Best Lawyers Near You in New York, New York for Trusts and Estates
Brian G. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Brian G., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brian G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Herb Nass is one of the country’s most sought-after trusts and estates lawyers. During his more than 35-year career, he has earned a reputation among high net-worth and celebrity families for smart planning and counseling aimed to preserve their wealth and minimize tax obligations during transitional life events. Clients come to Herb for airtight wills drafted and executed to withstand future scrutiny or objection in court. His ability to anticipate potential disputes with solid no-cont...
Elyse G. Kirschner advises clients on domestic and international tax and estates planning matters. Elyse’s areas of experience include charitable giving techniques, the formation and taxation of private trust companies, tax-exempt organizations and the taxation of foreign trusts. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/kirschner-elyse-g/
Christiana Lazo is a partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Christiana concentrates her practice on representing ultra-high net worth individuals, their family offices and closely held businesses in developing and implementing sophisticated domestic and international tax and estate plans. Christiana regularly works with principals of private equity and venture capital funds on their estate planning and also has significant experience counseling global cl...
Christina M. Mason is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Christina M., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christina M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jonathan Rikoon practices in the areas of trust and estate planning, administration and litigation. He engages in sophisticated estate and tax planning for wealthy individuals and families, preparation of wills and trusts and the administration of trusts and estates. He helps to establish various tax-efficient multi-tier family, business and investment vehicles, such as partnerships, limited liability companies and closely held corporations with trust ownership, and he structures third-party ...
In his widely respected practice, Joshua Rubenstein, national chair of the firm's Private Wealth practice, brings a variety of important services under one roof for high-net-worth individuals. He offers integrated planning, administration and litigation counseling for individuals, their estates and their businesses, all of it designed to preserve wealth over generations. His advice stretches as far as his clients' financial interests – locally, nationally and globally. Josh is the rare ...
Michael W. Galligan is a partner in the Trusts & Estates Department at Phillips Nizer LLP, where he practices primarily in the areas of domestic and international estates and trusts, U.S. and cross-border estate and income tax planning, private international law, and immigration. Mr. Galligan concentrates his practice in complex U.S. and international estate planning and the administration of U.S. and non-U.S. trusts, estates and other wealth transfer and wealth preservation vehicles. In ...
Elizabeth H.W. Fry is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Elizabeth H.W., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2003. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elizabeth H.W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mark’s practice is focused on domestic and international private client matters for affluent individuals and their families. His clients include entrepreneurs, corporate executives, family offices, real estate developers, business owners and investment bankers, as well as artists, writers, collectors and philanthropists. He has more than twenty years experience in all aspects of estate and gift planning for individuals and families, many with complex multi-generational or multi-jurisdic...
During the course of his almost 30-year legal career, Ian Weinstock has built a practice that spans the range of trusts, estates and personal tax planning issues, including sophisticated estate planning techniques for ultra-high net worth individuals; choice-of-entity issues and succession planning for small businesses; philanthropic planning; the administration of decedents’ estates; and advising fiduciaries and beneficiaries on all aspects of trust administration. With extensive in-ho...
Linda J. Wank is a partner and Chair of our Estate Planning & Administration Group. Her core practice encompasses estate, gift and income tax planning, as well as estate and trust administration and charitable giving. She was named to Chambers' HNW Guide for 2024. Ms. Wank advises high net-worth individuals, including corporate executives, business owners, entrepreneurs and creative talent , and assists clients in identifying and implementing their estate planning goals. She also counsels...
Joel Krooks is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. Joel, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joel is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.