Georgia is a Member in the firm's Trusts and Estates and Litigation Practice Groups. She takes the time to understand each client’s individual needs and family background and is mindful of the personal circumstances surrounding their legal matters.
Trust and Estate Litigation
Georgia recognizes that families may sometimes face disputes about how assets in a trust or estate should be distributed. She also understands that vulnerable individuals—particularly the elderly—can be at risk of exploitation by those with access to their finances or property.
In these situations, Georgia advocates tirelessly for her clients. She works to correct wrongdoing and to protect fiduciaries from unfounded claims. Her experience includes representing fiduciaries—such as trustees, executors, and guardians—who are responsible for managing assets, as well as beneficiaries who have concerns about a fiduciary’s actions.
Representative matters include:
- Successfully defending an Executor against a removal proceeding brought by a beneficiary.
- Successfully obtaining the removal of Co-Executors who improperly transferred assets from the Estate to themselves.
- Successfully negotiating the appointment of an Article 17-A guardian in a contested matter, including dividing responsibilities between two parents of a child with a disability.
Estate and Trust Administration
Following the loss of a loved one, Georgia helps families navigate the probate process with care and efficiency. She assists in appointing an Executor or Administrator, gathering the deceased’s assets, and guiding fiduciaries through every step of the estate administration process. This includes managing assets, settling debts, and distributing property to beneficiaries.
Drawing on her litigation experience, Georgia helps fiduciaries fulfill their duties properly and anticipate questions or concerns from beneficiaries and other interested parties.
She also assists clients with trust administration, including Revocable Trusts, Irrevocable Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts, and Supplemental Needs Trusts. Her work includes ensuring that trust assets are managed and distributed according to the trust’s terms and overseeing the preparation and filing of estate and trust tax returns so fiduciaries meet all tax and reporting requirements.
Guardianships and Elder Law
Georgia understands that families often need specialized planning when caring for loved ones with disabilities or elderly relatives. She helps clients determine the most appropriate type of guardianship for their situation and guides them through each step of the process, including securing the appointment of family members as guardians for minors or adults with disabilities.
A common guardianship proceeding is under Article 17-A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, which involves appointing a Guardian of the Person, Property, or both for an individual with a developmental or intellectual disability.
Georgia also has experience with Article 81 guardianships, typically used for adults who can no longer manage their personal or financial affairs due to age, illness, or injury. Her work includes obtaining guardianships for individuals incapacitated as a result of traumatic brain injuries and other conditions.
In these sensitive matters, Georgia provides compassionate, practical guidance, helping families protect their loved ones while securing the legal authority needed to act in their best interests.
Trust and Estate Planning
Georgia understands that every family has unique needs and sensitivities. She works closely with clients to create personalized estate plans that reflect their goals and values. Her planning work includes tax planning, establishing trusts for children or grandchildren, planning for family members with special needs, and Medicaid planning.
By ensuring the proper documents are in place, Georgia helps clients protect their loved ones, minimize future disputes, and reduce the likelihood of guardianship proceedings in the future.
Background
Georgia earned her law degree from Washington and Lee University School of Law. During her studies, she gained valuable experience interning for the Honorable Thérèse Wiley Dancks in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and for the Honorable Charles N. Dorsey in the Roanoke City Circuit Court in Virginia.
Before law school, Georgia attended the University at Albany, State University of New York, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice. While completing her studies, she also interned in the New York State Assembly, gaining firsthand insight into the legislative process.
A native of the Syracuse area, Georgia remains an active and engaged member of her local community.
Community Involvement
- Estate Planning Council of Central New York, Board of Directors
- ARISE, Inc. – Former Member of the Board of Directors
- Leadership Greater Syracuse, Class of 2020
- Volunteer Lawyers Project, Surrogate’s Court Clinic
- Volunteer Lawyers Project, Landlord Tenant Court Clinic
Acknowledgements & Affiliations
- 40 Under 40, 2020 Honoree
- Super Lawyers Upstate New York Rising Star, 2022-2023
- Central New York Women’s Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association:
- Member, Trust and Estate Law Section
- Member, Medicaid and Supplemental Needs Section
Education
Washington and Lee University School of Law – Lexington City, VA
Juris Doctor, May 2015
State University of New York, University at Albany – Albany, NY
Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, May 2012
Admissions
New York State
Northern, Western, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York