was informed at all times about the settlement process, and Jonathan was great about explaining in laymen’s terms to me the back and forth process.
Although it took time, I couldn’t be happier with the results Jonathan was able to attain for me!
I will not hesitate to refer him to family or friends, nor will I hesitate to contact him again if I find myself in need of legal services.

I was diagnosed with a disease a number of years ago. I stayed employed for as long as I possibly could. At the point I thought that I could not realistically stay employed, I felt I would need guidance through the STD/LTD process. I spoke to a couple of attorneys earlier, but did feel confident with them. I was referred to Attorney Feigenbaum by my state conduit. From our fist conversation, he took control and explained the entire process to me in language I could understand. He spoke with confidence and made me feel comfortable. I walked away having a good high-level understanding of what was to come.

Throughout the process, I was referred to Attorney Feigenbaum was proactive with all steps rather than reactive. All forms were filled out in advance of applications. He made sure they were complete and accurate. He was my conduit to all parties, which took the pressure off of me. Due to this, it has gone very smoothly and the STD piece is complete.
I am very impressed with his knowledge, professionalism, needs of his client. His correspondence was top notch. All responses were extremely prompt. I never had to wonder if he would get back to me. I would highly recommend Attorney Feigenbaum to anyone who needs guidance in this area.

Jonathan was recommended by another local attorney after a denial of benefits. Jonathan was kind and compassionate throughout the entire ordeal. The process was incredibly stressful and having someone being able to act for you with his qualifications and experience made all the difference. I found him extraordinary kind and realistic about the possible outcomes. He explained everything he was doing and why it was important to the case. I received frequent updating regarding the progress of my claim throughout the complicated and time consuming process.. Jonathan was able to make the laws understandable. I received additional information and background on requirements as well as on the company and individuals he was dealing with to resolve my case. I feel very fortunate he was willing to take on this challenge with me. Recently the insurance company agreed to pay my claim after approximately 3 years of denials. The stress levels are finally returning to a normal level. Thank you Jonathan

I was referred to Attorney Jonathan Feigenbaum to help with an insurance claim for my late husband. He is extremely knowledgeable, results driven and has an excellent reputation in this field. It was a pleasure to work with him from the beginning. He was always very responsive to questions I had during the process and explained complicated components of the law in an easily digestible format. I highly recommend him and would not use any one else if the need arose again.

A few years ago I sustained an injury that prevented me returning to my nursing profession and was thus terminated from my position after 41 years. I also had a few medical issues arise during this time. At the time of my injury I qualified for STD and then LTD as written in the contract I purchased. When the LTD was discontinued and the insurance company chose to not extend it, I could appeal their decision.

As I was gathering as much information as I could about the process and the paperwork I would need, I realized that it would be a long and arduous task at hand.

A very close friend recommended that I seek out legal counsel from Jonathan for his expertise in ERISA law.
It was absolutely the best decision I've ever made.

After the first phone call I felt relief that he understood why I was upset with the insurance company's decision and why I wanted to appeal it. From the very beginning Jonathan was reassuring, compassionate and professional.

We communicated mostly via phone calls and emails which was all done in a timely manner. He was so organized in the process; forms, letters, evaluations and explaining the law process in layman terms to me.

Jonathan has a vast wealth of knowledge in his practice of ERISA law.

I highly recommend him to others that are seeking a competent and knowledgeable lawyer.

Attorney Feigenbaum was Referred to me by my social security short term disability attorney. When my long term disability claim was closed by the insurance company she said Jonathan was the best in the business to help me with the appeal process. Jonathan always communicated in a timely manner and always explained complicated legal situations in a way that I could understand. He was well versed in what would be needed and walked through the process of collecting documentation that would be required to submit to the insurance company. The professionalism he displayed working with me in my case was outstanding and compassionate. Being a single parent the amount of relief my family has experienced with his successful handling of my case is immeasurable. Attorney Feigenbaum will continue to represent me to keep me on claim. Anyone needing a disability attorney should look no further than attorney Feigenbaum....

We were reeling after the disability insurance company denied my claim. A respected attorney in the field recommended Jonathan as experienced and skilled enough to help us win against a global disability company. Not only did Jonathan help us achieve a reasonable settlement, he was very responsive, always on time, and really knew what we needed in terms of law, process, settlement and responses to the company we were fighting. Because of his many years doing disability law, he was familiar with the opposing counsel, the insurance company, and the mediator - all of which made a difference.

Every step of the way, he guided, supported and helped us navigate a very painful, difficult time. He was friendly and compassionate. We can't recommend Jonathan highly enough!

I was extremely overwhelmed and confused by a legal matter involving my long-term disability insurance. I reached out to Jonathan for help. His knowledge, expertise and support immediately put me at ease. He was prompt, professional and informative every step of the way. He persisted and negotiated an outcome that far exceeded my expectations. Thank You Jonathan! I am grateful for your services!

Jonathan is incredibly organized and industrious! He helped me navigate through my appeal for disability. In a really lousy time in my life, he guided me through the process and made the situation so much less stressful for me and my husband. I cannot thank him enough and I would highly recommend him.

Jonathan is the best! He's a great, honest, hard working attorney. I would highly recommend him. He response to calls/emails within minutes no matter what time of the day. His clients are his number one priority. He is the best in his field and I would definitely use him again!

Jonathan has been incredibly knowledgeable and helpful to me. I was very fortunate to find him and cannot recommend him highly enough.

I am a physician, and have been extremely pleased with the disability work Mr Feigenbaum has done for me. In all his dealings with me, he has been extremely knowledgeable, experienced and helpful. He was tactful and decisive in dealing with my insurance company - no small feat! And of great importance, he was always available to me - again, no small feat where busy lawyers are concerned. I give him the highest rating.

I have had the opportunity to consult with Jonathan a few times as we have attempted to navigate some insurance issues. I was pleasantly surprised by Jonathan's prompt communication, willingness to review some information and offer feedback and guidance regarding our situation without even being a client. This past weekend, we had reached out to Jonathan to see if we could hire him to help out with a continuing issue. Jonathan called Sunday morning, spent time finding out facts and made a referral to a local Attorney who specializes in our needed area. I would highly recommend reaching out to Jonathan. His professionalism and time spent will not be forgotten by our family.

Jonathan recently won a STD and LTD case I had with a major insurance company. Things started moving and getting handled as soon as he was on the case. He got me everything the insurance company had denied me. Everything! I got paid!!!
I felt better as soon as I spoke with him on the phone, he understood what I was going through and how I had been treated by the insurance company. He even knew the office I was dealing with, and they were out of state. He knows what he is talking about!
Jonathan is very prompt in getting back to me each time I had question, and I had lots of them. He knew exactly what I needed as his client.
I will highly recommend Jonathan Feigenbaum to anybody I know!!
He is the best!!

Jonathan Feigenbaum recently assisted me with my complex ERISA/LTD case, against a large insurance company. Jonathan's exceptional knowledge, competency and experience are hard to find in this area of law. Moreover, Jonathan's responsive communication and outstanding client skills are a rarity (among many lawyers I've dealt with).

I would recommend Jonathan and entrust him handling any of my beloved family or friends cases without hesitation. I wish there were more attorneys like him.

Attorney Feigenbaum is a Super Lawyer!

He has all the traits you would expect to find in an Erisa attorney.
Jonathan is extremely knowledgeable, hardworking, professional and demonstrates a willingness to go the extra mile to win your case.
I would like to say "thank you" to Attorney Feigenbaum for his dedication and would strongly recommend him to anyone that is looking for an Erisa attorney.

Jonathan recently represented me and I give him my highest recommendation. He is a top-notch advocate, counselor, and negotiator. I have very much appreciated his quick and informative replies to my questions. He is not only a legal expert, but also great at explaining how the relevant laws and processes work to non-lawyers like myself. I had a strong sense that he cared about me and my outcome from a place of compassion for others and not only to succeed for the sake of his own track record and gain.

Jonathan is a terrific lawyer who does outstanding work for his clients and really looks out for their best interests.

Jonathan is an experienced and innovative attorney.

We were recommended to Jonathan Feigenbaum by a prominent Boston attorney after receiving 1 month of LTD benefits and being informed our claim would be closed. We were told that we could appeal this decision ourselves and that we didn’t need an attorney to do this by Insurance Company.
We tried to appeal this decision ourselves not realizing the complexity of the process as this is something that insurance companies will not help with, nor disclose. So, after losing our 1st appeal We decided and needed help by someone much more knowledgeable with the appeal process than ourselves as well as the rigor to reverse this denial of benefit.

Jonathan agreed to represent us and helped us navigate these treacherous waters and has been our attorney and trusted companion and confidante for the last 5 years. He has helped us to deal with the many complexities of a 2nd appeal process for this claim. This was something no one should try to do on their own as we tried but suggest hindsight being 20/20. I only wished I found Jonathan before the 1st appeal. Jonathan completed the 2nd appeal successfully and still to this day We owed it all to him for his integrity, expertise, demeanor and knowledge of ERISA and disability law and advice.

He would always make time for all our questions and always returned our calls, emails and questions timely. This quality of service help which made us often feel confident in our situation of David versus Goliath. He is very experienced in dealing with these kinds of claims and I have absolutely no doubt, nor hesitation in recommending him to family, friends or anyone with similar dire situations as we had encountered. You can rest assured he will give your claim the upmost attention, detail and priority to whatever your situation requires.
The Finbar Family

Attorney Jonathan Feigenbaum represented me in an appeal of my disability claim against a major insurance company. Jonathan is professional and his knowledge of ERISA Law successfully helped me win my appeal. Even my doctor was impressed with his skills and knowledge. He is thorough and pays attention to detail, not to mention he responded quickly to any questions I have for him.
I would highly recommend Atty. Feigenbaum for legal matters.

Very knowledgeable about ERISA in particular and disability issues and options of any type. Skillful, thorough and committed to serving the needs of his clients.

Since my first contact with Jonathan Feigenbaum I have been impressed with his attention to detail and knowledge. He has made the ordeal of interacting with the insurance company less excruciating. It is hard to express how sincerely grateful I am to have found him to represent me.

My experience was excellent. I found Jonathan to be attentive to my wishes and concerns, easy to talk to and work with, clear in his instructions and effective in getting results. I highly recommend his services. He was a calming voice as he guided me through a difficult time and worked diligently on my behalf.

Jonathan Feigenbaum is completely through and is extremely knowledgeable in Erisa law. He is the best in his field and most lawyers probably do not want to go against him. He is the real deal. It is a win win to hire this firm. Sincerely, PW

I engaged Jonathan to handle an appeal for my Long Term Disability Claim. His services were thorough and provided in a manner that allowed me to understand what was required from me and the impacts on my future. I was very comfortable and confident with his approach from beginning to end. The outcome of the appeal was completely successful. Jonathan's fees were reasonable. I am a very happy client and would recommend him to anyone who requires similar legal services.

When my LTDI benefits were terminated, I hired Jonathan Feigenbaum to assist with me with my ERISA claim. He was extremely knowledgeable, empathetic, and professional with regards to my case. Whenever I had a question or concern, he always answered them promptly via phone or email and kept me informed during the process. It was a pleasure working with him and I would highly recommend him without hesitation!

Jonathan is highly knowledgeable and quickly summarizes all the action items of your case, then methodically and strategically handles each one. He is succinct, will answer all your questions and provides you with the necessary guidance to assist him in presenting your case, ensuring the best possible outcome. I highly recommend Mr. Feigenbaum.

Jonathan Feigenbaum represented me in an appeal of my disability claim against a major insurance company. Jonathan is professional and he is very knowledge this field. He successfully helped me win my appeal against this insurance carrier, the Company that terminate my benefits without even seeing me! Jonathan is thorough and pays attention to detail, he also responds quickly to any questions or concerns that i have had.
I would highly recommend Atty. Feigenbaum

Jonathan was very thorough, professional and supportive in resolving my issue. He listened to all my concerns, researched the issue in detail and advised accordingly. I would highly recommend Jonathan.

Atty. Feigenbaum was referred by a local attorney because of his knowledge and experience in ERISA law. I found him to be informative, detailed and factual. My case was resolved successfully while many ERISA cases are not and that's to the credit of Atty. Feigenbaum.

Amazing. Might have taken a long time but Jonathan was awesome and always took time out of his busy schedule to help me.

I am so thankful for Jonathan Feigenbaum! My treatment team at Spaulding Rehab Hospital suggested contacting him to get some legal advice regarding my health issues. He was VERY responsive, concise and helped me free of charge. I haven't received the response from my insurance company to know if it worked, but I can certainly say I am much more likely to get a positive result thanks to his guidance.

Atty. Feigenbaum is a very knowledgeable, intelligent, and compassionate lawyer. He was referred to me by my Soc. Sec. lawyer and I was told “he is the best in the business” and that is so completely spot on! My case was, I’m sure, like so many others out there and was taking forever. I was on my second back surgery, have severe neurological issues (for over 10 years) and was still being denied LTD benefits, from the SAME company that had been paying me my STD. I was a litigation paralegal for over 20 years, but had no idea what to do, or where to turn. My husband is also disabled and was nearly killed in a horrific accident in July of that year. Needless to say, our financial situation was dire, and my emotions were of course now completely directed to hoping and praying that my husband would survive, spending every possible waking (and sometimes sleeping) moment in the ICU. I was certainly not concentrated on the LTD issue, even though it meant our very survival. In the meantime, I had absolutely NO income, a husband in a coma, and on the other side of 50, my 75 year old mother was paying my mortgage so that my Grandson (who we have Guardianship of), myself and my husband, if he survived, would have a home to come home to. It was embarrassing, heartbreaking, stressful, and demoralizing, but I could do nothing about it. I had to concentrate on him. Now, I realize that most everyone in the position of fighting for their LTD benefits are financially desperate, but upon hearing of our particular circumstance, Jonathan offered to represent me on a pro bono basis! Yes, you “heard” that right; for free. I was in tears on the phone (literally) when he offered this to me. The fact that I was a pro bono client did not diminish his quality work and representation of my case. He handled everything for me, and wrote such a concise and detailed appeal of my case, in very short order, had my case approved, all the back payments en route and I am still collecting to date. Jonathan continues to represent me, as you will soon find out (if you don’t already) that winning your appeal is only the first step. These companies will continue to harass you and try to cease your benefits whenever possible. When that happens with me, I simply shoot him an email and the matter is handled without any stress on my part. The day Jonathan came into my life was a blessing. You can not find a better attorney. And yes, I’m happy to report, my husband survived.

Great attention to detail. Easy to work with. Is very well versed in how insurance companies' claims areas process and litigate claims.

Jonathan has been very thorough, diligent, and communicative through my experience with him. While parts of my case required different attorneys, he brought information, experience, and other assets to the table that strengthened the case on both sides. That information wound up being pivitol with the other case. Jonathan has always responded to my emails and phone calls promptly, including emergency calls late at night and weekends. Being in a situation where you need an attorney is uncomfortable at the least, Jonathan makes this easier by explaining the process, answering questions, and communication. I would recommend Jonathan to family and friends, and anyone else needing an advocate and a voice in a very difficult environment.