Michael S. Schwartz

Michael Schwartz advises high net worth individuals, fiduciaries and family offices on sophisticated private client matters involving trusts and estates, including tax and succession planning. His practice focuses on domestic and multijurisdictional estate planning for high net worth individuals, extending to all facets of estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax planning. Michael also assists clients with succession and governance planning in contemplation of the transition of assets from generation to generation.

In addition, Michael advises fiduciaries and beneficiaries on all phases of estate and trust administration. He also has extensive experience with gift and estate tax audits.

Michael is a leading voice in the field of trusts and estates. He has been a frequent speaker, author and contributor to publications on issues relating to trusts, estates and succession planning. He has been a ranked practitioner in private client law in New York in Chambers HNW* since the inception of its rankings. In 2023, he was elected to serve as Chair of the Trusts and Estates Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, where he has also served as Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. He was a former member of the Board of Directors of the Estate Planning Council of New York City, where he currently serves as Co-Chair of the International Estate Planning Committee. In addition, Michael is a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law in New York City, teaching a class entitled Trusts and Estates Drafting, and is the co-author of the 14^th edition of the Practicing Law Institute treatise entitled Stocker on Drawing Wills and Trusts, which is updated annually.

* No aspect of these advertisements has been approved by the highest court of any state. See Awards Methodology.