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I once met with the children of a successful Manhattan restaurant owner. Their father, a sharp and self-reliant man, had downloaded a will from the

A client recently came to my office, proud that he had “gifted” his Brooklyn brownstone to his son. He had signed a deed, handed over

Last year, I sat across from the two adult children of a successful Manhattan business owner. Their father had passed away suddenly, and while he

Several years ago, I received a call from the adult children of a new client. Their father, a successful architect, had suffered a severe stroke

A client’s mother, a retired teacher in Brooklyn, had a stroke last year. While recovering in the hospital—conscious but unable to communicate—her bills began to

After a parent passes away in Brooklyn, the family might discover a handwritten note in a desk drawer. It starts with, “To my children, I

Months after a parent’s death, the final accounting of the estate arrives. For the family, the numbers don’t add up—morally, if not mathematically. The will,

The casseroles arrive for a week. The sympathy cards fill a basket on the counter. But for your neighbor in the apartment down the hall,

The call I dread for my clients is the one from a hospital social worker. It usually happens on a Friday afternoon. A parent, living

A prospective client called me last week. “I can get a will online for a hundred dollars,” he said. “Why is working with a law

A client recently came to my office with a common New York story. Her parents bought their home in Queens in 1982 for about $120,000.

A family in Brooklyn receives the first accounting from the executor of their father’s estate. They were prepared for legal expenses, but the numbers are

A client gets a call. His mother, who lived alone in her Manhattan apartment, has passed away unexpectedly. He is the nominated executor in her

A client recently came to my office with a question I hear often. He’d seen online services offering a “complete estate plan” for a few

I’ve seen this happen more times than I can count. Two brilliant founders, often friends, sketch out an idea on a napkin in a Manhattan

A client sat in my Manhattan office last week, holding a page of notes. “Russel,” he said, “I’ve read about living trusts and revocable trusts

A family in Brooklyn receives a formal document from the Surrogate’s Court called a “Citation.” It names a recently deceased relative and instructs them to

A family in Manhattan recently called my office. Their father had passed away, leaving a will that clearly named his eldest son as the executor.

A family is at the closing table for their first home in Brooklyn. They are excited, overwhelmed, and focused on the stack of documents in

A client recently came to our Manhattan office holding a will. His mother had just passed, and he was named the executor. “I have the

The call comes at 2 a.m. There’s been an accident on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Your spouse is in the hospital, unresponsive. In an instant, the

A family in Brooklyn Heights loses their matriarch. She was organized and prudent, and she left behind a detailed will. Her children, expecting a straightforward

A couple I met with recently in my Manhattan office believed they were in the clear. With a net worth of around $9 million—their home,

A client’s son recently sat in my Manhattan office, confused. “My mother had a will,” he said. “I thought that meant we were done.” He