Dana Walsh Sivak is a Partner at Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP, and serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Elder Law practice group, as well as a member of its Litigation and Cannabis Law practice groups. Dana has devoted much of her legal career to addressing legal issues involving the elderly, including Article 81 guardianships, complex Medicaid eligibility issues, nursing home litigation, and advocating for increased access to quality-of-life initiatives for the elderly in long-term care settings. Dana works closely with her clients and their families to craft individualized long-term care plans which includes high-level Medicaid planning techniques that aim to preserve her clients’ assets and income, while ensuring their continuous access to excellent care. Dana has a great deal of experience representing both individual clients and corporate health care facility clients on complex legal issues, allowing her to develop a unique perspective on issues facing seniors, and obtain a great deal of experience assisting older New Yorkers in securing a payment source for the cost of their long-term care, often through the Medicaid program or private long-term care insurance. For many years, Dana has worked to expand access to medical cannabis to seniors, particularly those residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. In December 2019, Dana helped to spearhead and present the first conference on Long Island that focused on these issues, “Cannabis & Aging: The Business, Politics, Law & Science of Cannabis”, partnering with other highly regarded professionals in the cannabis industry. Dana frequently lectures to health care facilities and at regional conferences about the medical benefits of cannabis in the elderly population, advocating for increased access to medical cannabis for all seniors, regardless of their socioeconomic status. An accomplished author, Dana’s work has been published in a number of prestigious legal publications, including the New York Law Journal, the New York State Bar Association Elder Law & Special Needs Journal, the Nassau Lawyer and the Suffolk Lawyer. Dana has received numerous honors, including the Forty Under 40 Award for Rising Stars in Business, “Who’s Who in Healthcare Law,” “Ones to Watch: Law”, and the St. Vincent DePaul Legal Program Award. Dana remains active in her community, including as an inaugural member of the St. John’s University School of Law Alumnae Leadership Council, participating in its prestigious Mentoring Circles program, and often mentors female law students and graduates beginning their career. Dana also supports the March of Dimes, and the North Shore University Hospital Auxiliary in its fundraising efforts to benefit the NICU at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, in gratitude for the care provided to her youngest daughter who was born prematurely in 2015. Dana resides on Long Island with her husband, two children, and their dog.
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