OUR ATTORNEYS
We are experienced consumer attorneys providing quality legal representation to people seeking health and disability benefits. Bonny Rafel (certified civil trial attorney recognized by the Supreme Court of New Jersey), Michele Smith and JoAnn Quattro, along with our talented staff, focus on disability and life insurance matters. Disabled people are in need of quality, caring representation by litigators who are familiar with the practices of the insurance industry. We are efficient, effective and know how the get the best results for our clients. 

OUR STAFF
Our staff includes many talented people, including legal administrator Dolores Marshall, paralegals Michael Thompson, Lucia Petullo, nurse paralegals Eileen Scheid, and Kathleen Evans and a complement of law clerks from local schools. Our is dedicated to providing assistance to our team of lawyers protecting your legal right to continued disability benefits

Bonny Rafel

Bonny G. Rafel is a highly regarded nationally recognized litigator, representing consumers in life and disability cases in New Jersey, New York, and many other states.She has received the highest rating, A+ Martindale Hubbell which is based on assessments by her peers.  The Supreme Court of New Jersey has recertified her twice as a civil trial attorney. Ms. Rafel has devoted substantial time during her busy career to mentor others through continuing education courses and shares her experiences by lecturing and writing in many venues. She speaks to varied groups, trade organizations, insurance agencies, financial planners, medical support groups and specialty organizations including NOSCCR on disability issues. Her successes have been recognized in Products Liability Law Reporter published by ATLA, Jury Verdict Review & Analysis, New Jersey Lawyer and the New Jersey Law Journal. She often authors timely articles in her field of specialty, which have appeared in many periodicals, including Life & Health Advisor. Ms. Rafel is a regular featured speaker for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Mealey's, and the American Conference Institute on topics of bad faith, long term disability and ERISA matters. Ms. Rafel currently Chairs the NJ ATLA Bad Faith Committee and is on the ATLA Board of Governors and a member of the ATLA Education Committee..

Michele Smith

Michele Smith recently joined our firm as an associate and brings many unique skills to balance our litigation unit.  Her talent is exemplifed by Honors awarded to only a handful of students, including graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Columbia University and Cum Laude from Harvard Law School where she was Technical Editor or the Harvard Woman's Law Journal.  She went on to round out her experience by clerking for the Honorable Susan J. Dlott, U.S. District Court Judge in Ohio.  Following employment as a clinical fellow at the Criminal Justice Institute at Harvard Law School, she gained litigation experience as as associate with Stroock & Strook & Lavan, LLP in Manhattan. Michele will continue to add a dimension of knowledge, integrity and determination to our legal staff. She is licensed to practice law in the New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.

JoAnn Quattro

JoAnn Quattro is our newest associate.  She graduated from Cornell University and with honors from Rutgers Law School - Newark, where she was a symposium editor for the Rutgers Law Review and taught Legal Research and Writing.  She clerked for the Honorable Dennis M. Cavanaugh, (then) Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court, District of New Jersey.  After her experience with the court, she became an associate at Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland, and Peretti, LLP in Morristown, New Jersey, where she practiced commercial and insurance law.  An active community volunteer, she is a past president of the Board of Trustees of Children on the Green, an accredited child care center in Morristown.  JoAnn recently received United Way of Morris County's Gold Award, the highest honor for a volunteer, for her work chairing United Way's Success by 6 Action Team and developing a Preschool Mental Health Initiative to help meet young children's emotional needs.  She is licensed to practice law in New Jersey.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNUMPROVIDENT SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT