Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Trusts and Estates
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Cities
Louis P. Karol is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Louis P., who practices law in Garden City, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Louis P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lisa M. Powers focuses her practice in the areas of elder law, trusts and estates, estate planning, and estate and trust administration. With a career spanning over 20 years, she has provided invaluable guidance to clients throughout greater Rochester and New York. Her commitment includes developing innovative strategies for caregivers and consulting services tailored for their needs. In addition to her legal practice, Lisa is recognized as a certified personal finance consultant and business...
John F. Leone has practiced almost 30 years in the areas of wills, estate planning, estate and trust administration, qualified retirement plans and residential and commercial real estate. He received both his J.D. and B.S. degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo.In connection with his wills and estates practice, John has successfully defended proponents of wills subject to will contests, contested wills on behalf of beneficiaries, and has filed claims relating to breaches of ...
Jay E. Rivlin has extensive experience advising ultra-high net worth individuals and families on all aspects of their personal legal needs, including domestic and international estate, gift and tax planning, administration, cross-border issues, and controversy resolution; family office administration; business succession planning; family dispute resolution; charitable giving and private foundation administration; acquisition and ownership of private aircraft; as well as guardianship and plann...
Robin L. Folts is an attorney with Lacy Katzen LLP whose practice focuses on Elder Law and Trusts and Estates . Based in Rochester, New York, Robin L. assists individuals and families with planning for long-term care, asset protection, estate planning , and related matters. Robin L. has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2021 in the practice areas of Elder Law and Trusts and Estates. This recognition is the result of a peer-review process that reflects the professional regard of other atto...
Jennifer F. Hillman is a partner at Rivkin Radler LLP in Uniondale, New York, and is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. Her practice focuses on Litigation – Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates, with an emphasis on fiduciary, trust, and estate litigation. She regularly represents clients in both contested and uncontested Surrogate’s Court proceedings, including accounting proceedings, probate and will contests, discovery proceedings, and commerc...
Patricia C. Marcin is an attorney with Rivkin Radler LLP in Uniondale, New York, where she focuses her practice on Trusts and Estates. She assists individuals, families, and business owners with personal, family, and business planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts, and other estate planning documents. Her work also encompasses all phases of estate administration, such as the analysis and review of estate and fiduciary income tax matters, as well as the legal and administrative i...
Michael Markhoff is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Michael, who practices law in White Plains, New York, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Susan P. Witkin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Susan P., 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 Susan P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Donald A. Goldsmith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Donald A., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Donald A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Laurie Ruckel concentrates her practice on estate planning, succession planning, estate and trust administration and estate taxation. Her experience encompasses wills and trust agreements, estate and gift tax audits, succession planning for closely held businesses and prenuptial agreements. Laurie's principal clients are high net worth individuals, closely held businesses, real estate clients and executives of publicly held companies. Laurie also lectures on the subject of estate planning and...
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...
Matt is partner concentrating his practice in the area of elder law, estate administration, and Medicaid planning. In his Medicaid planning practice, Matt works with families to preserve their assets, while obtaining access to necessary long term care services. Matt has been a Legal Services Provider for the Saratoga County Office for the Aging for over a decade and previously served as the Saratoga County Examiner of Guardianship Accounts. Matt is a frequent lecturer on elder law issues for ...
Gary S. Moriwaki has more than forty years of experience in estate planning and administration. His clients include domestic and foreign business owners, professionals and executives from a spectrum of industries. Mr. Moriwaki is well-versed in advising clients who have complex, multi-national issues involving ownership of assets in multiple jurisdictions, domestic and foreign estate and inheritance taxes, choice of laws and succession concerns. As a member of various charitable organizations...
Barbara E. Shiers is a partner in our Estate Planning & Administration Group. Ms. Shiers previously served as co-chair of the group, and as a member of the firm’s management committee, for many years. Ms. Shiers represents high net-worth individuals, professionals, and entrepreneurs in domestic and international estate , gift, and income tax planning, estate and trust administration, IRS audits, and probate and tax litigation. She has extensive experience advising individuals and fi...
Anthony J. Enea, Esq. is the managing partner of Enea, Scanlan & Sirignano, LLP with offices in White Plains and Somers, New York. For nearly 40 years, Mr. Enea has devoted his practice to educating and protecting the rights of seniors, the disabled and their families from the costs of long term care. Mr. Enea and his firm concentrate their practice on Elder Law, Wills, Trusts and Estates, Asset Protecting Planning, Special Needs Planning, Medicaid Applications (Nursing Home and Home Care...
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.