Overview
Advises on complex estate and tax planning for high-net-worth individuals and families, family businesses, entrepreneurs and real estate owners, and on planning for the generation-skipping transfer tax.
Through use of sophisticated techniques such as qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts, dynasty trusts, intentionally defective grantor trusts and limited liability companies, among others, as well as traditional wills and revocable trusts, Catherine assists clients in minimizing the impact of estate and gift taxes on their estate plans, and in transferring family wealth to their children and grandchildren.
She also has considerable experience in the administration of large estates and trusts, advising clients on private foundation matters and in representing clients in contested estate and gift tax audits.
In addition to numerous audits settled at the initial and appeals levels, Catherine has also represented clients before the US Tax Court, achieving favorable settlement results and trial victories.
Catherine is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, serves on the Professional Advisors Council for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and is a member of the Advisory Board for the Domestic Relations Committee of Trusts & Estates magazine.
She writes about estate and gift tax topics and is a frequent speaker for programs sponsored by, among others, the Estate Planning Council of New York, the New York State Bar Association, New York University School of Continuing Legal Education and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Catherine is often cited in publications, including Forbes, Kiplinger’s, New York Daily News and The Wall Street Journal, with respect to legal issues in trusts and estates and has been a contributor to the New York Daily News “Money Pros” column.
Catherine has been recognized by many industry publications, including:
- In the area of Trusts and Estates by The Best Lawyers in America, since 2013
- In the area of Estate Planning and Probate by New York Super Lawyers
- Named to the New York Super Lawyers Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area list
- Received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer-reviewed “AV Preeminent” rating for excellence in the law and ethical conduct
- Named a leading lawyer for Private Wealth Law by Chambers High Net Worth
She is also included on several local and national lists of preeminent women lawyers by such publications as LexisNexis, Avenue Magazine and Martindale-Hubbell.
Catherine is a former member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Estate Planning and a former member of the New York City Bar Association’s Trusts, Estates and Surrogate’s Court Committee, for which she served as chair of the Subcommittee on Portability.
Recognitions
- Chambers High Net Worth
- The Best Lawyers in America
- Martindale-Hubbell, AV Preeminent
- New York Super Lawyers – Top Women Attorneys in the New York Metro Area
Community
- Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel
- Member, Professional Advisors Council, Lincoln Center for the Performing Art
- Member, Advisory Board, Trusts & Estates magazine, Domestic Relations Committee
- Former Member, Trusts, Estates and Surrogate’s Court Committee; Former Chair, Subcommittee on Portability; Member, New York City Bar Association
- Member, Trusts and Estates Law Section, New York State Bar Association
- Former Member, Trusts and Estates Advisory Group, Board of the Optometric Center of New York, State College of Optometry
Credentials
Education
New York University School of Law, JD, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, New York University Law Review
Harvard University, EdM
Georgetown University, BS, cum laude, Psi Chi
Admissions
New York
Connecticut
Courts/Agencies
US Supreme Court
US Tax Court
US District Court, Eastern District of New York
US District Court, Southern District of New York
Prior Experience
Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, 1993-2014
