Sullivan
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Biography

Carole is the leader of Sullivan's Private Clients/Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She advises moderate- and high-net-worth clients in all aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning. She works closely with individuals and families to structure sophisticated, tax-efficient plans designed to minimize estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes and to effectuate non-tax objectives. Carole’s clients include professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers and others.

Carole also represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She represents complex and blended families with their special estate planning needs and assists clients in estate matters relating to divorce and remarriage. In addition, Carole is well known for advising clients on cutting-edge estate planning issues involving the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Her practice also includes working with clients on estate administration and representing individual and corporate fiduciaries and estate beneficiaries in Surrogate’s Court proceedings.

Carole is a peer-elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and frequently lectures on topics relating to assisted reproductive technology, estate planning and divorce, and premarital agreements. She has presented to national and local professional organizations, including the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, the American Bar Association (Real Property, Trusts and Estates Section and Family Law Section), the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys, the New York State Society of CPAs and the New York City Estate Planning Council. Her articles on these topics have appeared in publications such as Trusts & Estates Magazine, Estate Planning Magazine and the New York Law Journal and she has been quoted in national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

Education
  • Cornell University Law School (J.D.)
  • S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University (M.S.)
  • State University of New York at Binghamton (B.A.)
Bar & Court Admissions
  • New York
  • Connecticut
  • U.S. Tax Court
Professional Qualifications
  • Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
    • Member, ACTEC Family Law Task Force
  • American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law (RPTE)
    • Member, RPTE Section Council
    • Member, Nominations Committee
    • Advisor, Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education
    • Immediate Past Co-Chair, Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education
    • Council Representative, Charitable Organizations Group
    • Advisor, Standing Committee on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • American Bar Association (ABA)
    • Member, Standing Committee on Continuing Legal Education (SCOCLE)
    • SCOCLE Liaison to the ABA Section Officers Conference
    • Member, Advisory Commission to the ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs (2022-2025)
Awards & Honors
  • Best Lawyers in America® (2024-2026)
  • Chambers USA High Net Worth Guide, Private Wealth Law: Mid-Market – New York (2025)
  • New York Super Lawyers (2013-2026)
Community Engagement
  • Board of Directors, Gilda's Club Westchester
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
They Found Relatives on 23andMe—and Asked for a Cut of the Inheritance
Carole Bass was quoted in the article "They Found Relatives on 23andMe—and Asked for a Cut of the Inheritance," published by The Wall Street Journal [sub. req'd] on November 29, 2025. The article discusses the impact of DNA testing, such as through popular test kits like 23andMe, on inheritance claims, complicating estate settlements and prompting legal challenges when test results reveal unexpected family connections and surprise heirs. States vary in their laws regarding inheritance claims, with some prioritizing genetic ties and others considering the nature of relationships with the deceased. Creating wills or trusts that explicitly address potential claims from unknown biological children is an important step in preventing future disputes. Such clear estate planning documents can help families navigate the challenges posed by unexpected heirs and ensure intentions are honored, Carole said, overriding state definitions of descendants.

Carole M. Bass

Carole M. Bass

Carole is the leader of Sullivan's Private Clients/Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She advises moderate- and high-net-worth clients in all aspects of estate and wealth transfer planning. She works closely with individuals and families to structure sophisticated, tax-efficient plans designed to minimize estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer taxes and to effectuate non-tax objectives. Carole’s clients include professionals, business owners, entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers and others.

Carole also represents clients in the preparation and negotiation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. She represents complex and blended families with their special estate planning needs and assists clients in estate matters relating to divorce and remarriage. In addition, Carole is well known for advising clients on cutting-edge estate planning issues involving the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Her practice also includes working with clients on estate administration and representing individual and corporate fiduciaries and estate beneficiaries in Surrogate’s Court proceedings.

Carole is a peer-elected Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and frequently lectures on topics relating to assisted reproductive technology, estate planning and divorce, and premarital agreements. She has presented to national and local professional organizations, including the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, the American Bar Association (Real Property, Trusts and Estates Section and Family Law Section), the American Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproductive Technology Attorneys, the New York State Society of CPAs and the New York City Estate Planning Council. Her articles on these topics have appeared in publications such as Trusts & Estates Magazine, Estate Planning Magazine and the New York Law Journal and she has been quoted in national publications, including the Wall Street Journal and Forbes.

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
They Found Relatives on 23andMe—and Asked for a Cut of the Inheritance
Carole Bass was quoted in the article "They Found Relatives on 23andMe—and Asked for a Cut of the Inheritance," published by The Wall Street Journal [sub. req'd] on November 29, 2025. The article discusses the impact of DNA testing, such as through popular test kits like 23andMe, on inheritance claims, complicating estate settlements and prompting legal challenges when test results reveal unexpected family connections and surprise heirs. States vary in their laws regarding inheritance claims, with some prioritizing genetic ties and others considering the nature of relationships with the deceased. Creating wills or trusts that explicitly address potential claims from unknown biological children is an important step in preventing future disputes. Such clear estate planning documents can help families navigate the challenges posed by unexpected heirs and ensure intentions are honored, Carole said, overriding state definitions of descendants.