Stephen Napier is a Member of the firm and chair of the firm’s Trusts
& Estates department. Stephen practices in the areas of tax and estate
planning, trust and estate administration and business succession planning.
Stephen regularly advises individuals, families and business owners on
the development of tax-efficient and practical wealth management strategies,
lifetime wealth transfer planning and business succession planning, including
the preparation of wills, revocable living trusts and irrevocable trusts.
Stephen also helps guide fiduciaries and beneficiaries through the trust
and estate settlement and administration process, including probate and
contested estate matters. Stephen is a frequent speaker on various estate
planning and estate administration topics.
Prior to entering private practice, Stephen served as a judicial clerk
to the Honorable Socrates E. Mihalakos and the Honorable Joseph H. Pellegrino
of the Connecticut Appellate Court.
Stephen received his J.D. from the University of
Connecticut School of Law, where he served as an editor of the
Connecticut Law Review, and received his B.A.,
summa cum laude, in Political Science, from the University of Connecticut.
Stephen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York, and is a member
of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), the leading worldwide
professional body for practitioners in the fields of Trusts, Estates and
related issues. Stephen is also a member of the Greenwich, Fairfield County,
Connecticut and American Bar Associations.
Active in community matters, Stephen serves on the Board of Directors for
Inspirica, a nonprofit based out of Stamford, Connecticut, with a mission to break
the cycle of homelessness in Fairfield County. He is also a member of
the Rising Professional Advisors Council of
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation and the
Greenwich Historical Society Professional Advisory Council.
Stephen was a recipient of the 2016 Fairfield County “40 under 40”
award given by the Fairfield County Business Journal for his business
leadership, professional success and commitment to the community. Each
year, the “40 under 40” award is presented to 40 of the best
and brightest professionals in Fairfield County under the age of 40 who
have shown leadership and contributed to Fairfield County’s business growth.
Stephen was recognized by
Super Lawyers as a 2017, 2018 and 2019 “Rising Star” in Estate Planning
and Probate, a distinction received by less than 2.5% of eligible attorneys
in each state.
Stephen was also named by the Connecticut Law Tribune as a “New Leader
in the Law” for 2018.
Prior to joining Berkowitz, Trager & Trager, LLC, Stephen worked in
the Greenwich offices of both Wiggin and Dana LLP and Ivey, Barnum &
O’Mara, LLC.
Education
- University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., 2009
-
University of Connecticut, B.A.,
summa cum laude, Honors Program, 2006
Admissions
- State of Connecticut
- State of New York
Professional Affiliations
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP)
- Greenwich Bar Association
- Fairfield County Bar Association
- Connecticut Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Distinctions
-
Fairfield County “40 under 40” -
Fairfield County Business Journal – 2016
- Connecticut Law Tribune - "New Leader in the Law" – 2018
-
Super Lawyers® Connecticut Rising Stars (Estate Planning & Probate) – 2017-2019