Sullivan
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Sullivan’s Private Clients/Trusts & Estates Group provides sophisticated advice and services addressing the full range of estate planning, estate and trust administration, fiduciary litigation and transfer tax issues facing individuals, families, family offices and corporate fiduciaries in today’s complex and global environment. 

We leverage our deep understanding of transfer tax laws and our decades of practical experience to help our clients proactively plan for the future, building estate plans tailored to minimize taxes while achieving clients’ important non-tax objectives. Our attorneys work with high-net-worth individuals and families, and their other advisors, to strategically implement wealth transfer strategies designed to limit the impact of estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes, helping preserve, grow and manage wealth from generation to generation. Many of our clients also turn to us for help achieving their philanthropic goals.

We maintain close, personal relationships with our clients and focus on understanding their unique circumstances and priorities. While this is a hallmark of our practice, our clients also benefit from direct access to Sullivan’s renowned tax department and the cross-disciplinary resources of a full-service international law firm.

Clients
High-net-worth individuals, multigenerational families, corporate fiduciaries, family offices and others rely on our Private Clients/Trusts & Estates Group for a wide range of counsel and representation. Our clients include business owners, entrepreneurs, partners of private equity firms, venture capitalists, real estate developers and other executives and professionals.

Services
Our highly experienced attorneys prepare and implement customized, tax-efficient estate plans, including fundamental documents such as  wills, revocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, healthcare proxies and living wills. In addition, we utilize a broad range of sophisticated lifetime transfer strategies and techniques, such as:

  • Dynastic Trusts
  • Installment sales to intentionally defective grantor trusts
  • Family limited partnerships and limited liability companies
  • Spousal Lifetime Access Trusts (SLATs)
  • Grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs)
  • Life Insurance Trusts

We also counsel clients on succession planning for family businesses and the ownership and transfer of assets including family vacation residences, valuable works of art and family heirlooms.

Our attorneys provide guidance in structuring and implementing charitable gifts and formulating philanthropic plans, including direct charitable gifts, charitable lead trusts (CLTs), charitable remainder trusts (CRTs), charitable gift annuities, donor advised funds, pooled income funds (PIFs) and bargain sales to charities.

In addition to relying on our attorneys for advice and guidance during their lifetimes, clients frequently choose to appoint them to serve as executor/personal representative of their estates and as trustee of their trusts in order to provide continued counsel to future generations. We also represent corporate and individual fiduciaries who serve as executors and trustees. Our Private Clients/Trusts & Estates Group has significant experience handling all aspects of estate and trust administration, including preparation of federal and state estate and fiduciary income tax returns, post-mortem planning, and representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in both non-contested and contested probate court proceedings.

We have extensive experience working with clients to draft and negotiate prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Our clients appreciate our practical approach and our understanding of the sensitive nature of these agreements. 

How our tax strategies help high-net-worth individuals reduce the impact of federal and state income, estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes.

  • We structure plans to reduce the impact of taxes on appreciating family assets, such as real estate, closely held businesses and financial holdings, in order to preserve and grow wealth for the benefit of future generations.
  • We help plan for the use of life insurance to increase estate liquidity upon death while avoiding tax on the insurance proceeds.
  • We analyze the tax consequences of investments in pass-through entities such as Subchapter S corporations, partnerships and LLCs and help our clients maximize the tax benefit of available deductions while minimizing the tax costs associated with various forms of income.
  • Our state tax experts assist clients with all manner of state income tax planning, counseling clients regarding the tax implications of their domicile. Our attorneys have an impressive track record representing clients in state tax controversies.
Sullivan Ranked in 2026 Chambers High Net Worth Guide
Boston, MA – Sullivan & Worcester has announced that the firm and its attorneys have been highly ranked in the 2026 Chambers High Net Worth Guide. In the 2026 Guide, the firm and partner Carole Bass were again ranked in the Private Wealth Law: Mid-Market – New York category, with partner Douglas Schneidman newly ranked. Rankings are based on extensive research and interviews with peers and clients around the country. The qualities assessed include technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial awareness/astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client. Client Comments and Editorial from Chambers Private Wealth Law: Mid-Market – New York “Sullivan & Worcester advises families, fiduciaries and family offices on domestic and international estate planning, administration, and charitable and lifetime gifting.” “The Sullivan & Worcester team were excellent at managing complex issues pertaining to the execution of wills, trusts and estates.” “I found Sullivan & Worcester to be very responsive, professional and smart.” “Sullivan & Worcester's advice is comprehensive, timely and detailed. It takes into account multiple stakeholders and challenges, and they provide clarification for issues that are complex.” “Carole Bass advises affluent clients on their estate and wealth transfer planning.” “Carole Bass offers excellent advice and counsel. I look forward to continuing to work with her.” “I found Carole to be very professional, reasonable and knowledgeable.” “Douglas Schneidman regularly advises high net worth individuals on trust and estate matters.” “I have had only favourable experiences with all clients I've referred to Douglas Schneidman.” “Douglas's abilities and professionalism play well at all levels of net worth and complexity.” About Sullivan Sullivan & Worcester (Sullivan) is a premier, AmLaw 200 international law firm with lawyers in Boston, London, New York, Tel Aviv and Washington, D.C. Sullivan’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies, leading financial services firms and asset managers, boards of directors, real estate companies, and emerging businesses, rely on Sullivan’s ability to navigate complex legal and operational landscapes, the impeccable judgment of its lawyers, and its commitment to best-in-class client service.
Sullivan Attorneys Selected to 2026 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Lists
Super Lawyers has named 13 attorneys from Sullivan's New York office to its 2026 New York Metro Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. Attorneys are recognized for excellence in the practice of law, rated by a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The recipients of this designation will be featured in New York Metro Super Lawyers magazine and The New York Times. The following Sullivan attorneys have been named 2026 New York Metro Super Lawyers: Carole Bass - Estate & Probate Keri Wintle Costello - Bankruptcy: Business Scott Kaufman - Mergers & Acquisitions Gerry Silver - General Litigation Michael Sullivan - Business Litigation Joel Telpner - Business/Corporate The following Sullivan attorneys have been named 2026 New York Metro Rising Stars: Joonas Aho - Securities & Corporate Finance Molly Depew - Estate & Probate Anna Lea (Setz) McNerney - Business Litigation Michael Palmisciano - Intellectual Property Christopher Shields - Business Litigation Zachary Sobel - Securities & Corporate Finance Ida Vanto - Mergers & Acquisitions

Private Clients/Trusts & Estates