Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Trusts and Estates
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Cities
Dominic De Mello is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Dominic, 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 Dominic is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Bridget A. Williams is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Bridget A., who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bridget A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kateryna Bakhnak is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Kateryna, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kateryna is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matthew Mattesi is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Matthew, who practices law in White Plains, New York, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Matthew is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Laurel Newman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Laurel concentrates her practice on estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, charitable planning, and tax-exempt organizations. She assists individuals, families, and fiduciaries with tax and estate planning, estate administration, and charitable planning. As part of her practice, Laurel also advises family offices and closely held businesses on a myriad of tax and planni...
Debbie R. Dembinsky is a trusts and estates attorney who advises high-net-worth individuals and families on tax planning, wealth preservation and asset protection. Debbie’s legal practice is focused on structuring and implementing comprehensive strategies designed for QSBS stacking, domestic and offshore asset protection, and estate, gift and income tax minimization. Debbie is also a New York State licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in Long Island, New York. Her combined e...
Mehvish Maqbool is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Mehvish, who practices law in White Plains, New York, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mehvish is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Ryan is dedicated to helping clients navigate legal matters related to aging, with a focus on Trusts and Estates. His practice encompasses elder law, long-term planning, estate and trust administration, and estate planning. Located in Pittsford, New York, and a member of the Harris Beach Murtha team, Ryan is committed to providing valuable counsel to those in need of planning for the future. His previous experience includes serving as an Assistant District Attorney with the Nassau County Dist...
Yi W. Stewart represents clients in trusts and estates matters. Yi handles cases involving probate and trust contests, accountings, discovery proceedings, construction and reformation proceedings, and fiduciary litigation. Providing thoughtful, efficient advice and litigation tactics, she helps clients obtain resolutions through negotiation, mediation, and litigation. When managing cases for her clients, Yi conducts legal research and pretrial discovery, and drafts motion papers and appellate...
Based in Pittsford, New York, Brendan focuses on estate planning, estate and trust administration, and related tax and business succession matters. He develops tax-efficient wealth transfer strategies to meet his clients' individual needs and preferences. Brendan employs various tools such as spousal lifetime access trusts, life insurance planning and irrevocable life insurance trusts, charitable trusts, dynasty trusts, asset protection techniques, and vacation home planning. He works collabo...
Carolyn Lavin DeVaughn concentrates her practice in corporate law, banking and finance, estate planning, and representing school districts, private schools, and charter schools in education law matters. Corporate Law Carolyn works with clients of all sizes across various industries on a full-range of corporate services including: Small business formation including LLCs and corporations Drafting operating agreements Creating articles of organization and corporate bylaws Assisting with the sale...
Alicia Schleifman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Alicia, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alicia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Nicholas G. Moneta is an attorney with Rivkin Radler LLP in Uniondale, New York. His practice focuses on Trusts and Estates and Elder Law, with an emphasis on estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning, as well as estate and trust administration. He advises individuals and families on planning strategies designed to address long-term goals, incapacity planning, and the efficient transfer of assets. Nicholas works closely with beneficiaries, trustees, executors, and other fidu...
Andrew D. O'Gwynn is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates and Trusts and Estates. Andrew D., 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 Andrew D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Amanda M. Leone is a partner in the Firm's Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Trusts & Estates practices. Her practice is focused on litigating an array of complex commercial matters in state and federal court, including business torts, breach of contract claims, employment disputes, and securities litigation, and concerning Trusts & Estates litigation, Amanda is very active in Surrogate's Court litigation. Amanda received her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2013. ...
Stephanie Ardino is an associate in Nixon Peabody’s Private Clients Group. My focus My experience includes estate planning, where I draft, advise, edit, and implement sophisticated wealth planning strategies. I provide high-net-worth individuals and families with innovative strategies and solutions to preserve, enhance, and transition their wealth. I also have experience with estate administration and trust settlement, and represent both beneficiaries and fiduciaries. Estate Administrat...
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.