Mackenzie Hughes offers an integrated network of business and trust and estate practitioners that provide creative and comprehensive representation for individuals, their families, private businesses and non-profit entities.
Our attorneys have years of practical experience providing thoughtful, practical and creative planning. When you come to us for wealth management services, you recognize the need for professional assistance in dealing with constant change, whether in your personal circumstances, estate values or family makeup. We know you come to us at vital moments in your life. With sensitivity and discretion, we can counsel you through estate, trust and postmortem planning. We provide legal and financial advice for personal and business matters, and ensure the correct implementation of that advice.
More specifically, our firm has counseled a large number of clients with the transfer of family wealth and the transition of business ownership. We understand the unique challenges and complications that can occur in ownership and management during family business succession and estate planning. Our experts can structure these transfers in the most tax-efficient manner. Our team approach provides assistance with illiquid assets, first-generation wealth, and liability risks to family assets, utilizing the latest sophisticated wealth transfer strategies, including family limited partnerships, and charitable split-interest trusts.
In addition, our attorneys have close relationships with bank trust departments and professional advisors in the investment management, insurance and accounting fields. With such direct ties, we can enhance the value of service we provide by referring and connecting you with those financial advisors — many of whom work at our sister firm, Mackenzie Hughes & Hartnett Investment Advisors LLC.
We are a team of attorneys that passionately reflect the mark of Mackenzie Hughes — plain talk and exceptional expertise — with pride. A law firm with an extremely knowledgeable background in investment advisory services, backed by a group that represents clients in all aspects of the law, and one that will deliver advice to you in simple terms so that you can be comfortable in knowing the choices you make are the right ones for you.
Attorneys
Rebecca E. Alesi
Associate
Clayton H. Hale, Jr.
Partner and Co General Counsel
Ami S. Longstreet
Partner and Co General Counsel
Edward J. Moses
Partner
Anne B. Ruffer
Partner
News
Mackenzie Hughes Adds Three Attorneys
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Mackenzie Hughes LLP’s Managing Partner Richard Engel announces the recent addition of attorneys Robb P. Barrett, Rebecca E. Alesi and Robert R. Hojnacki to the team. Robb P. Barrett joined the firm in January as a partner in the Business Department. He focuses on business and corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, securities […]
Mackenzie Hughes Thanks Anne B. Ruffer for her leadership role, Elects Richard C. Engel Managing Partner, Appoints James H. Nicoll Business Department Chair
Attorney Anne B. Ruffer electively stepped down as the firm’s Managing Partner effective December 31, 2023, after serving in that role for six years. During that time, she oversaw the day-to-day firm operations, worked in supporting the firm’s various practice areas, managed its fiscal responsibility, encouraged attorneys’ community involvement, and advanced the firm’s positive culture. […]
Four Mackenzie Hughes attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers
Four attorneys from Mackenzie Hughes LLP were recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Included are Stephen T. Helmer in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Ami S. Longstreet in Elder Law; Edward J. Moses in Corporate Law; and Gay […]
Blog
It’s Time to Stop Procrastinating and Start Preparing: Misconceptions About Estate Planning and How You Maybe Inadvertently Giving Your Loved Ones Some Legal Headaches
A 2024 survey report by Caring.com found that only 32% of Americans die with a Will, a 6% decline from 2023. Many legal journalists and analysts predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic would motivate the population to estate plan, however, the Caring.com survey suggests that procrastination and lack of education on the topic are the main […]
Protecting Your Personal Assets: The Importance of Umbrella Insurance
In today’s fast-paced world, where accidents and unexpected events can happen at any time, safeguarding your hard-earned assets is crucial. While most people are familiar with homeowners, auto and watercraft insurance that provide coverage for specific situations, like accidents at home, on the road or on the water, many people are not aware of the […]
And Just Like That: No Estate Tax Changes for 2021 (But 2022?)
The much discussed proposed changes to federal gift and estate taxes has not materialized for 2021. Instead as the law now exists there are more planning opportunities available for 2000. For 2022 the annual gift tax exclusion amount (the amount you can gift to a person without having to utilize the unified credit) will rise […]