Finger Lakes Attorney
PLLC
A boutique law firm located in the heart of the Finger Lakes region of New York State that focuses on helping individuals and families plan for the unexpected, protect what they’ve earned, and leave a legacy for their loved ones.
About Us
What makes us different from other law firms?
You do.
We want to get to know you. We want to hear your story, learn about what matters most to you, and spend time together creating a customized plan that works for you and your chosen family.
If you’ve lost a loved one, we’re here to listen and help you to figure out what you need to do next. From making all of the arrangements to fielding questions from family, we know how difficult those first few days, months, and years can be. We can be your guide to navigating the death of a loved one, so you can just grieve.
Our Services
Estate Planning - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our estate planning questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Find your existing estate planning documents and share them with us. We will connect with you, whether in person, on the phone, or via Zoom, to review what you have and discuss what you need. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we do, understand what options are available to you, and provide you with a quote for our fees.
Two. Let us get to work. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, you get to let us know exactly what you want. We will draft only the documents you request, based on the discussion we had during our initial consultation. Nothing is set in stone at this stage in the process, so if you decide you need to make changes to your plan, you’ll have time to let us know. We will send you drafts to review and make any changes needed to get your plan exactly right.
Three. Make it official. We schedule a date and time for the documents to be signed. After our meeting, we scan the documents in, make copies, and prepare an estate planning package with the original documents you need to keep at home. Even after you receive your document package, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have and review your plan with you if you ever need a refresher. You should feel confident that you have a plan in place that protects you and your loved ones.
New York State has a set of default laws that governs the distribution of your assets in the event of your death. However, the default doesn’t work for everyone. That’s where having an estate plan comes in. We will work with you to figure out what you need, so that you can get a plan in place that makes sense.
Long-Term Care Planning - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our long-term care planning questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Find your existing estate planning documents and share them with us. We will connect with you, whether in person, on the phone, or via Zoom, to review what you have and discuss what you need. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we do, understand what options are available to you, and provide you with a quote for our fees.
Two. Let us get to work. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, you get to let us know exactly what you want. We will draft only the documents you request, based on the discussion we had during our initial consultation. Nothing is set in stone at this stage in the process, so if you decide you need to make changes to your plan, you’ll have time to let us know. We will send you drafts to review and make any changes needed to get your plan exactly right.
Three. Make it official. We schedule a date and time for the documents to be signed. After our meeting, we scan the documents in, make copies, and prepare an estate planning package with the original documents you need to keep at home. Even after you receive your document package, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have and review your plan with you if you ever need a refresher. You should feel confident that you have a plan in place that protects you and your loved ones.
Aging-in-place is the goal when it comes to long-term care planning. Being able to stay at home – independently, comfortably, and safely – requires advanced planning. With an understanding of how it all works, we can review your finances with you and help you move the pieces into place to protect what you’ve earned for as long as possible.
Estate Administration and Probate - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our estate questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Be sure to gather all of the documentation you can – death certificate, Last Will & Testament, copies of the most recent bank statements, tax returns, and anything else that you think is relevant. We will meet with you to review all of the paperwork and discuss next steps. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we can help with, and provide you with a quote for our retainer and hourly rate.
Two. Make it official. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, we will ask you to sign a retainer that outlines the terms of our representation. Once you have remitted payment for our retainer, we will deposit the funds in escrow, which can be credited against your monthly bill for our time, as well as any Court filing fees, and other disbursements.
Three. Let us get to work. After you engage our firm, we will help you to understand your new responsibilities and advise you as we navigate the legal system. From the issuance of Letters from the Surrogate’s Court which grants you the authority to act as a fiduciary with respect to the Estate to the final accounting and closure, you should feel confident that you have an experienced attorney as your guide.
Whether expected or not, when you’ve suddenly found yourself needing to handle an estate, you may feel overwhelmed in trying to figure out what to do next. We promise to keep it simple. Our extensive legal experience with navigating the process from start to finish means that you’ll have the support you need to get through whatever lies ahead.
Elder Law - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our elder law questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Be sure to gather all of the documentation you can that is related to your issue. We will meet with you to review all of the paperwork and discuss next steps. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we can help with, and provide you with a quote for our retainer and hourly rate.
Two. Make it official. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, we will ask you to sign a retainer that outlines the terms of our representation. Once you have remitted payment for our retainer, we will deposit the funds in escrow, which can be credited against your monthly bill for our time, as well as any other disbursements.
Three. Let us get to work. After you engage our firm, we will help you to understand the steps we will be taking on your behalf to resolve the issue you are facing. We will be sure to communicate our progress and any roadblocks we encounter along the way. We will strategize with you to make sure that you agree with our approach. As we work together, you should feel confident that you have an experienced attorney by your side.
Seniors with other practical issues that they’re facing. Problems with long-term care insurance premiums or benefits? We can review your policies and create a strategy for getting you what you’ve paid for. Confused about why you’re receiving medical devices you didn’t order and don’t need? We can help you figure out what to do next.
Our Services
Estate Planning - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our estate planning questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Find your existing estate planning documents and share them with us. We will connect with you, whether in person, on the phone, or via Zoom, to review what you have and discuss what you need. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we do, understand what options are available to you, and provide you with a quote for our fees.
Two. Let us get to work. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, you get to let us know exactly what you want. We will draft only the documents you request, based on the discussion we had during our initial consultation. Nothing is set in stone at this stage in the process, so if you decide you need to make changes to your plan, you’ll have time to let us know. We will send you drafts to review and make any changes needed to get your plan exactly right.
Three. Make it official. We schedule a date and time for the documents to be signed. After our meeting, we scan the documents in, make copies, and prepare an estate planning package with the original documents you need to keep at home. Even after you receive your document package, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have and review your plan with you if you ever need a refresher. You should feel confident that you have a plan in place that protects you and your loved ones.
New York State has a set of default laws that governs the distribution of your assets in the event of your death. However, the default doesn’t work for everyone. That’s where having an estate plan comes in. We will work with you to figure out what you need, so that you can get a plan in place that makes sense.
Long-Term Care Planning - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our long-term care planning questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Find your existing estate planning documents and share them with us. We will connect with you, whether in person, on the phone, or via Zoom, to review what you have and discuss what you need. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we do, understand what options are available to you, and provide you with a quote for our fees.
Two. Let us get to work. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, you get to let us know exactly what you want. We will draft only the documents you request, based on the discussion we had during our initial consultation. Nothing is set in stone at this stage in the process, so if you decide you need to make changes to your plan, you’ll have time to let us know. We will send you drafts to review and make any changes needed to get your plan exactly right.
Three. Make it official. We schedule a date and time for the documents to be signed. After our meeting, we scan the documents in, make copies, and prepare an estate planning package with the original documents you need to keep at home. Even after you receive your document package, we’re happy to answer any questions you may have and review your plan with you if you ever need a refresher. You should feel confident that you have a plan in place that protects you and your loved ones.
Aging-in-place is the goal when it comes to long-term care planning. Being able to stay at home – independently, comfortably, and safely – requires advanced planning. With an understanding of how it all works, we can review your finances with you and help you move the pieces into place to protect what you’ve earned for as long as possible.
Estate Administration and Probate - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our estate questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Be sure to gather all of the documentation you can – death certificate, Last Will & Testament, copies of the most recent bank statements, tax returns, and anything else that you think is relevant. We will meet with you to review all of the paperwork and discuss next steps. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we can help with, and provide you with a quote for our retainer and hourly rate.
Two. Make it official. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, we will ask you to sign a retainer that outlines the terms of our representation. Once you have remitted payment for our retainer, we will deposit the funds in escrow, which can be credited against your monthly bill for our time, as well as any Court filing fees, and other disbursements.
Three. Let us get to work. After you engage our firm, we will help you to understand your new responsibilities and advise you as we navigate the legal system. From the issuance of Letters from the Surrogate’s Court which grants you the authority to act as a fiduciary with respect to the Estate to the final accounting and closure, you should feel confident that you have an experienced attorney as your guide.
Whether expected or not, when you’ve suddenly found yourself needing to handle an estate, you may feel overwhelmed in trying to figure out what to do next. We promise to keep it simple. Our extensive legal experience with navigating the process from start to finish means that you’ll have the support you need to get through whatever lies ahead.
Elder Law - Next Steps
One. Book a free consultation. Complete our elder law questionnaire to prepare for our consultation. Be sure to gather all of the documentation you can that is related to your issue. We will meet with you to review all of the paperwork and discuss next steps. Within the hour, you’ll be able to get your questions answered, learn more about who we are and what we can help with, and provide you with a quote for our retainer and hourly rate.
Two. Make it official. If you decide you would like to move forward after your free consultation, we will ask you to sign a retainer that outlines the terms of our representation. Once you have remitted payment for our retainer, we will deposit the funds in escrow, which can be credited against your monthly bill for our time, as well as any other disbursements.
Three. Let us get to work. After you engage our firm, we will help you to understand the steps we will be taking on your behalf to resolve the issue you are facing. We will be sure to communicate our progress and any roadblocks we encounter along the way. We will strategize with you to make sure that you agree with our approach. As we work together, you should feel confident that you have an experienced attorney by your side.
Seniors with other practical issues that they’re facing. Problems with long-term care insurance premiums or benefits? We can review your policies and create a strategy for getting you what you’ve paid for. Confused about why you’re receiving medical devices you didn’t order and don’t need? We can help you figure out what to do next.
Our Team
Christine A. Szpet, Esq.
Attorney & Owner
Christine works with clients and their advisors to prepare both basic estate planning documents, such as wills, health care proxies, and power of attorney documents, as well as more complicated trusts, including irrevocable asset protection trusts. She assists clients and their families with preparing and submitting Medicaid applications to enter long-term care nursing homes, as well as strategizing and implementing a variety of Medicaid planning techniques to preserve assets for their loved ones. Her extensive experience practicing in Surrogate’s Court in Monroe and Ontario County means that she can help those facing the challenges of opening up an estate administration or estate probate navigate that process from filing the initial petition to obtain legal authority to act, to figuring out where assets are located and how to transfer them, to tracking funds and accounting, to closing out the estate whether formally or informally, to help everyone move forward.
Christine is licensed to practice law in New York State. The Daily Record has named her on their “Power 20 Trust and Estates” attorney list five years in a row in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and now 2025. Christine has also been recognized by her peers and was selected this year as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America™ for her work in Elder Law. Annually, she has also been selected for inclusion on the Super Lawyers: Upstate New York Rising Stars list since 2022. Christine is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Ontario County Bar Association, and the Monroe County Bar Association. As a member of the MCBA, she is actively participating in the Trusts and Estate Section will be serving as the 2024-2025 Co-Chair with the Hon. Christopher S. Ciaccio on the Elder Law Committee. She received her Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law, where she graduated with a certificate in Estate Planning. For many years, Christine has called Upstate New York her home. She lives in the Finger Lakes, spending her time reading books, crafting candles, and in nature, enjoying being surrounded by trees and woodland creatures. When she is not at home, you are most likely to find her traveling across the country for her favorite band, Phish, in search of the best live music venues.
Kahlie D. Mahonski
Office Manager
Kahlie is the first friendly face you see as you walk into the office. Her background in hospitality and customer service enables her to provide every client with the personal attention they need. She works behind-the-scenes to ensure that every office visit is enjoyable. Kahlie also strives to streamline processes for both the office and for clients to make sure all of our needs are met so that we can deliver the highest-quality legal services in the Finger Lakes. When she is not in the office, you can expect to find her hiking, kayaking, or playing outdoors with her husband, daughter, and their dog Winter!
Ashleigh S. Mastro
Paralegal
Ashleigh is an experienced paralegal who obtained her paralegal certificate from Finger Lakes Community College after graduating from St. Lawrence University with a B.A. in History in 2017. As a paralegal for our firm, she enjoys drafting estate planning and long-term care planning documents for clients, helping individuals and families to effectuate their plans. Her background in residential real estate lends itself perfectly to the work we do here, further enabling her to prepare real property deeds and the supporting documentation necessary to transfer real estate into trust. Ashleigh is family-oriented and enjoys spending her evenings and weekends with her husband and their dog.
Where we are Located
Our law office is located in one of the original schoolhouses for the Town of Hopewell located on NYS Route 5. The schoolhouse, Common School District No. 9, commonly referred to as the Hecker School, has the oldest preserved written records of any school in the Town of Hopewell with detailed financial accounts beginning in 1805 documenting monumental advances, such as the purchase of a coal stove in 1890 and the installation of electricity in 1934. The schoolhouse served the community until its closure in 1943, after which it was utilized by various community groups until it was sold privately and became home to various businesses, including a fabric and craft shop, an accounting firm, and now our law firm.
Office Location:
Finger Lakes Attorney PLLC
3678 State Route 5 and 20
Canandaigua, New York 14424
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