Crisis is the Mother of Change: How a Pandemic Sparked Progress in Courtroom Efficiency
American courts, especially state courts, aren’t known for being on the forefront of technology, and the rules set by state and federal courts have limited the use of some modern technology that many of us take for granted in our personal and professional lives. But the COVID-19 outbreak left... »
Mediation in Adult Guardianship Matters
While alternative dispute resolution has been successful in Surrogate’s Courts, Article 81 guardianship proceedings present unique challenges relating to an alleged incapacitated person. Read the PDF of the article published in the New York Law... »
Litigation in the time of COVID: Best Practices for Virtual Advocacy
  This article focuses on how the pandemic has affected litigators and litigation practices, which developments may and should be here to stay, and some best practices for navigating the new normal of virtual advocacy, whether in discovery or in trials. Read the PDF of the article published in the New... »
Now is an Ideal Time to Add a GRAT to Your Estate Plan
By Christopher Canfield, Of Counsel, Goetz Fitzpatrick Trusts & Estates Group Do you want to reduce estate and gift taxes for your beneficiaries? With interest rates close to zero and potentially depressed asset valuations, conditions are ideal for adding a Grantor Retained Annuity Trust (GRAT) to your estate planning portfolio.... »
Q&A - What are Digital Assets and How Do I Plan for them in my Estate?
You may often hear the term “digital assets” bandied about, but what does it mean? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about digital assets and how to manage them. What is a digital legacy? A legacy is anything you leave behind when you die. Technically, the definition is “something... »
Webinar: Putting Out Campfires Before They Start: Legal Parameters of Operating Camp in the Age of COVID-19
The camp industry is one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing is the exact opposite of what camp is about: a safe environment for kids to play, run, jump, be outdoors, and participate in team sports – not distantly or remotely. In the midst of... »
New York Times Annual List of Top Attorneys: Alison Arden Besunder
On Sunday, March 22, 2020, the New York Times published a special local insert with the Super Lawyers Annual List of Top Attorneys, which recognized Alison Arden Besunder for the second year in a row. Super Lawyers selects outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and... »
Courts to Start Managing Non-Essential Cases Virtually
The New York State court system announced today that beginning on Monday, April 13, 2020, its virtual courts will begin handling more than just essential and emergency matters. Judges were directed to review their caseloads and assess in which matters conferences can best advance and possibly resolve a case. Judges... »
Remote Witnessing of Estate Planning Documents Now Permitted in New York
On March 19, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued an executive order that permits remote notarization. Today, April 7, he took that executive order one step further, allowing acts of witnessing estate planning documents required under New York State laws to be performed remotely. The Goetz Fitzpatrick Trusts & Estates group... »
Making End of Life Decisions While Living Under Threat of COVID-19
This is a guest blog post by Judith Schwarz, PhD, RN, and the Clinical Director of the not-for-profit organization End of Life Choices New York. We recently heard from an emergency room physician who works in a New York hospital and she had some important advice she asked us to... »
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