Lucy M. Berkman has 20 years of experience advising clients in all aspects of estate planning. She offers counsels with both simple and complex estate matters, including wills, trusts, power of attorney and advance directives, business succession planning, and Medicaid planning and asset preservation.

In addition, she represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in estate and trust administration matters, including will contests, accounting proceedings, and kinship establishment, as well as guardianship proceedings in both New York State Surrogate’s Court and New York State Supreme Court.

In addition to practicing in New York State, Ms. Berkman is licensed to practice in the State of Florida. She assists with clients’ Florida-based estate planning and administration needs.

Bar & Court Admissions

  • State of New York
  • State of Florida

Education

  • University of Miami School of Law, J.D.
  • State University of New York at Buffalo, B.S.

Awards and Recognitions

  • The Best Lawyers in America
  • “20 Under 40” Emerging Leaders, Northern NY Business Magazine, 2012

Professional Associations

  • Member, Bar Association of Erie County (Elder Law Committee, Practice & Procedure in Surrogate’s Court Committee)
  • Member, New York State Bar Association (Elder Law & Special Needs Section, Trusts & Estates Law Section)
  • Member, Florida Bar Association
  • Member, Niagara County Bar Association
  • Western New York Estate Planning Council (Vice President, 2024-2025; Program Chair, 2023-2024)

Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, “Planning for the Business Owner: Start to Finish,” Western New York Estate Planning Council, 2023
  • Presenter, “Estate Planning 101,” New York State Teachers’ Retirement System (NYSTRS) Pension and Retirement Education Program (PREP)
  • Presenter, “Key Estate Planning Concepts and Considerations for the Young and Young-at-Heart,” Financial Planners Association (FPA) of Western New York, 2023
  • Presenter, “New York Medicaid Lookback Rules and Planning,” NBI, Inc., April 2025

Publications

  • “A Guide to Choosing the Right Fiduciaries,” Buffalo Business First, 2024, Co-Author
  • “Use of Revocable Trusts in Estate Plans,” Rochester Business Journal, 2024, Co-Author
  • “Medicaid Planning to Preserve the Primary Residence,” Buffalo Business First, 2022, Co-Author
  • “Probate and Administration of New York Estates,” Chapter 8 – Administering the Estate, Second Edition, New York State Bar Association, 2022, Co-Author