In 2017 I became the first (and only) attorney based in the Mid-Hudson region to earn the Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) designation from the National Elder Law Foundation, as accredited by the American Bar Association.  Presently there are fewer than 40 CELA's in New York State, and only about 500 nationally.

Effective estate, business and asset protection planning can only occur when the client truly understands their goals and objectives. Only then can we engage in a discovery process that can turn the client's hopes and dreams a reality. Our counseling-based approach is designed to make sure that the plan design is client driven, rather than attorney driven. Our maintenance plan helps ensure that the client's plan stays up-to-date though the many legal and life changes that occur over a lifetime.

---

Born in Middletown, N.Y., Richard Shapiro is Chair of Blustein, Shapiro, Rich & Barone's Estate Planning, Probate and Elder Law department.  He has pioneered in the Hudson Valley the use of the “Legacy Assurance Program™,” a unique process that incorporates an annual maintenance program as an essential part of a client’s estate plan.  Mr. Shapiro and his team work with local businesses to create effective “exit” plans as they navigate the complex financial and emotional issues that arise in managing and transferring closely-held business interests between and among the entity’s partners or shareholders.  Mr. Shapiro also counsels high net worth clients in creating estate plans designed to not only minimize estate, gift and income tax liabilities, but also ensure that that their values are passed to future generations as part of a comprehensive “legacy” plan.  A prolific public speaker and author, Mr. Shapiro's book "Secure Your Legacy: Estate Planning and Elder Law for Today's American Family" was published in April 2017 by Archway Publishing and is available in both paperback and e-book formate at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other booksellers.

A graduate of Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Mr. Shapiro is a member of the National Network of Estate Planning Attorneys and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Mr. Shapiro writes an estate planning column for the Senior Gazette and is a frequent lecturer on estate planning and elder law topics to the public as well as to accountants and financial professionals.  He is actively involved in community affairs, and is presently on the Board of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan and the Hudson Valley Estate Planning Council.  He also served two terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Orange Regional Medical Center from 2006 through 2008, and he is a past president of the Middletown Bar Association and the Wallkill East Rotary Club