About the Special Needs Alliance

The Special Needs Alliance (SNA) is a national organization comprised of attorneys committed to the practice of disability and public benefits law. Individuals with disabilities, their families and their advisors rely on the SNA to connect them with nearby attorneys who focus their practices in the disability law arena.

The SNA is an invitation-only organization. SNA membership is based on a combination of relevant legal experience in the disability and elder law fields, direct family experience with disability, active participation with national, state and local disability advocacy organizations, and professional reputation. As a result, an SNA member will have an average of 18 years of relevant legal experience, with no member having practiced law for less than 5 years. Many have been certified as Elder Law Attorneys (CELAs) by the National Elder Law Foundation, the certifying entity for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).

The mission of the SNA is to maintain a professional organization of attorneys skilled in the complex areas of public entitlements, estate, trust and tax planning, and legal issues involving individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

The SNA was formed in 2002 by a core group of prominent disability and elder law attorneys who recognized the unique planning needs of younger individuals with disabilities and their families. While the SNA now has members in 44 states, the organization continues to limit membership to those who meet its professional standards in the area of disability law and advocacy.

Continued membership in the SNA requires active committee participation, regular attendance at SNA educational programming, and payment of professional dues. All dues are used to promote the overall mission of the SNA.