Philip V. Bouklas has been a partner of the firm since 2005, and has been associated with the firm since 1999. He chairs our wills, trusts, estates, elder law and estate litigation department.
Philip works closely with clients to gain an understanding of their personal goals and then applies his knowledge and experience in the law to tailor an estate plan that will meet their objectives. Philip prepares a wide variety of plans for U.S. and non-U.S. citizens, traditional and non-traditional families, and a range of individuals, including those with complex tax and personal issues. His practice focuses on the development of estate and business plans to ensure the proper transfer of wealth to the next generation.
As part of his practice, he also represents business owners to assist them with the formation and structuring of entities, shareholder, operating and partnership agreements, employment agreements and a variety of other corporate and transactional agreements. In addition, he serves as general counsel to several companies engaged in national and international transactions.
Philip’s practice also includes estate administration, where he represents individual legatees, charities, executors, administrators, and trustees. A thorough knowledge of the taxation of trusts and estates allows him to simplify estate administration for clients by advising them on issues such as gift, estate, and generation-skipping transfer taxation. His familiarity with court procedures enables him to help clients navigate the complex tax and court systems to ensure the proper distribution of estate assets. He is frequently called upon to appear in Surrogate’s Court to participate in contested probate, administration and accounting proceedings. He is also appointed by the Court as Guardian
ad Litem in various estate-related court proceedings.
Philip received his Juris Doctor degree from Hofstra University School of Law in May 1995, and his Bachelor Degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in December 1991. He is admitted to the New York State Bar, the United States Tax Court and the United States District Court, for the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York and the District of New Jersey.
Philip is a Registered Trusts and Estates Practitioner (TEP) with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, an international professional body of experienced and senior practitioners in the field of trusts and estates.
He is also active with the New York State Bar Association as a committee member of the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Issues Affecting Persons with Disabilities, and as a member of the Association’s Trusts and Estates Law, Corporate Counsel and Elder Law Sections.
