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