Elizabeth Candido Petite is Chair of the firm's Wills, Trusts and Estate practice group and concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning and the administration of trusts and estates. She works with individuals, families, corporate fiduciaries and with other professionals such as financial advisors and accountants to create and implement a customized estate plan. She offers practical solutions to problems, large and small, so that her clients have confidence that their assets are transferred in accordance with their wishes, both during their lifetime and upon death.
Elizabeth prepares all types of estate planning documents to meet her clients needs, including wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, durable powers of attorney, and advance directives for health care. She has experience creating and funding family limited liability companies and other corporate structures to transfer personal wealth and family businesses to the next generations. Elizabeth also has experience with elder law, special needs planning and guardianship issues.
Elizabeth advises fiduciaries at all stages of the administration of trusts and estates. She utilizes her knowledge of tax law and procedure to achieve tax-efficient results in estate-related controversies before the IRS and state taxing authorities. She also works with fiduciaries and beneficiaries on all types of non-tax issues that arise in the course of administration, such as probating wills, accountings, and disputes between fiduciaries and beneficiaries. To that end, Elizabeth often collaborates with seasoned litigators in the Firm to successfully resolve contested matters. Elizabeth also serves as a panelist for the Union County Probate Early Settlement Panel, which aims to mediate and resolve matters that otherwise would be tried in court.
In April 2023, Elizabeth completed the Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). The Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute was created by ACTEC Fellows to develop the profession's future leaders in trust and estate law through a series of in-depth educational presentations led by outstanding subject matter experts in each field from across the U.S.
Between 2014 and 2023 Elizabeth served on the Board of DMF Youth, Inc, a nonprofit organization that provides free afterschool and summer programs for underserved children with a focus on dance, fitness, and life-skills.