Attorneys

Phone: (917) 993-0457
Email: tcowart@cowartdizzia.com

Trisha Cowart is a co-founder of the firm. Prior to establishing Cowart Dizzia LLP, Ms. Cowart was a partner at a national firm focusing on Medicaid eligibility, civil litigation and Medicaid regulatory issues.

Ms. Cowart began her career as a Clinical Professor at the Elder Law and Consumer Protection Clinic at Penn State University’s Dickinson School of Law. She served as the acting co-director of the Clinic from 2009 –2011. Heavily involved in outreach on issues facing older adults, she co–authored a treatise with Professor Katherine Pearson titled The Law of Financial Abuse and Exploitation.

Ms. Cowart received her B.A. from the Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from the Penn State University’s Dickinson School of Law, where she received the William H. Dodd Award. She is a member of the both the Pennsylvania and New York Bar Associations and is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New York.

Phone: (917) 993-0515
Email: gdizzia@cowartdizzia.com

Gina Dizzia is a co-founder of the firm. Prior to establishing Cowart Dizzia LLP, Ms. Dizzia was associated with a national firm focusing on Medicaid eligibility, civil litigation and Medicaid regulatory issues.

Ms. Dizzia began her career at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in New York and she also served as Associate General Counsel of the International Development Law Organization in Rome, Italy.

Ms. Dizzia received a B.A. from Cornell University, a M.A. In English Literature from Duke University and a J.D. from the Duke University School of Law. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and is admitted to practice law in New York.

Phone: (717) 745-5159
Email: maegbuniwe@cowartdizzia.com

Michael N. Aegbuniwe, Esquire is an associate attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP. His practice focuses on representing long-term care providers in regulatory, compliance, and operational matters. Mr. Aegbuniwe works closely with skilled nursing facilities and other institutional providers to navigate complex legal and administrative issues, including interactions with state agencies, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.

Prior to joining Cowart Dizzia LLP, Mr. Aegbuniwe practiced at a Pennsylvania-based law firm where he focused on family law, criminal law, and general civil litigation. In that role, he represented clients in a wide range of matters including custody disputes, divorce, support, protection from abuse proceedings, and criminal matters. His experience in family and criminal law instilled in him a strong sense of compassion and an appreciation for the real-world impact legal issues have on individuals and families—an approach he carries into his work with clients today. Through his litigation experience, he developed strong advocacy skills and a practical, client-centered approach to resolving complex legal issues both in and out of the courtroom.

Mr. Aegbuniwe earned his J.D. from Widener University School of Law, where he developed a strong foundation in legal writing, advocacy, and client representation. He received his undergraduate degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Aegbuniwe is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He is committed to providing responsive, detail-oriented counsel and building strong relationships with clients to achieve effective and practical outcomes.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Aegbuniwe enjoys spending time with his friends and family, as well as his cats, Rue and Willow.

Phone: (609) 712-1326
Email: pcohen@cowartdizzia.com

Philice Krevolin Cohen is an associate attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP. Ms. Cohen’s practice focuses on health care and elder law. She assists client long term care facilities with Medicaid regulatory and eligibility issues, coordinates with the Department of Human Services regarding Medicaid applications and the verification process, and handles both contested and uncontested Guardianship and Fair Hearing proceedings. With a background in complex litigation, Ms. Cohen is an experienced and strong advocate for her skilled nursing home clients both in and out of the courtroom to ensure their rights are protected.

Prior to working at Cowart Dizzia LLP, Ms. Cohen had more than 15 years’ experience at private firms representing clients in all aspects of complex litigation, including hearings, arbitration proceeding, mediation proceedings and civil trials.  

Ms. Cohen is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and Rutgers School of Law, where she served as an Associate Editor of the Rutgers Journal of Law & Religion and as a teaching assistant in Legal Research and Writing.  Ms. Cohen also served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable William P. Gilroy, during his tenure as the Presiding Judge of the Monmouth County Superior Court, Civil Division. Ms. Cohen is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Phone: (646) 988-6124
Email: sarden@cowartdizzia.com

Suzan Arden is a litigator whose practice has included the successful representation of clients in entertainment, intellectual property, real estate, licensing, securities, contract and malpractice litigations and arbitrations. She has a solid record of favorable outcomes in federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

She is a 1992 graduate of Columbia University, and received her law degree in 1995 from the Harvard Law School. She is admitted to the federal and state courts in New York.

Phone: (267) 924-5178
Email: vmonfredo@cowartdizzia.com

Prior to joining CDLLP, Vincent was in private practice since 2007, focusing on general litigation matters.  He has represented clients at hundreds of hearings, appeals, and trials across the state and in all areas of the law.  

Vincent received a B.S. from Nazareth University in Rochester, NY in 2004 and a J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 2007.  During law school, he was a member of the Trial Advocacy Honor Society and worked as an intern in the Cumberland County Office of District Attorney and the Office of Attorney General for the State of Pennsylvania.  

He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  Vincent resides in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  

Phone: (609) 664-7912
Email: clevine@cowartdizzia.com

Cari-ann Levine is an associate attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP.  Ms. Levine’s practice is focused on Medicaid law including eligibility, coverage and reimbursement, and civil litigation. She often counsels institutional clients on Medicaid topics relating to the Medicaid reimbursement issues, regulatory hearings and facility operations. Ms. Levine zealously represents her clients at administrative tribunals and and court proceedings regularly and has successfully argued Medicaid matters before the New Jersey Appellate Division.

Before Cowart Dizzia LLP, Ms. Levine practiced civil litigation with a national law firm. Ms. Levine earned her B.A. at Rutgers University and her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law where she was the recipient of a Merit Scholarship and a member of the New York Law Review.  She is a member of both the New York and New Jersey Bar Associations and is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.

Phone: (419) 889-7421
Email: jneary@cowartdizzia.com

Jennifer (“Jenny”) Neary is a senior attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP. Ms. Neary’s practice at Cowart Dizzia LLP is devoted to representing the needs of skilled nursing facilities in all areas of healthcare collection and reimbursement recovery including in state and federal litigation.   Jenny has earned her strong reputation as an effective and zealous advocate for her nursing home clients successfully trying cases in administrative tribunals and courts in New York and Massachusetts.  Her thorough, trial-ready preparation and experience in negotiating settlements with government stakeholders have made her a go-to counsel for providers navigating Medicaid reimbursement  and regulatory issues.      

Jenny is from Findlay Ohio, received her undergraduate degree from the University of Akron, and obtained her law degree from University of Detroit Mercy, also attending a Study Abroad Program in Cape Town, South Africa. 

She is admitted to practice law in New York, Massachusetts and Ohio.

Jenny resides upstate New York with her husband and two small children.

Phone: (917) 533-6124
Email: chenderson@cowartdizzia.com

Clara Henderson is an associate attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP. Ms. Henderson focuses her practice on Medicaid and elder law and helps providers to secure Medicaid benefits for residents, as well as in guardianship and probate proceedings.

Ms. Henderson joined Cowart Dizzia LLP in 2017 after working for 16 years as an Assistant District Attorney at the New York County District Attorney’s Office. As a prosecutor, Ms. Henderson spent time in both the Investigations and Trial Divisions and handled a wide array of criminal matters ranging from larcenies and financial fraud to violent felonies.  Ms. Henderson received her B.A. from Haverford College and her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.  She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and is admitted to practice law in New York.    

Phone: (570) 205-7412

Email: asecurda@cowartdizzia.com

Ashley has been practicing Elder Law for over 10 years after graduating from Widener University School of Law. Ashley has been dedicated to the field of Elder Law and is certified as an Elder Law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation. Out of over 45,000 attorneys in PA, only 69 of them are certified in the field of Elder Law.

Ashley is a resident of Schuylkill County and currently resides on a farm in Lavelle, PA, with her husband, Leo, her daughters Raegen and Kennedy and their dogs Munro and Teddy Roosevelt.

 In her free time, Ashley is active in her community and is often volunteering for sporting events with her children. Ashley likes to attend professional sporting events including baseball, football and hockey, tend to her chickens on the farm and enjoys listening to country music. 

Phone: (774) 562-3615

Email: ksilva@cowartdizzia.com

Attorney Kevin E. Silva is a dedicated civil and criminal litigator, serving clients throughout Massachusetts. With over a decade of legal and government experience, Kevin brings a results-driven, detail-oriented approach to every case—whether representing clients in court, protecting their businesses, or guiding them through complex Medicare and Elder Law matters.

Known for his practical insight and strong advocacy, Kevin’s clients rely on his professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment to achieving favorable outcomes. His legal work is guided by a belief in preparation, clear communication, and zealous representation at every stage.

Kevin earned his Juris Doctor with an International Law concentration from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Rhode Island College. He also completed a Certificate in Paralegal Studies from New York University.

He is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and is certified in Zealous Advocacy Training (Criminal Defense) through the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS).

Outside of his legal practice, Kevin is a Notary Public, an Eagle Scout, and an avid musician.

Phone: (845) 923-12973

Email: ewalger@cowartdizzia.com

Emily Walger is Of Counsel with Cowart Dizzia LLP.  Emily provides advocacy for health care providers relative to Medicaid benefits at both the agency level and on appeal before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, and represents Cowart Dizzia’s clients in conservatorship proceedings.

Emily also maintains her own veterans law practice, helping veterans and their families appeal disability benefit awards before the Veterans Administration, including VA regional offices nationwide, the VA Board of Veterans Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Emily has participated in the National Veterans Legal Services Pro Bono Program, providing appellate representation for indigent veterans concerning disability compensation, and worked early in her career with Vietnam Veterans of America. Emily’s background of over 20 years in administrative law, in particular with regard to appellate regulatory practice and veterans benefits issues, brings unique expertise to Cowart Dizzia.

Emily received her B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where she was a Massachusetts Commonwealth Scholar, and her J.D. from American University Washington College of Law, where she served on the Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law and as a dean’s fellow for the L.L.M. writing program. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the National Organization of Veterans Advocates and is licensed to practice in Massachusetts.

Phone: (412) 699-3052

Email: eskrzysowski@cowartdizzia.com

For more than a decade, Attorney Emily Skrzysowski has practiced law in Allegheny, Washington and a number of surrounding counties in Pennsylvania. She earned her stripes working at two large law firms in the Pittsburgh area representing clients in a wide variety of matters, including complex litigation, estate and trust administration, contract disputes, divorce proceedings, family law proceedings and labor disputes to name a few.

In 2022, Emily established her own private practice focusing on helping individual clients with their estate planning and estate administration needs.  As a complement to her estate administration practice, Emily also has experience reviewing oil and gas leases, amendments and ratifications of leases, surface use agreements, and other related documents.

Emily earned her law degree from the West Virginia University College of Law in 2011, where she served on the West Virginia Law Review.  Her note, “Cause Breaking Up is Hard to Do: The Need for Uniform Enforcement of Cohabitation Agreements in West Virginia” was published in Volume 113 of the West Virginia Law Review.  She earned her B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Marshall University in 2007. She is licensed to practice before all state courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Emily is also licensed to practice law in the State of West Virginia.

A Huntington, West Virginia native, Emily and her husband, Larry, now reside in the South Hills of Pittsburgh with their four daughters.

Phone: (917) 572-7167

Email: mmcdonald@cowartdizzia.com

Morgan is from Camp Verde, AZ and has lived in New York City since 2010. She attended Seton Hall University School of Law and obtained her law degree in 2024. During her time at Seton Hall, Morgan was a research assistant for the school’s Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law and was recognized for Academic Excellence in the Health Law Concentration.  

Prior to attending law school, Morgan worked for over ten years in business development and recruiting for the finance and technology industries. She also holds bachelor’s degrees from Arizona State University in Finance and Organizational Communication.

Morgan lives in New York City with her partner, John, and cats, Ladybug and Junebug. 

She is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York. 

Phone: (954) 498-5850

Email: jcooper@cowartdizzia.com

J.L. Cooper is an associate attorney at Cowart Dizzia LLP. He is an accomplished trial attorney with over 15 years of litigation experience representing corporations, businesses, insurers, and individuals in multiple jurisdictions. Prior to joining CDLLP, Mr. Cooper handled a broad range of legal matters involving civil litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, insurance defense, and corporate debt collection. He has successfully tried and defended complex cases involving high-value claims, earning a reputation for his strategic approach, strong courtroom advocacy, and results-driven counsel. Mr. Cooper earned his B.A. at Howard University and his J.D. from Florida A&M University - College of Law where he served on Law Review. He is admitted to practice law in Florida, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, and is recognized for combining legal acumen with practical business insight to protect clients’ interests.

Phone: (570)-407-8599

Email: mstephenson@cowartdizzia.com

Attorney Stephenson is originally from Maryland and earned her undergraduate degree from Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama, before obtaining her Juris Doctor from Penn StateDickinson Law.

 Prior to law school, she worked with nonprofit organizations and served as a paralegal at a firm concentrating in bankruptcy and collections law. During law school, she worked in the Office of Admissions, assisting with recruitment efforts and advising prospective students about the value of legal education and its role in community outreach. She served for two years as Dickinson Law’s Leading Law Student and was a non-voting board member for Project SHARE, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing food insecurity in Cumberland County. Attorney Stephenson also interned with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and served as a Student Attorney in the Child Advocacy Clinic, where she represented minors in court proceedings.

 Attorney Stephenson brings a strong commitment to advocacy and a passion for community engagement to her practice. In her free time, she enjoys visiting bookstores to grow her collection and exploring her home state of Pennsylvania.

Phone: (609) 519-2223

Email: lhiggins@cowartdizzia.com

Laurie Higgins has more than 20 years’ experience practicing law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Prior to joining CDLLP, Laurie most recently worked handling Medicaid appeals, guardianships, estate matters, and related civil litigation. Her earlier legal experience included family law, civil litigation, and wills and estates. Her varied experience has helped her become a successful litigator who is a strong advocate for her clients. Laurie has a B.A. from Haverford College and a J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, Camden. 

In her personal time, Laurie enjoys spending time with her daughter and cuddling with her cat Blackberry.