Catherine is an Associate Attorney in the firm’s Trust and Estates Group and works in the firm’s Syracuse and Ithaca offices.
Trusts & Estate Planning
Prior to joining Bousquet Holstein, Catherine worked as an Associate Attorney at a local law firm for several years practicing in the employee benefits/ERISA and executive compensation, trusts and estates, and business and tax groups. Catherine primarily focused on advising small business owners on compliance issues affecting their qualified retirement plans and worked closely with CPAs, actuaries, and various other professionals located throughout the country in brainstorming, creating and implementing various solutions.
She also represented clients before the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in obtaining successful resolutions in qualified plan audits and in applying for approval of proposed corrections to qualified plan failures under the IRS’s Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System.
In addition, Catherine worked with high-net-worth clients in preparing their estate plans with the overall goal of minimizing federal and state income and estate taxes. Catherine also worked with clients in preparing various corporate agreements ranging from shareholder agreements to shared-maintenance agreements. In practicing in these various areas of law, Catherine was able to sharpen her skills and her understanding of the mechanics and complexities of each practice area and is now able to provide her trusts and estates clients services from a more well-rounded perspective.
Background
Originally from northern Virginia, Catherine graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She then interned with U.S. Congressman Gerry Connolly while volunteering at a local mental health facility and the local Department of Community Services, providing social services to residents affected by or at-risk of developmental delays and disabilities and mental health illnesses. She also worked at the Fairfax County General District Court, Civil Division, as a Deputy Clerk providing administrative support to the chief clerk, judges, and the public.
While in law school, Catherine focused her studies on estate planning, estate administration, and federal tax law. She was awarded the CALI Award for achieving the top grade in her Estate Planning course and graduated a member of her law school’s estate planning curricular program. Her experiences include providing services to indigent clients in the local Syracuse community as a Student Attorney in Syracuse Law School’s Bankruptcy Clinic; externing at the Surrogate’s Court in Manhattan, New York providing legal information to pro se patrons and assisting in preparing various estate administration petitions; and interning with the Legal Advocacy Department of the American Diabetes Association. Furthermore, while in law school Catherine served as the Treasurer of the Korean Law School Association, was a member of Phi Alpha Delta and the Tax Law Society, and was awarded a Pro Bono Scholar Award.
Catherine currently resides in Downtown Syracuse. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, reading, spending time in nature, and practicing yoga.
Community Involvement & Acknowledgements
- Volunteer Lawyers Project, Surrogate’s Court Clinic
- 2022 Volunteer Lawyers Project Pro Bono Champion – Elder Law Program
Affiliations
- New York Bar Association
- Onondaga County Bar Association
- Finger Lakes Women’s Bar Association
- Executive Board Member, Secretary, 2022-2023
- Tompkins County Bar Association
Education
J.D., Syracuse University College of Law, 2018
B.S., Virginia Tech, 2014
Admissions
New York
Florida
