Meet Our Attorneys
Michael Candela
Michael Candela has spent his entire career practicing in the area of trusts and estates. He represents clients from modest wealth to high net worth in all aspects of estate planning. He frequently represents corporate fiduciaries in Surrogate’s Court matters across New York State.
Michael graduated Summa Cum Laude from Villanova University with a double major in history and political science. He was a member of several honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated Cum Laude from Pace University School of Law and was a member of the Pace International Law Review.
Michael is licensed to practice law in both New York and Connecticut. Michael currently lives in Larchmont with his wife, Sarah, and two children.
Areas of Practice:
- Estate Planning – Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Elder Law and Medicaid Planning
- Probate and Estate Administration
- Trust Administration
- Residential Real Estate Transactions
- Business Succession Planning
- Guardianships
- Estate Litigation
Bar Admissions:
Connecticut, 2006
New York, 2007
Education:
Pace University School of Law, White Plains, New York, 2006, J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude, Pace International Law Review
Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 2003, B.A. (History and Political Science)
Honors: Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Theta, Phi Sigma Alpha, and Phi Kappa Phi
Published Works:
Judicial Notification: A Simple Solution to Ensure Compliance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 18 PACE INT'L L. REV. 343, 371, 2006.
Bringing the Living Will to Life in New York: An Update on Proposed Legislation (Co-Author), Westchester County Bar Association Newsletter, November, 2006.
Estate Litigation Tidbits (Co-Author), Westchester County Bar Journal. Published biannually from Spring/Summer 2007 through Spring/Summer 2010.
Michael Candela & Michele J. Zerafa, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, The New Basis Rules For Inherited Property For The Year 2010, Westchester County Bar Journal, Fall/Winter 2009.
Michael Candela (Co-Author), Revoking a Waiver and Consent Is Not As Easy As You Think, New York State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Quarterly Newsletter, Spring, 2010.
Michael Candela (Co-Author), Death Bed “Quickie” Marriages Held To Be Void Ab Initio By Appellate Division, New York State Bar Association Trusts and Estates Quarterly Newsletter, Summer, 2010.
Michele J. Zerafa
Michèle Zerafa has dedicated her career to assisting clients in the field of trusts and estates. She handles a broad range of estate planning matters, including drafting Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, probate and estate administration, as well as accounting and guardianship matters. Michèle navigates clients through the Medicaid process, including institutional/nursing home and home care applications.
Michèle graduated Cum Laude and In Cursu Honorum from Fordham University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting. She is a graduate of Pace University School of Law. After graduation, she worked with one of the Big 4 accounting firms as a senior tax associate. This tax background helps her provide her clients with tax-efficient and effective estate plans.
Throughout her career, Michele has been a frequent lecturer and author on various estate planning and estate administration topics.
Michele is licensed to practice law in New York. Michele lives in White Plains with her husband and their two children.
Areas of Practice:
- Estate Planning – Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Elder Law and Medicaid Planning
- Probate and Estate Administration
- Trust Administration
- Residential Real Estate Transactions
- Business Succession Planning
- Guardianships
- Estate Litigation
Bar Admissions:
New York, 1997
Education:
Pace University School of Law, White Plains, New York, 1996, J.D.
Fordham University, Bronx, New York, 1993, B.S. (Accounting)
Honors: Cum Laude and In Cursu Honorum
Published Works:
Michael Candela & Michele J. Zerafa, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly, The New Basis Rules For Inherited Property For The Year 2010, Westchester County Bar Journal, Fall/Winter 2009.