I cannot say enough wonderful things about this firm and the people that work there. I was facing an uphill battle with my husband and they helped me obtain Medicaid. They are kind, patient, and deliver what they set out to conquer. I would highly recommend them and would be happy to give a reference. I am in no way related to or know any of them personally. I was recommend to see them through a local nursing home. I am so glad that I did. God bless everyone else out there with medical needs. Thank you family First. A big thank you also to Sheri who works there. You were wonderful. Respectfully, Angie

Best Elder Law Firm I know. Michelle is awesome, knowledgeable, caring and dedicated . Best combination of qualities in any professional. I have been in the nursing home industry over 20 years and Michelle is thus far the best Medicaid Specialist. I highly recommend this firm.

So very grateful for these folks. Their hard word saved us thousands of dollars for our fathers care. Highly recommend.

My family was referred to the Family First Firm for assistance in establishing VA benefits for my Mom. We had no idea how things operated at the VA but had heard the horror stories of the paperwork, wait times and red tape. We were prepared for a long and overwhelming process and knew that we needed to hire an experienced law firm to help us. The team at Family First Firm, namely Carole Knight, was incredible. She worked tirelessly on our behalf through a denial, an appeal and finally after 18 months of relentless pursuit, an approval for full and retroactive benefits. She is an expert in working the system and getting money. She was always accessible and responsive to us and unbelievably adept and knowledgeable. My family and I will remain forever grateful to Carole and Family First Firm. The VA benefits we now receive relieve a significant financial burden for us. We know that had we pursued establishing VA benefits on our own that we would have given up. It's a shame, but navigating the VA's process was too much for our family to take on alone while also dealing with the stress of caring giving. I highly recommend Family First Firm. It's evident that they truly care. Their work and results back that up. To the team there, thank you so very much!

Friendly and professional staff!

This is a great service offered to Veterans and their families. The Family First Firm knows their business and serves their clients well. Our family was helped to obtain a Veteran's Aid & Assistance benefit that has helped our parents immensely. They know how to get U.S. senators to write a letter to expedite the process of approval and help the applications along in a very complicated process. They also helped structure assets to make the application go smoothly and comply with all applicable laws and requirements. We were very impressed with their knowledgeable staff and their helpful attitudes. While we'd prefer that the government wouldn't make this issue so difficult to maneuver, it is great to have a guide to make the process easier and less complicated. Carole and Adriel were excellent in their follow up and communications with us throughout the process. Geoff really knows his elder law and is worth the expense to make this process work for our veterans!

My Dad is an Army veteran of WWII, drafted when he was 18 years old. At the age of 90 Dad and Mom moved from out of state to Florida and became residences of Brookdale Oviedo. There were many legal documents to be prepared for Florida and we retained the Family First firm. The staff handled all the details with care and compassion meeting with my parents at their residence. Once learning that there were veterans benefits available to assist my Dad and Mom with their care. we retained the firm and began the process of applying for the benefits. Attorney Geoff Hoatson and his team assisted our family every step of the way. I would not recommend anyone navigate the application process without the skill and expertise of this firm. Special thanks to Carole Knight and Adriel Parks who provided reassurance and encouragement, always returning phone calls and emails. This week before Christmas my Dad received approval with retroactive funds. What a gift and a blessing to our family.

I am so thankful for the caring & professional staff at Family First for navigating through a somewhat convoluted Medicaid approval process for my aging friend. A special thanks to Brenda F. for her patience with me and her never ending encouragement when I was over it!! I highly recommend this firm!

I'm a fellow attorney in Orlando and I only refer cases to attorneys that I trust and to whom I would recommend to close friends and family. Geoff Hoatson at Family First Firm is exactly the type of attorney that meets those criteria. I've referred elder law and medicaid cases to his firm and have only heard positive feedback from those referrals. Geoff is rigorously committed to excellence and to ensuring that his clients are happy with the elder law legal services that his firm provides. I would highly recommend Family First to anyone who needs an excellent elder law attorney in the Orlando or Central Florida area.

Good people

Awesome very supportive staff. I felt very much heard regarding my concerns and my desires regarding my will and related documents.

I thank Francheska of the Family First Team for helping Bibi and I through the process of being requalified with Medicaid. Without her help I don't know what we would have done. She was so patient with us and went that extra mile to make sure we did everything we needed to get done. We thank her for all her hard work, right to the end!!

I found Family First through a referral from my cousin who used them for some legal work. I could not be happier. I will admit, I am the type of individual who is skeptical of lawyers and law firms. Family First treated me like I was their only client. They responded to me in a timely manner and answered all of my questions. At no point in time did I feel like I was not appreciated as a client. The only mistake you can make when choosing a law firm is NOT hiring Family First.

Francesca Williams was awesome !

Family first helped us tremendously. Francheska was very organized and helpful in getting us approved for Medicaid

Family First is the BEST. An awesome team that is very professional and knowledgeable of all your needs for elderly people. Life saver for me with both of my parents through the transition from Medicare to Medicaid.

Family 1st is a highly professional and knowledgeable firm that puts the needs of its clients first.
Marvelis was extremely helpful in obtaining Medicaid for my husband. She kept me informed throughout the process. I could not have done this without her. Her reassurance and guidance were much needed. Thank you Marvelis and Family 1st.

EDIT: I've just received a call back from an attorney at the law firm. They had no idea the chat service was this bad and promised to address it (they actually sent the company an incomplete chat log that excluded the part where they hung up on me). He also offered a consultation to find out what we need and if the firm will work for us, which we will probably take him up on.

As an aside if you're also looking for a price range, what he quoted after talking about the situation was actually a little under what we've been seeing elsewhere. Considering they have so many reviews, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable about them as a firm.

I'm leaving most of the original review below so this makes sense, and I will update my review again after the consultation.

SECOND EDIT: I've just realized the attorney who called me back got me to change my review to a 4 after I'd literally written a scathing review and crossed them off my list, so maybe their team is actually really good. It's probably going to be bumped up to a 5 after this consultation.

_____________________________________________________________
Note: This review is about trying to get information to set up an appointment.

This law firm had good reviews on Google. I used the live-chat feature to find out if it was potentially in my family's price range so I knew if it was possible to set up a consultation.

I was connected with someone named Linda who had literally zero information- none! This poor worker was put on this chat and could only say things that were on the website already. She could not answer a single question I had. She connected me to the front desk.

I couldn't get the general price info I wanted outside a consultation (EDIT the attorney who called me back explained why this was and it actually makes a lot of sense, so that's something you should consider if you get frustrated by the same thing). I saw the chat was still open and thanked her (specifically said I wasn't blaming her for the unhelpful call) then told her to pass up my disappointment in the unhelpful chat service to her supervisor, she offered to connect me to a supervisor. Instead, she connected me to the same number, then ended the chat! Literally hung up on me. Not cool.

Edit: I deleted a paragraph here because after talking to the staff at the firm, I realized my problem was really with the chat service. The attorney was also very surprised and upset about the missing chat log, and they're going to fix that.... I will update how the consultation went afterwards.

Edit: Updated review as promised. Sometimes the real measure of a company is how they respond when something goes wrong, and they responded very well.

This place is horrible. I have been waiting 2- 21/2 weeks for this law firm to send me a contract with the fixed rate amount. No answer, no email and most of all no phone calls. Glad I never gave her my money. I'm sure it would have been worst then this.

These folks are TENACIOUS in helping the elderly and VA find programs that will help. They set up a trust, will, and VA paperwork for us. They stayed on it for over 9 months to get the VA portion completed. They charged only one flat fee at the beginning, and never hesitated to answer our emails or phone calls within 24 hours. Even after our family member passed, they were still available to help with those issues, and this was from out-of-state. I don't know how they can stay in business, but they are amazing! If you are planning for elder finances, start early! Like 7 years - they can walk you through all kinds of planning (not just VA). I only wished we had planned sooner. Once you hit 70, you definitely should have a talk with these folks. They also do pro bono senior work, so don't be afraid to ask them anything.

The best elder law firm in Orlando! Of course, I may be biased

Last year, we lost my mom to cancer, Hospice guided me to contact Geoff H. Hoatson at Family First Firm & I am so glad I did as it was such a difficult time. I learned real fast on how much stuff needs to happen when you lose a loved one. I was lost & had my 88 year old Dad that needed help with everything! FFF focused on all of our needs, questions or concerns. They were always happy to help & they never made us feel that we were bothering them. After learning that my Dad served in the Korean War, Carole Knight jumped into action! She is very passionate for our Military. She worked hard & never gave up until my Dad was receiving VA benefits! To quote she said "I do not give up on the VA Applications. Not with the VETERANS! They have never given up on us!" Receiving VA benefits has helped him so much!!! I would use or reccomend Family First Firm again!

Helping a friend to get affairs in order. Friendly staff. Very informative. Clean environment. Very helpful

Pricey

Exclusive firm

Geoff is an excellent lawyer and has a great reputation as an attorney who cares about his clients and sees the bigger picture. I can endorse Geoff without hesitation after having known him as a fellow Central Florida attorney for several years now.

When residents are admitted into a nursing home, family members are often times exhausted, confused and overwhelmed.This is why, whenever the need for estate planning arises, as a leader in my facility I know exactly where to guide them-Family First Firm. Geoff and Michelle are conversant and extremely accommodating. They help families navigate the complex Medicaid program and are a great asset to the geriatric community.

Kudos to the staff at Family First Firm, my experience working with them was exceptional. A great staff that knows their job to the fullest and go far and beyond to make the client feel comfortable in their new environment of financial planning and such. A group of people that is a pleasure to work with. Greetings.

I have had the pleasure of working with Geoff and his team both personally and professionally. I highly recommend Family First Firm for their attention to detail, professionalism and great services.

Family First Firm is amazing! Not only have they helped me with my own estate planning, they help our elder clients and their families with Veteran's benefits, Medicaid applications, and Estate Planning services. We are happy to call Geoff our partner and highly recommend them! They are an asset for all seniors in Central Florida!

Very knowledgeable and Professional Law Firm and amazing staff.

Geoff Hoatson and his team are professional, attentive to details, and all around a fun group to be around.

I sent Geoff Hoatson one of my best clients a few months ago. My client to a little while to get in touch with Geoff, but they finally met a couple weeks ago. He sent me an email about what a great experience he had with Geoff, and the Family First Firm. You always know that the highest level of service has been given when the client reaches out to you to thank you for the referral. Thank you Geoff for treating him with an outstanding level of service.

I had the privilege of having Geoff represent me through my divorce proceedings. Geoff is professional, fair, dependable, trustworthy and compassionate. I highly recommend Geoff to anyone needing this type of legal assistance. Thanks, Geoff!

Geoff and his team have helped us tremendously in setting up or estate planning. He is knowledgeable, approachable, reliable. We also appreciate that he is young so he will be able to assist our family for a long time! Thank you Geoff!

Going through divorce can be a very confusing, emotional process, and it is imperative to find a lawyer that you trust. Geoff Hoatson provided me the trust I needed to maneuver the legal process of divorce and helped me settle it through mediation. Geoff Hoatson and his staff were always very responsive and compassionate to any question or concern that I had during the process. I would highly recommend Family First Firm if you are looking for legal counsel that you can trust.

Geoff and his team make the experience of dealing with family issues a comfortable experience. Hard to broach some topics and it was much easier than I expected. You can trust Geoff with your life and death.

As a physician I hear about the stressors that impact my patients health. It is with great confidence that I can refer my patients to the Family First Firm for their legal needs. Thank you for your integrity and top notch service!

Geoff at Family First has represented me in several complex legal issues and he was always available for my calls, responded quickly to any emails, and provided the desired results time after time. I would highly recommend Geoff as your go-to family law/probate/estate planning attorney.

My experience at Family First Firm was life changing. I can not thank Geoff enough for being a lawyer with high standards and morals, not many layers possess this attribute, I am thankful I was able to find someone to represent our family with exactly that. At the end we came out with exactly what our family prayed for, the process was not always easy but I never felt the situation was out of control, Geoff was always calm and knew exactly what steps to take next. Thank you Family First Firm for making our family complete!