Friend, Karl E

From 1977 to 1983 Mr. Damast was a litigation associate at two major New York City law firms. In 1983 he moved his practice to Westchester, ultimately joining Lauterbach Garfinkel Damast & Hollander, LLP in 2000. Mr. Damast’s practice for the past twenty years has concentrated in the area of trusts and estate, particularly in the area of Surrogate’s Court litigation.

Mr. Damast has been involved in numerous contested Surrogate’s Court proceedings, trials and hearings. These matters have involved the full spectrum of diverse cases such as will contests, trust reformation proceedings, will constructions, fiduciary accountings, fiduciary removal proceedings and kinship proceedings. He has been appointed by the Court as a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of minor children, prisoners, incapacitated adults and of “unknown”  beneficiaries. Mr. Damast has also represented the Public Administrator of Westchester County in various contested estate matters, and represents clients in the Westchester, Bronx, New York, Queens, Brooklyn and Rockland County Surrogate’s Courts.

In addition to estate litigation Mr. Damast has broad experience in all aspects of estate planning and fiduciary administration. He also has extensive litigation and trial experience, for 9 years serving as New York litigation counsel to Uniroyal, Inc. Mr. Damast has represented major construction and real estate firms, as well as individuals in all aspects of commercial and real estate litigation. He has served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and as a fiduciary in the Surrogate’s Court.

Mr. Damast has lectured on Surrogate’s Court matters for the Westchester County Bar Association, is a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts & Estate Section of the Westchester County Bar Association and has been a member of the NYS Bar Association’s Committee on Surrogate’s Courts.