Approximately half of all Americans die without a will. This leaves a tremendous potential for conflict and confusion among surviving family members and dear friends. A clear comprehensive estate plan helps provide predictability in an unpredictable time.

At Lewis & Hand, LLP, we offer a variety of Estate Planning services from our excellent and affordable New York Flat Fee Estate Planning Package to comprehensive tax driven estate plans that take into account your current assets as well expected future asset growth.

In addition to drafting more common estate planning documents such as Wills, Health Care Proxies & Medical Directives (also known as “Living Wills”), Powers of Attorney and Designations of Guardian, the Estate Lawyers of Lewis & Hand, LLP can provide customized Trusts, Domestic Partnership Agreements and Pet Trusts, and are experienced at handling both regular Guardianship and Stand-By Guardianship Proceedings before the Supreme Court in New York counties.

At Lewis & Hand, LLP, our experienced Probate and Administration attorneys represent clients in Probate and Administration Proceedings before the New York Surrogate’s Court. Losing a friend or loved one can be a tremendous blow, and the burden of dealing with their estate can be overwhelming. By hiring an experienced New York Probate lawyer familiar with the process, you can save yourself time, money and difficulty at an already difficult time.

A veteran of the renowned Tax Departments of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pitman, and Proskauer Rose LLP, Attorney Apryl Hand is uniquely qualified to meet your estate planning needs.

For your initial consultation, contact Lewis & Hand, LLP today.

Commonly Requested New York Estate Planning Services

Wills: A will protects your loved ones by ensuring that you, not the court, will decide how to distribute your assets. Lewis & Hand LLP will work closely with you to develop a will that provides for the care of your minor children, ensures smooth distribution of your estate, and provide security for your loved ones. Wills are available as part of our flat fee Estate Planning package.

Living Wills, Health Care Proxies, and Medical Directives: Attorney Apryl E. Hand is experienced in creating living wills, health care proxies, and medical directives in conjunction with wills or separately. These documents ensure that your wishes will be carried out in the event you are unable to make your own medical decisions. We will help you create documents to reflect your wishes and needs. Our flat fee Estate Planning package includes Health Care Proxies/Medical Directives.

Trusts: Trusts are not just for millionaires! Trusts can be revocable or irrevocable, and generally provide the benefit of allowing assets to pass to their intended recipients without having to go through the Probate process. In addition, since a Trust is a private document, it provides confidentiality that the Probate process—which is on the public record—does not.

Apryl Hand’s broad experience and background as a tax attorney will help you to create trusts designed to protect your assets, plan for eldercare, avoid the probate process, and generally assist with all of your estate planning needs.

Legal Incapacity and Guardianship: Lewis & Hand, LLP guardianship lawyers will help you to solve the difficult issues surrounding the incapacitation of a loved one. Our experience handling numerous guardianship proceedings throughout the New York area enables us to resolve these matters quickly and cost-effectively.

Domestic Partnership Agreements (DPAs): Attorney Apryl E. Hand is proud to serve the New York GLBT community through our full range of wills, trusts, and estate planning services, including the drafting of Domestic Partnership Agreements. Apryl Hand has a great deal of experience drafting DPAs from her prior position as a Senior Associate at the GLBT boutique law firm of Kurland & Associates.

Pet Trusts: If you are a pet owner, New York state law allows you to provide for the care of your faithful “best friend” after you are gone. If you have any animals in your life that matter to you as much as you do to them, contact Lewis & Hand to discuss setting up an appropriate Pet Trust arrangement for your pet.

We serve Wills, Trusts and Estates clients in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and throughout New York State from offices near the Brooklyn Bridge.

Lewis & Hand
Attorneys at Law, LLP
45 Main Street, Suite 608
Brooklyn, NY 11201-8200

Phone: (718) 243-9323
Fax: (718) 243-9326

Estate planning, wills, business organization, and real estate transaction services are available for clients throughout the New York metropolitan area, including the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, New York City, Staten Island, and Brooklyn, New York.

New York County, Nassau County, Kings County, Westchester County, Rockland County