Meet the Team
our principles
At Costa Legal Group we focus on elder law and estate planning matters, providing in-depth legal advice as well as real-life, practical advice to our clients. We are compassionate and dedicated advocates who will work with you and your family during the often stressful time when Medicaid is needed to pay for long-term care. Our mission is to afford you peace of mind and the knowledge that while you focus on caring for your loved ones, we are focused on protecting their interests.
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Joseph P. Costa, ESQ Partner
Joe Costa is an elder law attorney focusing on the interests of seniors and their caregivers, veterans and their surviving spouses, and individuals with disabilities. Mr. Costa’s background is diverse and allows for a multidisciplinary practice. He is an accredited attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs and is a member of Elder & Disability Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Additionally, his past experience in real estate, insurance and finance give him a refreshingly practical approach to solving complex legal problems. Joe – as he prefers to be called – prides himself on carefully listening to the concerns of his clients, understanding their intetions and desires, and delivering on his promises.
Prior to obtaining his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, Joe worked as a banking products advisor at UBS where he received the 2007 Ambition Award. He went onto become a certified retirement planner at Merrill Lynch, helping his clients navigate the daily swings of the capital markets while keeping a diligent eye on their long term goals. In 2012, he was granted the distinct honor of being named to Merrill Lynch’s Circle of Excellence. Notably, many of Joe’s financial clients later retained him to handle their legal matters – a true testament to the trust and confidence he helped to foster during and throughout the financial crisis in 2008.
At Rutgers School of Law, Joe participated in the Good Shepherd Mediation Program. There he helped elderly and indigent individuals resolve disputes amongst their family members, maintain their personal autonomy and, in some instances, avoid foreclosure. He also provided countless hours of pro bono legal services to the underprivileged citizens of Camden, New Jersey.
Joe continues to give back to the community by providing free educational seminars at various local senior centers and public libraries, and is an active member of the Geriatric Advisory Council.
Joe, credits much of his success to his family, lifelong friends and colleagues. He wholeheartedly believes that a plan, no matter how solid it may appear, is only as good as the people you have in your life to execute it. He often jokes that life does not care about our plans, hence his motto – hope for the best but plan for the worst.
Joe is the oldest of four siblings and resides in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
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Barbara Bertha Administrative Assistant
Barbara Bertha joined Costa Legal Group in 2017. She has worked in the legal services industry for more than twenty years and possesses a wealth of professional and personal experience. This experience, which includes working as a certified legal secretary for a prominent civil litigation firm and serving as co-executor of her late parents’ estates, allows Barbara to perform a number of key roles at the firm.
Barbara is the firm’s dedicated Administrative Assistant. In this role, she performs a wide range of administrative tasks throughout the estate planning and estate administration processes, coordinates and arranges meetings or phone calls, and helps to execute various legal documents as a licensed notary public. In addition, she is the first point of contact for all prospective clients and their family members as well as many current clients. Here, Barbara works closely with them, the staff and Mr. Costa to ensure that everyone remains informed and on the same page from start to finish.
Barbara is bright, kind and compassionate. She enjoys working directly with clients, takes the time to get to know them and their particular situation or needs, and is committed to providing the highest level of personalized service. Her ability to communicate effectively and operate efficiently, especially in a moment of crisis when emotions are high, enable the firm to deliver outstanding client experiences and the results to match. Above all, she understands what many clients are going through – she is sensitive to their needs and what they might be feeling and genuinely cares about them and their well-being. In Barbara’s words, “we have the best clients – it’s so rewarding to be a part of their journey and to help them through some of their toughest challenges.”
Barbara lives in Monmouth County, New Jersey and is the proud mother of two daughters. She enjoys boating, the beach, attending concerts, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
