Howard J. Atlas

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Howard J. Atlas

Of Counsel

Address:

Melville, NY

Phone:

631-420-1212

Fax:

631-420-4455

Howard J. Atlas, Esq., CELA*, CAP**, is a highly accomplished attorney and was Principal of the Atlas Law Group for over 25 years before merging with and becoming a partner in Futterman Lanza, LLP. Howard Atlas remains Of Counsel with Futterman Lanza. He has dedicated his career to protecting the rights and assets of seniors and their families and has earned the respect, both locally and nationally, as an authority in Elder Law.

Howard is one of only 600 attorneys in the United States who is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. He also has the distinction of being selected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), an accolade offered to only one hundred attorneys in the country.

Howard was recognized as a 2024 “Super Lawyer” and has been selected annually since 2010, an honor given to only five percent of all attorneys in the New York metropolitan area. He has also earned the prestigious AV Preeminent Accreditation from Martindale-Hubbell, affirming his exceptional legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical standards as chosen by his peers.

Howard was selected to join NAELA’s Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP), the highest distinction in the field of Elder Law and Special Needs, representing the pinnacle of achievement that attorneys strive to attain. A trailblazer in Elder Law, Howard has served in various leadership roles within NAELA, including Secretary, Vice President, and Board Member. Howard also chaired the NAELA Advanced Elder Law Institute and co-chaired the task force that developed NAELA’s influential White Paper on long-term care reform in the United States.

Throughout his career, Howard has helped shape the direction of Elder Law. Howard is a respected speaker and educator in Elder Law and Estate Planning. He has presented numerous times to professional audiences for NAELA and the New York State Bar Association. He has contributed to and appeared in articles in major publications, including Forbes, USA Today, Newsday, Money Magazine and Journal for the American Bar Association. Howard has also appeared on CNBC and News12 Long Island and had the honor of being selected to be featured in a documentary on Elder Law in the Public Television Series, In America with James Earl Jones.

*Certified as an Elder Law Attorney by The National Elder Law Foundation as Accredited by The American Bar Association

**National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Council of Advanced Practitioners

† Fellow of The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys

Education

  • Albany Law School of Union University, Albany, New York
    • J.D. – 1986
  • Stony Brook University
    • Bachelor of Arts – 1982
    • Major: Political Science

Bar Admission

  • New York, 1986

Honors

  • Super Lawyer in Metro New York (top 5% of attorneys are peer selected) – 2010 through 2025
  • AV Preeminent Accreditation from Martindale-Hubbell
  • 2025 FourLeaf “Best of” Best Law Firm nomination

Published Works

Practice Areas

  • Elder Law
  • Medicaid
  • Asset Protection Planning
  • Estate Planning
  • Estate Tax Planning
  • Special Needs Planning

Professional Associations

  • *CELA – Certified as an Elder Law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as Accredited
    by the American Bar Association
  • **CAP – National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Council for Advanced Practitioners
    Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
  • Suffolk County Bar Association – Elder Law Section
  • New York State Bar Association – Elder Law and Trust and Estate Sections
  • NAELA – former leadership roles and current member

Specialties and Certifications

  • CELA – Certified as an Elder Law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as Accredited by the American Bar Association
  • CAP – National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys Council for Advanced Practitioners