Karen Schaefer
Position:
Partner
Member of the law firm's Management Committee
Legal Services:
- Estate and Trust Planning
- Business Succession
- Tax Structuring and Planning
- Trusts and Estate Administration
- Elder Care Planning
- Business and Corporate Law
Education:
Albany Law School (J.D., 1979)
Michigan State University (BA. Economics, 1976)
Admissions:
New York State Bar
United States District Court, Western District of New York
Email: kschaefer@lacykatzen.com
Contact:
Direct Line 585.324.5718; Direct Fax 585.269.3068
Trust and Estate Planning Services
Ms. Schaefer represents clients in developing a comprehensive estate plan, which balances financial and tax implications with family and business realities and objectives. She counsels her clients on all aspects of trusts and estates matters
including:
- Estate, gift and income tax planning
- Administering Trusts and Estates
- Preparation of Wills, Trusts (including Revocable Living Trusts and a variety of Irrevocable Trusts), Durable Powers of Attorney, Health Care Proxies and beneficiary designations
- Planning for disability, including Medicaid planning and formation of Supplemental Needs Trusts
- Pre-nuptial and Post-nuptial Agreements
- Estate plan design
- Elder Law Issues
- Family limited partnerships and limited liability companies
Business Law Matters
Ms. Schaefer counsels business owners in addressing the myriad of legal issues facing the business, including:
- Succession Planning
- Tax Planning
- Financing Transactions
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- General Business Counseling
- Formation and structuring of business entities including C and S corporations, limited liability companies, professional corporations and other entities for licensed professionals
Ms. Schaefer is committed to developing the best personal and business plan for her clients to meet their needs and objectives. She believes the key elements in this process are good communication, a strong knowledge base and a skilled understanding of the business and the needs of the business
owner.
Ms. Schaefer's Design a Plan for the Future of Your Business article in the April 14, 2008 issue of Country Folks. Read the article.
Ms. Schaefer's Succession Planning for the Closely Held Business article in the April 25, 2008 issue of Rochester Business Journal.
Read the article
Ms. Schaefer's Business Succession Planning, Part II: Buy-Sell Agreements article in the April 24, 2009 issue of Rochester Business Journal. Read the article
Professional Affiliations
Ms. Schaefer is presently a member of the following professional organizations:
- Monroe County Bar Association, where she has served as Chair of the Trusts and Estates Executive Council and is now serving on the Business Law Council.
- New York State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates and Business Law sections
- Estate Planning Council of Rochester, where she has served on its Executive Council
- Greater Rochester Association of Women Attorneys
She has also been a speaker for numerous professional organizations, as well as community and educational groups including the Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations, universities and other educational institutions, adult education programs, financial planning organizations, alumni groups, public libraries, church and community organizations.
Community Service
Ms. Schaefer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Education Enterprise of New York, Inc., which supports the charitable and educational activities of the Norman Howard School, an independent school for children with learning disabilities. She is past President of the Board of Trustees of the School and served on its Executive Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Encompass: Resources for Learning where she serves as Secretary and
Treasurer.
