This site is published by Morgan Legal Group, a New York estate and probate firm led by attorney Russel Morgan, focused on Surrogate’s Court practice for Manhattan (New York County) residents. The content here is written to be accurate, statute-grounded, and genuinely useful to executors, heirs, and families planning around New York’s probate process, the co-op transfer reality, and the New York estate tax cliff.
Who is behind the information
Morgan Legal Group concentrates on New York trusts, estates, and Surrogate’s Court matters — wills, probate, estate administration, trusts, incapacity planning, and estate litigation. The firm’s work centers on the kinds of estates Manhattan produces: co-op and condo apartments, brokerage portfolios, closely held business interests, and the high-net-worth estates that trip the New York estate tax cliff.
About attorney Russel Morgan
Russel Morgan is the founder of Morgan Legal Group and a New York-licensed attorney whose practice focuses on estate planning and probate under New York’s EPTL and SCPA. His work includes drafting wills and trusts, guiding executors through the New York County Surrogate’s Court, transferring co-op and condo interests, and handling contested estate matters. (Bar admission and credential details should reflect verified, current firm information.)
Our approach to Manhattan estates
Manhattan estates have a particular shape, and our content and counsel reflect it. Most Manhattan wealth sits in co-op shares plus a proprietary lease, not a deeded house — which means an executor’s hardest task is often the co-op board transfer, not the court filing. And because a single apartment can equal the New York exemption, estate-tax planning around the 105% cliff is a recurring theme. We write and advise with those realities front and center.
Why trust this information
- New York-law focus. Every page cites the controlling statute — EPTL 3-2.1 for wills, EPTL 4-1.1 for intestacy, SCPA 1402 for probate petitions, SCPA 2307 for commissions — paired with plain-English explanation.
- Local specificity. The site is built around the New York County Surrogate’s Court at 31 Chambers Street, not generic “New York” boilerplate.
- Honest about uncertainty. Where figures change annually (estate-tax exemptions, filing fees), we say “verify the current amount” rather than risk a stale number.
Entity and network
Morgan Legal Group maintains a consistent professional presence across New York legal resources. For the firm’s primary profile and additional New York estate-law content, see morganlegalny.com.
Service area
This resource serves Manhattan (New York County) and the New York County Surrogate’s Court. Estates of Manhattan-domiciled decedents are filed there under SCPA 205, regardless of where death occurred.
Editorial standard
Content on this site is intended for general information and is reviewed for consistency with New York law by a New York-licensed attorney. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For advice on a specific estate, consult counsel directly.
Talk to us
Book a 30-minute consultation with Russel Morgan: calendly.com/russel-morgan/30min. Or reach the firm through the contact page.
Have a question about your estate?
Talk it through with Russel Morgan — free 30-minute consult.