Hinkle Prior Fischer & Oberweis

What Hinkle Prior Fischer & Oberweis does

Hinkle, Prior, Fischer & Oberweis is a privately-held disability law firm founded in 1974 by Herbert D. Hinkle and headquartered in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The firm provides legal services exclusively to families of children and adults with disabilities and to seniors throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, practicing across seven core areas: special education advocacy, adult services, guardianship, special needs trusts, transition and higher education, estate planning and administration, and elder law. Attorneys at the firm have argued precedent-setting disability rights cases before the New Jersey Supreme Court (including five such cases), the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and other state and federal courts.

The firm operates as a professional corporation (P.C.) with five New Jersey offices (Lawrenceville, Cherry Hill, Freehold, Morristown, and Hackensack) and delivers services via direct appointments and virtual consultations. Revenue derives from professional service fees, billed either hourly or on a fixed-fee basis; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The firm runs an event-driven go-to-market motion centered on hundreds of free educational workshops per year delivered to parent groups, schools, and advocacy organizations, supplemented by an e-newsletter (Perspectives on Disability Law), publications and downloadable forms, and a video advocacy series produced with ASAH. The firm maintains deep community and advocacy-organization ties with Autism New Jersey, Special Olympics New Jersey, Arc of New Jersey, ASAH, Eden Autism Services, JESPY House, and others.

Name

Hinkle Prior Fischer & Oberweis

Legal name

Hinkle, Prior, Fischer & Oberweis, P.C., Attorneys at Law

Website

https://hinkle1.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hinkle, Prior, Fischer & Oberweis is a New Jersey-based disability law firm founded in 1974 that exclusively serves families of individuals with disabilities and seniors across New Jersey and Pennsylvania, practicing special education, guardianship, special needs trusts, estate planning, and elder law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services - Disability Law

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education Due Process, Mediation & Dispute Resolution Support (EDAKACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Needs & Supplemental Needs Trust Services (FSAAANAJ), 504 Plan Consulting & Disability Accommodations (School-Based) (EDAKACAG), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability law services
• Special education advocacy
• Guardianship legal services
• Special needs trusts
• Elder law services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrenceville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services: Legal representation and counsel in disability law matters including special education, guardianship, estate planning, special needs trusts, elder law, and adult services. Services are provided to individuals and families.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hinkle, Prior, Fischer & Oberweis is a disability law firm providing legal representation and counsel across seven practice areas: Special Education Advocacy, Adult Services, Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, Transition & Higher Education, Estate Planning & Administration, and Elder Law. The firm serves families of children and adults with disabilities and seniors in New Jersey and Pennsylvania through five office locations, with services billed hourly or at fixed fees.

Product overview

Hinkle, Prior Fischer & Oberweis is a disability law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services focused on serving people with disabilities and their families throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The firm operates across eight core practice areas: Special Education Advocacy, Adult Services, Guardianship, Special Needs Trusts, Transition & Higher Education, Estate Planning & Administration, and Elder Law. These services are supported by complementary educational offerings including workshops, speaking services, publications and forms, and a video advocacy series. The firm's practice is distinguished by over 70 years of combined attorney experience and involvement in precedent-setting disability rights cases. Services are delivered through five New Jersey office locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Special Education Advocacy

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully challenged NJCAT tier assignments resulting in higher funding levels for clients
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Special Olympics New JerseymajorOthersPresenting sponsor of Evening of Chance fundraiser; bronze level sponsor; team participation in events including Polar Plunge and Jingle All the Way; attorney Maria Fischer served as co-chair of Evening of Chance event and serves on board of directors
• Autism New JerseymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharter supporters of Autism New Jersey Foundation; helped launch the foundation; Herb Hinkle received Lifetime Achievement Award; firm is first donor to 50th Anniversary Campaign with $50,000 leadership gift
• ASAH (New Jersey network of private schools serving students with disabilities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransition Initiative partnership with workshops, IEP clinics, webinars; underwriting scholarship for ASAH school graduate; co-produced Video Advocacy Series
• Arc of New JerseymajorOthersAnnual sponsor of Walkathon; recognized for ongoing commitment to advocacy; firm partner S. Paul Prior serves on Board of Trustees
• Behavior Therapy AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint workshop series 'Pressure Points in Special Education' covering ESY, challenging behavior, independent evaluations, and social skills
• PLAN NJ (Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of New Jersey)minorOthersHerbert Hinkle serves on board of PLAN NJ
• Eden Autism ServicesminorOthersSupported Eden Autism Services event; group home named 'Hinkle House' in honor of Herb Hinkle
• Jewish Family and Children's Services of South Jersey (JFCS)minorOthersAttorney Andrew Linenberg appointed to Special Needs Committee of JFCS
• Rutgers School of Law, CamdenminorOthersHerb Hinkle is adjunct professor of law teaching trusts and estates and estate planning; Herbert and Patricia Hinkle established scholarship for students doing public interest work in disability law; recognized for service to Planning Estates Project
• SPAN (Statewide Parent Advocacy Network)minorOthersDonated 3,000+ copies of Health Care Advocacy Across the Lifespan booklet to SPAN
• Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ)minorOthersAttorney Evelina Padilla appointed to board of ACNJ in Newark
• Supportive Housing Association of New JerseyminorOthersSupport campaign to provide housing vouchers for 1,000 individuals with disabilities

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Easterseals: National disability services nonprofit providing direct services (employment, therapy, residential) and where firm attorney Lisa Roe began her career; comparable as a major ecosystem participant connecting the firm to families needing legal services.
• ASAH (Association of Schools and Agencies for the Handicapped): NJ network of private schools serving students with disabilities — an active strategic partner of the firm that channels referrals; comparable as the broader ecosystem the firm serves, though not a direct legal-services competitor.
• Disability Rights New Jersey: New Jersey's designated Protection & Advocacy system for people with disabilities — operates in the same disability-rights space, with overlapping subject matter (special education, adult services, guardianship) though delivering legal aid rather than private representation.
• The Arc of New Jersey: Statewide disability advocacy organization that is both a major referral source and community partner of the firm; comparable as the principal advocacy body whose constituents form the firm's client base.

Direct peers

• Burns & Howard Law Firm: Florida-based boutique firm dedicated to special needs planning, including special needs trusts, estate planning, and government benefits preservation — directly comparable niche specialization and client demographic of families touched by disability.
• Hemenway & Barnes: Boston-based law firm with a recognized special needs planning and trusts practice serving families of individuals with disabilities — comparable boutique sophistication, high-net-worth clientele, and lifespan estate-planning service model.
• Lommen Law Firm: Minnesota-based boutique law firm focused on disability, special needs planning, and elder law — directly comparable in practice mix (special needs trusts, guardianship, estate planning) and boutique specialization targeting families of individuals with disabilities.
• Vincent J. Russo & Associates: Long Island, NY firm specializing in special needs planning, elder law, and disability advocacy — operates the Special Needs Planning ESQ platform and offers a comparable service suite (SNTs, guardianship, advocacy) for families of individuals with disabilities in the Northeast.

Broad incumbents

• Special Needs Alliance: National, invitation-only network of attorneys dedicated to special needs planning; functions as both a peer referral ecosystem and an industry body — comparable as a national-scale incumbent the firm could be benchmarked against or join.
• MassMutual SpecialCare: MassMutual's SpecialCare program delivers financial planning, special needs trusts, and pooled trust administration through partnered attorneys — a broad incumbent competing for the same SNT/benefits-preservation work the firm performs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HinklePriorFischerOberweis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hinkle-prior-fischer-oberweis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hinkle Prior Fischer & Oberweis