Richard Rothberg

Principal

For over 40 years, Richard Rothberg has devoted his practice to trusts and estates, with a focus on representing high-net-worth individuals and families. A trusted advisor, Richard understands the needs of his clients and hones his advice to meet their particular needs. His practice includes personal wealth transfer planning, estate and trust administration, and estate, gift, and generation-skipping tax planning. Richard helps his clients navigate fiduciary income tax issues, resolve estate and gift tax disputes, and manages wealth transfer litigation.

Richard counsels families with their marital planning, offering strategic legal and financial guidance for marriages, including those of children and other family members. He also prepares and negotiates prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, ensuring that his client's interests are well-protected.

Richard is well-respected by his peers and is a leader in the legal profession. He is a former chair of the Trusts and Estates Section of the New York State Bar Association and a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He has been named to Best Lawyers, Trust and Estates, and Super Lawyers® of New York. 

Throughout his career, Richard has authored articles on estate planning, tax strategies, and business planning, including federal and state estate taxes, retirement plan benefits, S Corporations, and the valuation of family businesses. He has shared his insights in legal and tax journals and has spoken on these topics at numerous professional events and conferences.

    Education

    • Harvard Law School (J.D., cum laude)
    • Northwestern University (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • New York

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
    • United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

    Professional Affiliations

    • New York State Bar Association, Former Chair, Trust and Estates Law
    • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, Member

    Recognitions

    • Named to The Best Lawyers in America®  for Trusts and Estates (1997-2026)
    • A-V Preeminent Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
    • Selected to New York Super Lawyers® (2023)   
    • Estates and Trusts

"My father was a lawyer in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Growing up, I had no idea what that meant, but he had an office full of papers on a high floor in the tallest building in Indiana, and it all seemed very important. The only other choice I knew about was doctor, but my hands were clumsy, and I couldn't stand the sight of blood, so I went to law school.

That's where I learned that the world is made up of complex systems that aren't user friendly, and I was very good at understanding how to navigate those systems and solve real-life problems. I took up trusts and estates as my field of specialty because I love helping people, explaining complex issues in understandable terms, and solving math problems, and it's a great way to do all of those things."

Richard Rothberg

Firm Highlights