Caffry & Flower’s attorneys primarily practice in Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Albany, Rensselaer, Essex and Hamilton counties, and our environmental practice covers all of eastern New York, from the Hudson Valley to the Canadian border.
Real Estate Closings / Litigation
Our firm represents buyers and sellers in residential, land and commercial transactions. Caffry & Flower recognizes that buying or selling real property can be overwhelming. Our attorneys work closely with our clients to keep them informed at each step of the process.
While other firms may represent more than one party in a transaction, Caffry & Flower represents only one, which means our focus is on one client’s interests only. Together, our attorneys have decades of experience in representing clients buying and selling real property. We are well versed in drafting contracts, preparing deeds and mortgages, reviewing title, resolving title issues, and negotiating and resolving any issue that may arise in the process. We promptly respond to all communications from clients to ensure our clients are at ease with the process. We work professionally with the other party’s counsel, lenders, and title companies to keep the transaction moving forward quickly and efficiently, while keeping our clients informed at every step.
Caffry & Flower has also worked with many families to transfer their seasonal homes in the Adirondacks to the next generation of family members, and to clear the titles of Adirondack estate properties. Our firm also litigates for its clients in complex real estate title and boundary line cases, and in challenging the tax assessments on their properties.
Lifetime / Estate Planning
Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Directives are just a few of the documents our attorneys will discuss with you to ensure that you have the proper documents in place for the management of your assets in the event of incapacity, as well as ensuring that your assets pass to those you choose on your death.
Our attorneys are also well versed on assisting clients with avoiding probate. They can provide you with detailed explanation of the probate process and the steps necessary to avoid probate. They will review with you in detail how revocable trusts work and assist you in determining if a Trust is right for you.
At Caffry & Flower, we take the time to make sure that all bases are covered and to customize a plan that fits your wishes.
Estate Probate / Administration
The death of a loved one is a difficult time for everyone. Our firm will work closely with the named Executor and/or your family to assist in the administration of the estate and the transfer of the deceased person’s assets to their heirs. This includes filing probate or administration proceedings with Surrogate’s Court and guiding the Executor or Administrator through each step of the process until the closing of the estate.
Elder Law
Elder law encompasses a myriad of topics related to aging. This can include planning for incapacity, protecting assets, and estate planning. Our attorneys are patient and and take the time to listen to all of our client’s concerns. They will ensure that your planning is customized to meet your specific needs. They fully understand the difficulties facing seniors and their families, and are passionate about assisting our Elder Law clients. Our attorneys work closely with our clients to address their concerns and goals, answer questions in simple layman’s terms, and provide custom recommendations for each situation.
Medicaid Planning / Application
When a person needs nursing home care, Medicaid may be an option for paying for such care. Caffry & Flower is experienced in assisting clients with considering the options available to protect their assets ahead of time, before the five-year financial look back period, to qualify for Medicaid.
We have extensive experience in advanced Medicaid protection planning, ensuring that your assets are protected in the event you eventually need nursing home care. Our attorneys will carefully review in detail the Medicaid rules and process with you and outline your options providing both the pros and cons of each so that you can make the best decision for you and your family. The attorneys of Caffry & Flower also have broad experience with the preparation of Irrevocable Trusts and life estate deed planning.
If the time has come for nursing home care and to apply for Medicaid coverage, we can assist you in the preparation and filing of the application, gathering of the necessary information and documents, and responding to communications from the Department of Social Services.
Guardianship
Article 81 guardianships provide a vehicle for a family member to gain guardianship of a loved one who doesn’t have planning documents in place and has become incapacitated. We are one of only a handful of local law firms who are experienced in this area and we will guide you through this complex process.
Environmental / Land Use / Zoning Law
We have helped our clients fight the legal battles that have preserved the Big Cedar Swamp in Queensbury, led to the creation of the 7,000 acre Stewart State Forest in Orange County, stopped mining projects in the Adirondacks and Hudson Valley, protected thousands of acres of habitat for threatened species, preserved historic viewsheds, blocked lakefront development on Lake George, and opened New York’s rivers and streams to public navigation.
Our clients include local, regional and national environmental groups; individuals and groups of homeowners who want to protect their neighborhoods from inappropriate development; and town planning boards that have been sued by unsuccessful applicants.
We represent our clients before the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Park Agency, Lake George Park Commission, and other state agencies, as well as many local zoning and planning boards.
Conservation Easements
Conservation easements are legal arrangements that allow property owners to have the satisfaction of preserving their land in perpetuity, while also obtaining tax benefits and continuing to live or work on their property. We are one of the leading law firms in the Adirondack Region in this area of the law, representing several local and regional land trusts, as well as individual landowners who wish to preserve their property.
Not-For-Profit Organizations
For over 30 years we have helped charitable groups achieve their missions. This starts with gaining approval from the State of New York to form a not-for-profit corporation, writing by-laws, obtaining tax exempt status from the IRS, and filing the necessary charity registration forms. We have worked with a wide variety of groups, including environmental, educational, religious, and children’s summer camp groups. Our attorneys have also served on the boards of many not-for-profits, so we are personally familiar with the issues that these groups face.
Business Law
We assist small businesses with the formation of a corporation or limited liability company (LLC), and continue to help them with their corporate, regulatory, real estate, and contractual legal needs. We also work closely with our clients’ financial advisors, as needed. Some of our business clients have been with us for over 25 years. We also represent buyers and sellers of small businesses.
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