Tara Anne Pleat began her term as chair of the Trusts and Estates Law Section, according to a Mar. 25 announcement. Pleat previously served as chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section and said she plans to use that experience in her new role.
Pleat said she aims to improve internal communication within the section, which she believes will help new members get started more efficiently. “As chair, one of my goals is to develop a practical guide to the section, something that clearly outlines each committee, what it does, and its objectives. The idea is to create a resource that lives on our website and can also be shared easily with new members, whether as a PDF or via QR code. I implemented a version of this in a prior leadership role with the Elder Law and Special Needs Section, and I’d like to build on that experience to make it even more useful here,” Pleat said.
The section has planned several events for members this year. Its spring meeting will take place from May 7 to 9 in Austin with topics including technology in legal practice, artificial intelligence tools for offices, fiduciary reforms, and ethical duties. Early Bird registration ends April 7. The fall meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24 and 25 in Saratoga Springs; it will be held jointly with the Elder Law and Special Needs Section with issues such as Electronic Wills and Medical Aid in Dying statutes on the agenda.
According to Pleat, membership has grown significantly due to changes in how people join: “I’ve said this to so many people. Our section, based on the new membership model, is now the New York State Bar Association’s fastest growing section. We picked up close to 1,000 members in the last year alone, which I believe was due to the change in the membership model.” Membership grew by over thirty percent from December 2024 through December of last year.
Pleat said another focus for her term would be addressing legislative changes affecting trusts and estates law: “There’s a lot of legislative changes happening… The New York Electronics Wills Act was signed into law, Medical Aid in Dying was signed… so we’re focused heavily on that.” She continues serving on various committees related to elder law at state and national levels.
