Joseph M. Pankowski, Jr. PARTNER
Joe Pankowski limits his practice to estate planning and the administration of trusts and estates. He counsels individuals, families and corporate fiduciaries with respect to intricate personal and business issues associated with the administration and disposition of assets.
He is a graduate of Florida State University (B.S., summa cum laude, 1986) and the University of Virginia School of Law (J.D. 1990). He received an LL.M. in Taxation from the New York University School of Law and an M.A. in Religion from Yale University.
Joe is the Chairman of the Darien Commission on Aging, a member of the Board of Trustees at the Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School, and serves as a Justice of the Peace. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York. Joe is a frequent lecturer at community and bar association seminars, and is currently a member of the Estates and Probate Sections of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Stamford/Norwalk Regional Bar Association. He has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the Connecticut Super Lawyers list from 2014 to 2018, as well as in 2024. He has also been rated as an AV Preeminent® lawyer by Martindale-Hubbell since 2015 and has maintained a 10.0 rating from Avvo for more than a decade.
Practice Areas
- Wills and Living Wills
- Trusts
- Probate
- Estate Planning
Representative Matters
- Conservatorship of Jane Doe – A contented client whose son is now managing her health care and financial needs.
- Estate Planning of John and Nancy Smith – Very satisfied clients with properly structured and funded Revocable Living Trusts
- Estate of Martha Jones – Distribution of estate assets to rightful heirs
Education
- New York University School of Law, Master of Laws in Taxation, 1996
- University of Virginia School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1990
- Yale University, Master of Arts in Religion, 1996
- Florida State University, Bachelor of Science in Political Science, summa cum laude, 1986
- Sports Editor, Florida Flambeau
- Sports Writer, Miami Herald
Bar and Court Admissions
- Connecticut, 1990
- New York, 1991
Professional Awards
- Connecticut Super Lawyers, 2014 – 2018, 2024
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Client Champion, Gold, Martindale-Hubbell
- Top Contributor, Avvo, 2013
Professional Associations
- Connecticut Bar Association, Estates and Probate Section
- Stamford/Norwalk Regional Bar Association
- Justice of the Peace
Publications
- Opinion: A lesson from the Presley family on estate planning, ctpost, 2023
- 11th Hour Discussion: Legal Issues for Seniors and Their Families, FCC of Darien, 2018
- Who Is My Neighbor?: Elders Among Us, Reflections Magazine, 2013
- Where is Your Gold?, FCC of Darien, 2012
- Focus on the Rocks, FCC of Darien, 2012
Speaking Engagements
- Avoiding Scams Which Target Seniors, Daywing Luncheon, 2014
- Powers of Attorney, Beyond The Statutory Short Form, 2012
- Estate Planning After the Death of a Loved One, Senior Information Series
Community Involvement
- The First Congregational Church of Darien, Church Historian, 2014 – Present
- Darien Commission of Aging, Chairman, 2008 – Present
- Town of Darien, Connecticut, Justice of the Peace, 1998 – Present
- Salem Straits Association Board of Directors, Dock Master and Secretary
- Andover Newton Seminary at Yale Divinity School, Board of Trustees