Kristine Garcia-Elliott is an associate in Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP’s Wills, Trusts, and Estates and Elder Law practices, and Guardianships, Special Needs Planning, and Adulting 101℠ subpractices. Her work focuses on Trust and Estate Planning and Trust and Estate Administration.
Ms. Garcia-Elliott represents clients in all phases of estate planning, Medicaid eligibility planning, and special needs planning, with a focus on asset protection.
As a meticulous estate planner as well as savvy litigator, Ms. Garcia-Elliott assists individuals and families with their long-term health care needs, ensuring their autonomy and dignity and preserving their assets and legacy.
As a special Section 36 court appointee—evaluator, counsel to alleged incapacitated persons, and legal guardian—she helps protect the physical and financial wellbeing of the most vulnerable people, including the prevention of elder abuse, exploitation, and neglect.
Ms. Garcia-Elliott regularly lectures in both English and Spanish on various Medicaid, Medicare, and estate planning topics to professional organizations and community groups, often in a pro bono capacity.
Prior to joining VMM, she was a Samuels Medicaid Long Term Care Fellow at the nonprofit Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program, where she helped low-income New Yorkers maximize their government benefits and trained legal, social services, health care professionals, and consumers about health care programs.
Before that, she was a litigation paralegal and later associate at a boutique law firm in New York City. During that time, she also worked for State Supreme Court Judge, the Hon. Charles J. Thomas (retired).
Ms. Garcia-Elliott is passionate about giving back to her community and is actively involved in various charity and volunteer organizations.
Languages: English, Spanish.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
BAR ADMISSIONS
EDUCATION
- J.D., The City University of New York School of Law, 2019
CUNY Law Trailblazer Award, 2019; CUNY Law Pipeline to Justice Fellow, 2017; Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD: Elder Justice Fellow, 2017
- M.P.A., Inspection and Oversight, The City University of New York John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2019
Pi Alpha Alpha Honor Society, 2019
- B.A., Forensic Psychology (2nd Degree), The City University of New York John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2013
- B.Sc., Legal Studies and Political Science, The City University of New York John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2011
MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS
- New York State Bar Association; Elder Law and Special Needs Section Diversity Committee Co-Chair, Medicaid Committee, Guardianship Committee, Diversity Committee
- New York City Bar Association; Problems of the Aging Committee
- Nassau County Bar Association; Elder Law Committee, Social Services & Health Advocacy Committee
- Queens County Bar Association; Elder Law Committee, Surrogate's Court, Estates, & Trusts Committee, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, Young Lawyers Committee
- President, Homeowners Association (app. 3,000 residents across 40 square acres in NYC)
- Bronx Community Board member, appointed by Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson; Land, Zoning, Planning & Economic Development Committee
- Community organizer, various free legal clinics and other services