Ernest Abbott concentrates his practice in the areas of emergency management and disaster recovery. Mr. Abbott has extensive experience with the laws, regulations, policies and procedures relating to eligibility for federal disaster and mitigation assistance, the coordination of federal, state, local, non-profit and private sector responders in catastrophic events, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Mr. Abbott assists his clients with the following issues pertaining to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): its Public Assistance Program and Hazard Mitigation Disaster Grant Program, disallowance of grant funds, OIG Audits, and the insurance, floodplain mapping and floodplain management aspects of the NFIP. He is well versed in FEMA's administrative appeals process, he regularly represents applicants for public assistance in the arbitration process promulgated by Section 601 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and can advise clients on the new dispute resolution pilot process pursuant to the Sandy Recovery and Improvement Act of 2013. He has also dealt with more general homeland security, critical infrastructure protection, and public health emergency laws,.