About Sylvia E. Di Pietro, Esq.
SYLVIA E. DI PIETRO, ESQ. has practiced law in the area of estate practice and guardianship law, Article 81 and Article 83 advocacy and petitions, contested elder matters, as well as trusts and estates matters, probate, administration, accountings, guardian ad litem, complex trust and probate litigation.
In 2013, Sylvia taught the first certified course in Elder Law and Article 81 Guardianship Law as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School. In September of 2013, she was awarded the Jack Newton Lerner Award for Excellence in the Contribution to Continuing Legal Education for lawyers. Presently, she is a member of the Guardianship Advisory Committee for the New York State Supreme Court, New York County.
Sylvia E. Di Pietro also has vast experience in contractual negotiations for clients in the area of risk management in the television, theater, music and entertainment industries.
Prior to entering law, Sylvia enjoyed a rich career as an official court reporter in the Supreme Courts of Queens and Kings County reporting major civil and criminal trials. Thereafter, she was the Managing Director of Forsythe International Limited located in New York, a premium incentive marketing and consulting firm, specializing in promoting creative ideas to Fortune 500 Companies, the research and marketing of intellectual properties, creating advertising and sales promotional campaigns, and handling all aspects of public relations and media placement for a celebrity clientele.
Adjunct Professor of Law - Brooklyn Law School, Brooklyn, New York
In the Spring of 2013, Sylvia was asked to return to her alma mater, Brooklyn Law School, where she taught a course in Elder Law, which surveys the growing elder population, including an overview of issues faced by the elder law practitioner and the ethical problems frequently encountered. Selected topics include the concept of capacity, Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law, the role of the guardian, court evaluator, attorney for the alleged incapacitated person, the practical aspects associated with bringing the contested and uncontested guardianship proceedings, powers of attorney, Medicaid planning, fact patterns, case studies, constitutional issues, wills, trusts, estate planning and patients' rights.
With an emphasis on a "view from the bench," the students encounter "judicial participation." The course also satisfies the requirements for Part 36 list enrollment, within two years of course completion, as a Court Evaluator or Guardian, and upon bar admission, as an Attorney for the AIP.
Recent Honors
Sylvia DiPietro Receives Jack Newton Lerner Award for Her Contributions to Continuing Legal Education
New York, NY – September 9, 2013 – The New York County Lawyers' Association presents the Jack Newton Lerner Award for Excellence in Continuing Legal Education to Sylvia DiPietro at a luncheon during the Jack Newton Lerner Landlord Tenant Practice Institute on Friday, September 20. The award will be presented by former NYCLA President Michael Miller.
Ms. Di Pietro has practiced law in the area of estate practice and guardianship law, Article 81 advocacy and petitions, contested elder matters, as well as trusts and estates matters, probate, administration, accountings, guardian ad litem, complex trust and probate litigation. She is also participated as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School where she taught a course in Elder and Article 81 Guardianship Law.
Sylvia has twice served as a mentor in NYCLA's Mentoring Program and has served as an active board member of New York County Lawyers' Association, NYCLA's Foundation, Communications and Continuing Legal Education Committees. Over the years she has also served as a NYCLA Delegate to the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates. Sylvia currently serves as the Vice‐Chair to the Estates Trusts Section, where she also served as its Chair. Her past service with NYCLA includes that of Chair of the Real Property Section, and Co‐Chair of the Committee on Coops and Condos.
Sylvia's vast experience and dedication as a speaker has allowed her to teach unique CLE courses addressing the issues facing trusts and estate practitioners. She is also a regular speaker at Bridge the Gap programs aimed at training newly admitted attorneys focusing on Guardianship, Power of Attorney among other topics.
Sylvia E. Di Pietro is a native New Yorker, admitted to practice law before the courts of the State of New York, the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. Sylvia is a graduate of the Honors Program from Long Island University, receiving a BA and MA in English. As a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, she received distinction and high honors in Real Estate Law and Moot Court Trial Advocacy. She is the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award in the Art and Science of Trial Advocacy from the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Besides being active at NYCLA, Sylvia is a member of the New York State Bar Association's Sections on Elder Law and Trusts and Estates, and participates as Chair of the Committee on Continuing Legal Education and is a member of the Committees on the Elderly and Disabled, Estate Litigation and Pre‐Mortem Probate.
She is a also member of the Jewish Lawyers Guild, the Columbian Lawyers Association, First Department, and the New York City Bar where she is a member of the Council on Judicial Administration, Chair of the Subcommittee on Guardianship Law, and a former member of the State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction.
Dedicated to the advancement of women in all professions, Sylvia's past service includes that of Vice President, Recording Secretary and Board Member of the New York Women's Bar Association, where Sylvia also served as a Delegate to the Network of Bar Leaders and Delegate to the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York.
The Jack Newton Lerner Award was established by Jack Newton Lerner, an active and respected member of the New York County Lawyers' Association for more than 50 years, serving as a member of its Council, who was recognized as the "dean" of Landlord/Tenant practice. Mr. Lerner was the first recipient of the award. He served as Chair of the Committee on the Civil Court and was a longtime member of the Committee on the Supreme Court. He was a Continuing Legal Education faculty member for more than two decades, lecturing on the Landlord/Tenant segment of the General Practice for the Newly Admitted Attorney course and the course on Landlord/Tenant Litigation, which are now named The Jack Newton Lerner Landlord/Tenant Practice Institute in his honor.
About the New York County Lawyers' Association
The New York County Lawyers' Association was founded in 1908 as the first major bar association in the country that admitted members without regard to race, ethnicity, religion or gender. Since its inception, it has pioneered some of the most far‐reaching and tangible reforms in American jurisprudence and has continuously played an active role in legal developments and public policy.
Education and Honors
Sylvia E. Di Pietro is a native New Yorker, admitted to practice law before the courts of the State of New York, the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. Sylvia is a graduate of the Honors Program from Long Island University, receiving a BA and MA in English. As a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, she received distinction and high honors in Real Estate Law and Moot Court Trial Advocacy. She is the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award in the Art and Science of Trial Advocacy from the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
Bar Associations
Over the years Sylvia has served as an active board member of New York County Lawyers Association, NYCLA's Foundation, Mentoring, Communications and Continuing Legal Education Committees. Over the years she has also served as a NYCLA Delegate to the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates.
Sylvia serves as the present Vice-Chair to the Estates Trusts Section, where she also served as its Chair. Her past service with NYCLA includes that of Chair of the Real Property Section, and Co-Chair of the Committee on Coops and Condos. As a member of the New York State Bar Association,
Sylvia also serves as a Vice-Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Section for Trusts and Estates for the New York State Bar Association, where she is actively involved in creating and presenting CLE programs for attorneys throughout the State. She is also a member of the Elder Law and Litigation Section.
As a current member of the New York City Bar Association, she sits as a member of the Council on Judicial Administration, where she acted as Chair of the Subcommittee on Guardianship Law, moderating the First Department Guardianship Roundtable: A Frank and Open Discussion of Guardianship Problems.
Dedicated to the advancement of women in all professions, Sylvia's past service includes that of Vice President, Recording Secretary and Board Member of the New York Women's Bar Association, where Sylvia also served as a Delegate to the Network of Bar Leaders, Delegate to the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York, and creator of continuing legal education and chairperson for numerous events.
Her dedication to the legal profession includes membership in the Jewish Lawyers Guild as well as the Columbian Lawyers Association, First Department. Prior service includes that of a board member to the Network of Bar Leaders representing the Columbian Lawyers Association.
Her contribution to the Bar encompasses teaching unique CLE courses facing trusts and estate practitioners, and membership at NYCLA and New York City Bar Association, where she sits as a member of the Council on Judicial Administration, Chair of the Subcommittee on Guardianship Law, and various other subcommittees. She is a former member of the State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction.
Sylvia's vast experience and dedication as Speaker and Educator in Bar Association and Law Activities Include:
New York County Lawyers Association - Member of the Board of Directors
- Board Member, Appointed to the NYCLA Board of Governance, May 2013
- Delegate to the NYSBA House of Delegates, May 2009 to 2013
- NYCLA Representative - New York Supreme Court Guardianship Advisory Committee, SNT Subcommittee
- Member - NYCLA Foundation to present
- Chair of Estates Trust Section 2008-2010; Co-Chair 2010-2013; Co-Chair 2013 to present
- Chair of Elder Law Section 2013 to present
Duties include membership, "Meet & Greets," development and sponsorship of NYCLA & Section CLEs 2008-2010. - Vice-Chair of Estates Trust Section 2010-2013.
Duties include membership, "Meet & Greets," development and sponsorship of NYCLA & Section CLEs 2010 to present. - Delegate to Network of Bar Leaders as Representative for President, Ann P. Lesk, 2009-10.
- Member, Communications Committee
- Member Continuing Legal Education Committee
- Past Chair of Real Property Section 6/2004-6/2008, Co-Chair of Committee on Condos & Coops 6/2004 to 6/2007.
- Duties include membership, "Meet & Greets," development and sponsor of Bar Association & Section CLEs;
creator, NYCLA Express Real Estate Online Forms. - Member-Section on Trusts & Estates; Member-Legislative Committee; prepared Section Legislative Report
- Speaker, CLE Seminar, Blueprint for Building Your Practice October 28-29, 2005, October 20-21, 2006
- Chair, "The Great Debate over the City's West Side Stadium," March 2005
- Chair , Estates Trusts Section: Ruth Lewinson Memorial Lecture, March 2009
- Speaker, CLE Seminar, Detecting Forgery, May 2009
- Member, NYCLA Board Committee on Communications
- Member, NYCLA Board, Committee on CLE
- Speaker, CLE Seminar, Bridging the Gap, topic: "Probate," August 2009
- Mentor, NYCLA Task Force on Professionalism, August 2009
- Speaker, CLE Seminar, Ethics in Trusts and Estate Transactions, September 2009
- Speaker, CLE Seminar, Bridging the Gap, topic: "Probate," October 2009
- Mentor, NYCLA, Ethics Institute, 2009-2010
- Speaker, CLE, Not for Profit Boards, October 2009
- Event Committee, Fall Nina McLemore Fashions, November 2009
- Mentor, NYCLA Pilot Mentoring Program, 2010 and 2011
- Speaker, CLE, Bridging the Gap, "New NYS Power of Attorney Form"- Jan. and Aug., 2010
- Speaker, CLE, "Planning for Non-Traditional Couples"-Jan. 25, 2010
- Member, NYCLA Membership Task Force
- Speaker, CLE, "Estate Planning for Real Estate Owners," October 2010
- Speaker, CLE, "Bridging the Gap," The New NYS Power of Attorney Form, April 2011
- Speaker, CLE, "What's Next in Estate Planning," with Trusts & Estates Magazine, May 2011
- Member, NYCLA Special Committee/Task Force Re: Membership
- Speaker, NYCLA. Bridging the Gap, "New NYS Power of Attorney Form," July 2011
- Promotions, NYCLA Bar Foundation, Fall Founders Cocktail Party, pending
- Member, NYCLA Task Force on Judiciary Budget Cuts 2011 & creator of Task Force Questionnaire,
- Chair of Guardianship Subcommittee and member of Surrogate's Committee;
- Panelist/Speaker, NYCLA Task Force Public Forum on Judiciary Budget Cuts 12/2/2011
- Speaker, NYCLA CLE, "New NYS Power of Attorney Form," December 2011
- Speaker, NYCLA CLE-Introduction to Guardianship Law, May 2012
- Member of the Library Committee 2014
- Speaker, NYCLA CLE-Introduction to Guardianship Law, December 2013
- Member, Mentoring Committee
- Chair-Sponsor-CLE-A Practical Guide to Empowering Baby Boomers to Live Independently
New York State Bar Association
- Former Chair, Committee on Continuing Legal Education
- Co-Chair, NYSBA Trusts and Estates Section, CLE Committee
- Member, New York State Trusts and Estates Executive Committee
- Speaker, CLE, "Powers of Attorney Practice and Litigation Under the New Law, Remedies," June. 2012
- Statewide Co-Chair. CLE, "Practical Skills: Probate and the Administration of Estates," Fall 2012
- Vice-Chair of CLE Committee & Member, Section on Trusts and Estate; Committee on Elderly and Disabled;
Committee on Estate Litigation; Pre-Mortem Will Contest Subcommittee - Contributing Author, New York State Bar Association Litigation Committee's volume on New York Will Contests,
Co-Author, chapter on "Undue Influence" (anticipated publication 2010) - Member, Section on Elder Law
- Member, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section
- Member, Select Appointment to Committee on Cyberspace Law, 2003-2004
- Speaker, Contested Accountings, New York, December 2009
- Statewide Co-Chair and Speaker, "SCPA Discovery §2103, §2104 and §2105," June 2011
- Statewide Co-Chair and Speaker, CLE, Discovery Proceedings in Surrogate Court: How to Fight Them & Avoid Them June 2014
- Speaker, CLE, "Powers of Attorney Practice and Litigation Under the New Law, Remedies," June. 2012
- Statewide Co-Chair. CLE, "Practical Skills: Probate and the Administration of Estates," Fall 2012
- Statewide Co-Chair, CLE, "Contested Accounting Proceedings in Surrogate’s Court: The Law and Techniques You Should Know – Spring 2013
- Statewide Co-Chair, CLE, "Discovery Proceedings in Surrogate’s Court: How to Fight Them and How to Avoid Them" – June 2014
- Statewide Chair, CLE, "Introduction to Estate Planning" – November 2015
- Statewide Chair, Continuing Legal Education Statewide Noontime Webcast Programs
- Planning Chair, "What Every Lawyer Should Know about a Fiduciary" Summer 2016
- Statewide Chair, Estate Planning and Will Drafting, Spring Practical Skills Program 2016
- Statewide Chair "Hot Topics in Trusts and Estates Practice," Fall Webcast 2016
- Statewide Chair, Speaker, "Probate and Estate Administration," Fall Practical Skills 2016
- Statewide Chair, Webinar "There's a New Law in Town: NY's New Digital Asset Legislation" Mar. 2017
- Statewide Chair, Speaker, "Anatomy of a Trust," Spring 2017 Practical Skills Program
- Statewide Chair, Speaker, "The 1404 Examination," Fall 2017 Practical Skills Program
- Statewide Chair, Speaker, "Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst – the Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements" – webinar scheduled for October 17, 2017
- Statewide Chair, "Nuts & Bolts of an Uncontested Probate Petition" – webinar scheduled for Oct. 17, 2017
- Statewide Chair, "Retirement Planning" – scheduled for May, 2018
- Statewide Chair & Speaker, "Live by the Prenup, Die by the Prenup," October, 2018
- Statewide Chair, "Drafting to Avoid Elder Abuse," October, 2017
- Statewide Chair, "How to Prepare a Petition for Uncontested Probate," October, 2018
- Statewide Chair, "Estate Litigation & Discovery Proceedings," Fall, 2018
- Vice-Chair, Litigation Committee, Trusts and Estates Section
- Delegate, House of Delegates>, Trust and Estate Section
New York City Bar Association
- Member, Council on Judicial Administration, 2008-present; Chair, Subcommittee on Guardianship Law 2008-present
- Member, Committee on State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction, 2005-07
- Speaker, CLE, Detecting Forgery, Spring 2009
- Speaker, CLE, Power of Attorney, Summer 2009
- Chair, First Department Judicial Guardianship Roundtable, November 2009
- Chair, Subcommittee on Judicial Nominations, Member, Committee on Judicial Conduct
- Speaker, Law Week Public Forum: Planning for Late in Life, May 2011
- Speaker, Matrimonial Committee – Guardianship Law and Powers of Attorney
New York Women's Bar Association
- Vice President, 2007-08, 2008-09
- Recording Secretary, 2006-07
- NYWBA Delegate to Network of Bar Leaders, 2007-08, 2008-09
- NYWBA Delegate to Women's Bar Association of the State of New York Board of Directors, 2008-09;
previously served as an alternate Delegate to WBASNY Board of Directors Meetings (e.g., 9/05, 11/05) - Member, 2007 NYWBA Annual Dinner Committee
- Co-Chair, Women's History Month 2007, Commerce Bank Reception Honoring Phyllis Gangel-Jacob
- Chair and Moderator, NYWBA Seminar: "Improving Your Employment Potential," 2007
- Co-Chair, The Ins and Outs of Financing of Marital Homes In Divorce," American Home Mortgage October 2007
- Co-Chair, Inauguration of the Litigation Committee, Commerce Bank Reception, October 2007
- Event Chairperson, NYWBA & Three Other Women's Bar Associations, Judith Ripka Private Shopping Event, December 2007
- Co-Chair, NYWBA Judges' Reception, January 2008
- Member, 2008 Annual NYWBA Dinner Committee
- Chair, Saks Fifth Avenue Extravaganza November, 2008
- Contributing Writer, NYWBA Newsletter, "What It's Really Like to Practice Law in NYC as a Woman," Summer 2008
- Co-Chair, NYWBA Judges' Reception, January 2009
- Organized and promoted NYWBA CLE program, "Ethics Update" (scheduled March 19, 2009)
- Member, Committee on Trusts and Estates, 2006 to present
Columbian Lawyers Association, First Judicial District
- Publicity Chair, 2010 to present
- Speaker, CLE, "New York's New Power of Attorney," Spring 2010
Jewish Lawyers Guild
- 2007 to the present
American Bar Association
- 2002-2006
National Academy of Continuing Legal Education
- National Speaker, "Power of Attorney," Spring 2012
Network of Bar Leaders of the City of New York
- Board member, Representative for Columbian Lawyers Association 2010-2011
Sylvia E. Di Pietro, Esq., LLC
55 West Fourteenth Street • Suite 4H • New York, NY 10011
Phone: 212-242-8800 • Fax: 212-633-6298 • Email: info@sylviadipietro.com
Attorney Practice Areas: Last Will & Testament, Living Trusts, Health Care Proxy, Probate, Administration, Accountings, Complex Trusts & Estate Litigation, Supplemental Needs Trusts, Same Sex Marriage, Trust Administration, Surrogate and Supreme Court proceedings, Guardian Ad Litem, Power of Attorney, Beneficiary, Inheritance, Elder Abuse, Elder Law, Mental Hygiene Law, Guardianship, Article 81 Petitions, Risk Management Contracts, Consulting, and Radio, TV & Media Appearances.
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