Valerie A. Powers
Smith | Coachella Valley Trust Litigation and Estate Administration Lawyer
Valerie A. Powers Smith is a partner at Slovak Baron Empey Murphy & Pinkney LLP, boasting a distinguished professional track record spanning over two decades. Based in Palm Springs and Indian Wells in California, she is renowned as an eminent figure within the realm of estate administration, probate and trust litigation, special needs and elder law.
Valerie possesses profound knowledge and understanding of the following areas of estate administration, estate and trust administration, probate, trust and estate litigation, health care insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, conservatorships, and special needs and elder law, making her a go-to attorney for these issues.
Throughout her professional journey, Valerie has established her eminence within the field of health care and special needs law. She has earned a reputation for her relentless advocacy for families and people with disabilities, helping them secure the medically necessary care they require from private insurance companies, Medicaid, Medicare, and other health insurance providers.
Valerie regularly counsels families, executors, and corporate trustees about the nuances of special needs law and how to manage its administration effectively. She has further spent her career navigating complex scenarios including same-sex and multi-generational family planning, showcasing her capacity to adapt to modern trends in estate administration.
Further consolidating her reputation as a top-tier estate administration lawyer, Valerie is a respected authored of a multitude of publications. Her work has focused on topics such as adult services access, Medicaid, estates and trusts, conservatorships, and health insurance. A regular contributor to various newsletters from disability advocacy organizations across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and California, she’s known for her comprehensive knowledge and astute legal insights. Moreover, she is frequently invited to lecture for disability-related groups and legal organizations in various states, reinforcing her role as a recognized authority in the field.