Ami S. Longstreet, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and chair of the Trusts & Estates Department at Mackenzie Hughes LLP, is a partner in the firm. She concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, guardianships, planning for individuals with disabilities, estate and trust planning and administration.
In addition to representing clients, Ami serves as Co General Counsel to the Firm. In this capacity, she focuses on advising the Firm’s attorneys on complicated ethical and professional issues.
Practice Areas
- Elder Law & Disability Planning
- Estate, Trust & Guardianship Litigation
- Estates, Trusts & Personal Planning
- Family & Matrimonial Law
- Tax
- Wealth Management
Professional and Community Activities
Current:
- Member of Upstate Foundation Professional Advisors Council
- Volunteer for the Onondaga County Surrogate’s Court Clinic
- Frequent lecturer on Elder Law and Trusts and Estates Law for various professional and not-for-profit entities
- Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel (ACTEC)
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association
- Co-Author of New York Practice Guide: Probate and Estate Administration, published by LexisNexis
- District Delegate- Trusts & Estates Section of the New York State Bar Association
- Author of “Tax Considerations for Estate Planning in Light of Recent Legislation and Case Law” which was published in “Inside the Minds/Strategies for Trusts and Estates in New York”, published by Thompson Reuters/Aspatore
- On the Board of the YMCA of Greater Syracuse-Eastern District
Prior:
- Chair of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association
- Director and President of the Estate Planning Council of Central New York
- Chair of the Governance Council of the Women’s Fund of Central New York
- District Delegate for the Trusts and Estates Section of the New York State Bar Association
- Board Member, Fayetteville Free Library
- Board Member, Alzheimer’s Association – Central New York Chapter
- Board Member YMCA of Greater Syracuse
- Board Member Girl Scout Council of Central New York
- Co-Author of eight quarterly articles titled “Tax News” for the Elder Law Attorney, the official newsletter of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association
Education
- University of Vermont, Bachelor of Science
- Juris Doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law, Cum Laude
- Vermont Certified Public Accountant
Admissions
- New York State
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Experience
- Assisted a client in obtaining 24 hour home care, covered by Medicaid for his parents, the first 24 hour home care approved in the county in which it was approved
- Assist clients on a daily basis through the complicated process of asset preservation planning and Medicaid applications
- Assist clients from the least to the most wealthy through the estate and trust planning and estate and trust administration processes
- Assist disabled members of our community and their families with special needs trusts, guardianships and other important planning techniques
News
Nine Mackenzie Hughes Attorneys Recognized by Super Lawyers
Nine attorneys from Mackenzie Hughes LLP were recognized in the 2023 edition of Super Lawyers. Those recognized as “Super Lawyers” include: Clayton H. Hale, Jr., tax; Stephen T. Helmer, business litigation, personal injury – medical malpractice, civil litigation; Ami S. Longstreet, elder law, estate planning & probate; Jillian L. McGuire, family law; Edward J. Moses, […]
Mackenzie Hughes supports Girls on the Run
Rebecca E Alesi, Brad Hunt, Jillian McGuire and Ami Longstreet attended the Girls on the Run Limitless Potential Breakfast hosted by Girls on the Run Upstate NY. Mackenzie Hughes was honored to sponsor GOTR and learn more about how access to sports, recreational activities, and healthy lifestyle choices for young girls nationwide helps foster their […]
Four Mackenzie Hughes attorneys recognized by Best Lawyers
Four attorneys from Mackenzie Hughes LLP were recognized in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Included are Stephen T. Helmer in the fields of Commercial Litigation, Insurance Law, Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants, and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants; Ami S. Longstreet in Elder Law; Edward J. Moses in Corporate Law; and Gay […]
Blog
Estate Tax Legislation – Where are we now?
In June I wrote that close attention and possibly quick action may be required for estate planning this year. My message is still the same as we continue to watch the legislative negotiations in Washington develop. On September 13 the House Ways & Means Committee released proposals for over $2 trillion dollars in net tax […]
The American Families Plan- President Biden’s Tax Proposals
On April 28, 2021, President Biden announced his American Families Plan, which outlines his agenda for raising taxes on the wealthy. Interestingly, unlike his tax proposals during his campaign, the American Families Plan does not propose reducing the Federal Estate Tax Exclusion amount (the amount before which an estate would owe Federal estate tax), which […]
Changes to the New York State Power of Attorney Law
On December 15, 2020, Governor Cuomo signed into law changes to the New York power of attorney (“POA”) law, which will take effect on June 13, 2021. These changes will not impact the validity of an existing POA form and statutory gifts rider if it is executed in accordance with the provisions of the current […]