Susan Carroll Picotte

Susan Carroll Picotte

PARTNER
Albany, New York
Phone: 518-449-3900 | 888-352-3751
Fax: 518-432-3111
SPicotte@coopererving.com

Overview

Susan is a partner in the Albany firm, Cooper Erving & Savage LLP, where she has practiced through the firm’s various incarnations since graduating from Albany Law School. While at the Law School, Susan was a member of the Law Review and the recipient of several academic scholarships. Susan is a magna cum laude graduate of Russell Sage College where she was elected to Phi Kappa Phi and Omicron Delta Epsilon. She is active in a number of Bar organizations: the Albany County Bar Association where she has served as Director, Officer and President, the New York State Bar Association where she has served as a Member of the House of Delegates and the Nominating Committee, and the Estate Planning Council of Eastern New York, Inc. where she has served as a Director. In addition, Susan is a Fellow of the New York Bar Foundation and chairs the Nominating Committee for the Third Judicial District.

Susan has served a number of community organizations including the Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce, Inc. as counsel, Emma Willard School as Trustee, Albany Roundtable, University at Albany Foundation and Council of Community Services as Director. She is currently chair of the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation for the greater Capital Region, Inc. She has been named in Who’s Who in American Law, Super Lawyers and other publications. Susan has concentrated in Trust and Estate Planning, Administration and Litigation and their relatives, Elder Law and Not-for-Profit organizations, for a number of years. Accordingly, she is a member of both the Trusts and Estates and Elder Law as well as the Business Corporation Sections of the State Bar. Susan is a frequent lecturer to community organizations and bar associations, both at the local and state levels.

Practice Areas

    • Estate and Trust Litigation
    • Estate and Trust Planning and Administration
    • Closely-Held Business

Education and Admissions

EDUCATION

  • Albany Law School Union University, Albany, New York
    J.D. – 1979
    Law Review: Albany Law Review, Member, 1977 – 1978
  • Russell Sage College, Troy, New York
    B.A. magna cum laude – 1976
    Honors: Phi Kappa Phi
    Honors: Omicron Delta Epsilon
    Honors: Edna Sniffen Travis Award
    Major: Economics

BAR ADMISSIONS

    • New York, 1980
    • U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1980
    • U.S. District Court Western District of New York, 1985
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1988

Representative Cases

Professional Associations and Memberships

    • Albany County Bar Association (Director 1983-1988, Secretary 1989, Treasurer 1990, Vice President 1991, President-Elect 1992, President 1993), 1979 – Present
    • New York State Bar Association, (House of Delegates 1992-1996, Nominating Committee 1995-1996), 1979 – Present
  • Estate Planning Council of Eastern New York, Inc., (Director 2006-2012), 1990 – Present

Speaking Engagements

Guardian ad Litem, New York State Bar Association, 2003 – Present

Honors and Awards

    • Fellow, New York Bar Foundation, 1997 – Present
    • Who’s Who in American Women – 14th Edition
    • Who’s Who in American Law – 4th Edition
  • Super Lawyers, 2009 – Present

Pro Bono Activities

    • The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region, Inc., Director 2011-2020, Chair 2016-2018
    • Counsel, Albany-Colonie Chamber of Commerce, 2002 – 2004
    • Trustee, Emma Willard School, 1991 – 1995
    • President / Director, Alumnae Assoc. Emma Willard School, 1981 – 1993
    • Director, Albany Roundtable, Inc., 1990 – 2006
    • Director, University Foundation at Albany, 1987 – 1991
  • Director, Council of Community Services, Inc. , 1980 – 1986