Christopher J.Lagno
Partner
Trusts and Estates
clagno@seyfarth.com
Clients trust Chris to resolve their most pressing and complicated estate planning and administration questions with maximum sensitivity and efficiency.
More About Chris
Chris is a seasoned trusts and estates attorney who assists high net worth individuals with wealth transfers, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. He leverages his experience to help his clients achieve optimal tax results.
Chris remains abreast of ever-changing tax and estate laws, and provides timely advice to clients in connection with their planning needs. He also represents executors and trustees in a variety of situations, including probate, accounting, estate tax controversies, trust terminations, trusts and estates litigation, and New York Surrogate's Court proceedings of all types. Chris also represents individual and charitable beneficiaries of trusts and estates in securing their bequests.
Chris is a problem-solver who relishes the challenges of helping his clients achieve their estate planning goals. He has extensive experience in dealing with the IRS, state tax departments, and attorneys general in trusts and estates matters. Chris has been in private practice for more than 40 years, and has seen it all. There is virtually no trust and estate problem he has not encountered. Chris also knows that not every decision is tax-driven. He takes a holistic view of estate planning that accounts for all aspects of the situation of each client.
Chris enjoys working at Seyfarth because the firm's trusts and estates attorneys in New York, Illinois, and California provide a depth of experience and wisdom. The firm also has vast resources and knowledgeable attorneys to cover the needs of international clients and charitable organizations of every type. Chris knows he can handle just about anything that comes his way in the field.
Chris remains abreast of ever-changing tax and estate laws, and provides timely advice to clients in connection with their planning needs. He also represents executors and trustees in a variety of situations, including probate, accounting, estate tax controversies, trust terminations, trusts and estates litigation, and New York Surrogate's Court proceedings of all types. Chris also represents individual and charitable beneficiaries of trusts and estates in securing their bequests.
Chris is a problem-solver who relishes the challenges of helping his clients achieve their estate planning goals. He has extensive experience in dealing with the IRS, state tax departments, and attorneys general in trusts and estates matters. Chris has been in private practice for more than 40 years, and has seen it all. There is virtually no trust and estate problem he has not encountered. Chris also knows that not every decision is tax-driven. He takes a holistic view of estate planning that accounts for all aspects of the situation of each client.
Chris enjoys working at Seyfarth because the firm's trusts and estates attorneys in New York, Illinois, and California provide a depth of experience and wisdom. The firm also has vast resources and knowledgeable attorneys to cover the needs of international clients and charitable organizations of every type. Chris knows he can handle just about anything that comes his way in the field.
- LLM, New York University School of Law
Tax - JD, Albany Law School of Union University
- BA, State University of New York at Albany
Political ScienceSumma cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa
- New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
Related Services
- Advised a high net worth couple with respect to updating their estate planning documents.
- Advised a family with extensive assets on estate administration and generational wealth transfer planning.
- Advised a charitable organization as a beneficiary of a contested estate.
- Represented a bank as trustee in the termination of a large trust.
- Counseled a husband and wife who wished to disinherit a child.
- AV-Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- New York State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates law section
- Co-Author, "Year-End Estate Planning for 2023," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 27, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Year-End Estate Planning for 2022," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 30, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Estate Planning with 2020 Vision," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 28, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Practical Estate Planning Considerations During a Pandemic," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 10, 2020)
- Author, "Tune-Up Your Estate Plan in Light of Changing Conditions," Client Alert, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 14, 2019)
- Co-Author, "Tax Reform Impact on Estate Taxes," Tax Reform Management Alert Series, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 22, 2017)
- Co-Author, "New York Estate Tax Changes," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 25, 2014)
- Co-Author, "New Proposals Present Planning Opportunity For NY Residents," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 20, 2014)
Clients trust Chris to resolve their most pressing and complicated estate planning and administration questions with maximum sensitivity and efficiency.
More About Chris
Chris is a seasoned trusts and estates attorney who assists high net worth individuals with wealth transfers, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. He leverages his experience to help his clients achieve optimal tax results.
Chris remains abreast of ever-changing tax and estate laws, and provides timely advice to clients in connection with their planning needs. He also represents executors and trustees in a variety of situations, including probate, accounting, estate tax controversies, trust terminations, trusts and estates litigation, and New York Surrogate's Court proceedings of all types. Chris also represents individual and charitable beneficiaries of trusts and estates in securing their bequests.
Chris is a problem-solver who relishes the challenges of helping his clients achieve their estate planning goals. He has extensive experience in dealing with the IRS, state tax departments, and attorneys general in trusts and estates matters. Chris has been in private practice for more than 40 years, and has seen it all. There is virtually no trust and estate problem he has not encountered. Chris also knows that not every decision is tax-driven. He takes a holistic view of estate planning that accounts for all aspects of the situation of each client.
Chris enjoys working at Seyfarth because the firm's trusts and estates attorneys in New York, Illinois, and California provide a depth of experience and wisdom. The firm also has vast resources and knowledgeable attorneys to cover the needs of international clients and charitable organizations of every type. Chris knows he can handle just about anything that comes his way in the field.
Chris remains abreast of ever-changing tax and estate laws, and provides timely advice to clients in connection with their planning needs. He also represents executors and trustees in a variety of situations, including probate, accounting, estate tax controversies, trust terminations, trusts and estates litigation, and New York Surrogate's Court proceedings of all types. Chris also represents individual and charitable beneficiaries of trusts and estates in securing their bequests.
Chris is a problem-solver who relishes the challenges of helping his clients achieve their estate planning goals. He has extensive experience in dealing with the IRS, state tax departments, and attorneys general in trusts and estates matters. Chris has been in private practice for more than 40 years, and has seen it all. There is virtually no trust and estate problem he has not encountered. Chris also knows that not every decision is tax-driven. He takes a holistic view of estate planning that accounts for all aspects of the situation of each client.
Chris enjoys working at Seyfarth because the firm's trusts and estates attorneys in New York, Illinois, and California provide a depth of experience and wisdom. The firm also has vast resources and knowledgeable attorneys to cover the needs of international clients and charitable organizations of every type. Chris knows he can handle just about anything that comes his way in the field.
- LLM, New York University School of Law
Tax - JD, Albany Law School of Union University
- BA, State University of New York at Albany
Political ScienceSumma cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa
- New York
- US District Court, Southern District of New York
Related Services
- Advised a high net worth couple with respect to updating their estate planning documents.
- Advised a family with extensive assets on estate administration and generational wealth transfer planning.
- Advised a charitable organization as a beneficiary of a contested estate.
- Represented a bank as trustee in the termination of a large trust.
- Counseled a husband and wife who wished to disinherit a child.
- AV-Preeminent rating, Martindale-Hubbell
- New York State Bar Association, Trusts and Estates law section
- Co-Author, "Year-End Estate Planning for 2023," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 27, 2023)
- Co-Author, "Year-End Estate Planning for 2022," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (November 30, 2022)
- Co-Author, "Estate Planning with 2020 Vision," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (August 28, 2020)
- Co-Author, "Practical Estate Planning Considerations During a Pandemic," Legal Update, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 10, 2020)
- Author, "Tune-Up Your Estate Plan in Light of Changing Conditions," Client Alert, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (June 14, 2019)
- Co-Author, "Tax Reform Impact on Estate Taxes," Tax Reform Management Alert Series, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (December 22, 2017)
- Co-Author, "New York Estate Tax Changes," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (April 25, 2014)
- Co-Author, "New Proposals Present Planning Opportunity For NY Residents," One Minute Memo, Seyfarth Shaw LLP (February 20, 2014)