Good Shepherd Legal Foundation

Who We Are and What We Do...

Good Shepherd Legal Foundation is a non-profit corporation which was formed by Attorney John A. D'Onofrio and is dedicated to providing complimentary estate planning legal services, including Special Needs Trusts and Guardianships, through licensed attorneys, to families who have special needs children or directly to special needs individuals. 

The Foundation will identify special needs individuals and will offer to provide specialized estate planning, including Special Needs Trusts and Guardianships, to the special needs individual or to the individual's parents on behalf of the individual on a complimentary basis - all you have to do is ask!

Although no family is ever charged for legal services rendered, the providing attorney is paid on a discounted basis. The Foundation pays the providing attorney 0% to 80% of his/her normal fee for the type of legal service performed in the region wherein said services are performed.  Not all attorneys turn in invoices for each and every case and as such they do not receive any fees for services rendered in those particular cases. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Due to the overwhelming demand for our complimentary legal services, please note that we are temporarily passing the court costs, filing fees, and costs for doctor's reports/affidavits for guardianship petitions on to the client.

Said costs and fees will be discussed with all Special Needs Families by the attorney who will be handling the guardianship petition on your behalf prior to your signing any documents.

Again, the legal services are absolutely free - we are only temporarily passing on the aforementioned costs and fees until the Foundation is fully funded.  (October 2011)

Good Shepherd Legal Foundation is a non-profit corporation incorporated in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania under 15 Pa.C.S. Section 5306.  The Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. 

The Tax I.D. No. of Good Shepherd Legal Foundation is 26-0540872.

The corporate offices of the Foundation are currently located at 500 Commerce Drive, Moon Township, PA 15108.

PROTECT YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD -

PLAN TODAY!

One of the most frequently asked questions by parents of children with Special Needs is:

"What is going to happen to my special child when I become incapacitated or die?" 

There are a number of different possible responses to this most important question.  The best response being - plan ahead!  Parents need to be concerned with numerous issues, including future financial planning, the orderly distribution of assets to the Special Needs Child, the preservation of government benefits for the Special Needs Child, and the appropriateness of residential placement.

In addition to normal estate planning matters, parents need to be encouraged to establish a Special Needs Trust to benefit their special child.  The Special Needs Trust differs greatly from a typical trust in that it is designated to leave benefits to and for the benefit of a Special Needs Child without impairing the child's  continued eligibility for the receipt of government benefits based upon need - such as Supplementary Security Income, Medicaid, subsidized housing and/or food stamps.

Where a special needs individual is over the age of 18 years, the Foundation attorneys will assist the family with having a Guardian appointed.

Go to the DONATIONS page to make a continuing automatic donation of $10 per month  for a 12 month period or to make a one-time donation of the amount of your choice.

  Thank you for your generosity!