On March 1, 2021, Grimaldi & Yeung LLP is pleased to announce that the firm will add two new partners, Mary E. Granfort and David I. Kronenberg to our firm. David and Mary are respected and experienced attorneys from the esteemed elder law firm of Goldfarb Abrandt & Salzman, which is winding down after over 30 years of practice.
MARY E. GRANFORT
Mary concentrates in trusts and estates planning and administration, and Surrogate’s Court practice. Mary has over 25 years in planning and administration, and will head our firm’s Estate Administration Department, handling the probate and administration of our client’s estate and trust matters. Her expertise in the solving the varied issues that may arise in settling complex estates while also remaining sensitive to family issues involved is her special skill. Our firm’s clients will benefit from her experience and diligence in such various areas as probate, administration, trust proceedings, kinship, disclaimer planning and post-mortem income tax planning, retirement planning, and estate tax and trust management. She is experienced representing individual and corporate executors and trustees.
Mary earned her JD Degree from Fordham University School of Law, cum laude, and her Undergraduate Degree from Boston University, magna cum laude. She also attended State University of New York at Binghamton, Harpur College, as an Undergraduate.
Mary gave the Annual Lecture on Lifetime Planning for the Elderly for VOLS Organization, Legal Support Unit, Legal Services for New York City from 2000 to 2011, and she remained available for consultation to VOLS attorneys in connection with their pro bono work. She has also lectured on Planning with Advanced Health Care Directives and Powers of Attorney and Long Term Planning for the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.
She was a volunteer attorney in the legal program organized by Sherman & Sterling to bring legal advice and information on administrative relief to victims of the September 11th 2001 World Trade Center disaster She conducted an Estate Planning and Administration seminar for the Robert B. McKay Outreach Program of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. From 2010 to 2017, she served on the Board of Directors of her New York City coop. For many years, she has been a member of the Trusts and Estates and Elder Law Sections of the New York State Bar Association.
DAVID I. KRONENBERG
David concentrates his practice in plans for long term care, including planning and advocating for home care, asset protection, nursing home care, and the rights of the elderly and disabled. David will be leading the firm’s Medicaid and Care Advocacy Department, which will be the hallmark of our firm’s work. In addition, he will also provide estate-planning services for clients including special needs planning and advising on the needs for advance directives, Wills and Trusts. David also has a special expertise in coop transfers to trusts and real estate matters related to estate planning.
David is a select member of the NYSBA’s Task force On Nursing Home and Long Term Care tasked with reviewing the framework in which Nursing homes operate in NYS with a special focus on the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of services. David is also the Co-Chair of the Elder Law Section’s Committee on Long Term Care Facility Reform, which has produced several important webinars addressing the many problems arising in the quality of care of Long-term facility’s residents during COVID-19. The Committee has also advocated for legislative changes in the operation of nursing homes and other long term care facilities. Through his leadership the Committee and is lobbying for legislation to improve resident’s rights, including safe staffing in nursing homes and improved family visitation.
David is past Chair of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on Legal Problems of the Aging where he worked on developing outreach services to the diverse communities in New York City. As an editor of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law and Special Needs Section’s Publication Committee he oversaw the publication of the Elder Law Section’s quarterly Journal reaching over 3000 attorneys in NY State. David was elected the NYSBA’s Elder Law Section’s District Delegate for the 11th Judicial District, covering the county of Queens. Additionally, David served as a member of the Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission for the 11th Judicial District. David has a special connection to Queens County and hopes to expand his services in his home borough.
David has published numerous articles on various topics, including home care advocacy, Managed Long Term Care and Supplemental Needs Trusts. He is also a frequent lecturer on elder law issues. He received his J.D. from New York Law School in 2001.
He currently lives in Forest Hills, NY with his wife Jacqueline and his two daughters, Abigail and Rachel.
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