Eric R. Strauss

Eric has been with the firm since 1990. He focuses his practice on Estate Planning, Probate and Estate Administration, Revocable and Irrevocable Trust Planning and Administration, Pennsylvania Inheritance Tax, Federal Estate and Gift Tax, Fiduciary Income Tax for Trusts and Estates and Orphan's Court litigation. He also handles related real estate and small business succession and transactional matters. He received his B.A. from Syracuse University in 1987 and his J.D. from the Western New England College School of Law in 1989. Eric is a member of the Lehigh and Carbon County Bar Associations as well as the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA). He is an active member of the PBA Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law and was elected to serve as Vice Chair of the Probate and Trust Division in 2012-2013 and served as Section Chair in 2014. In that capacity, he built valuable networks with skilled real estate and trust and estate attorneys across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and helped influence several important pieces of legislation involving trust and estate law.

Eric primarily practices in Lehigh, Carbon, Berks, and Northampton Counties but routinely assists with estate planning and estate administration for clients in all counties of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He often assists personal representatives from other states with ancillary probate and inheritance tax matters.

Eric has authored numerous articles and is a critically acclaimed speaker for community and professional groups, including the National Business Institute and Pennsylvania Bar Institute and National Business Institute on the topics of estate planning, estate administration, trust administration, use of trusts, health care and financial powers of attorney, advance health care directives, fiduciary income tax, planning and administration for art, antiques and collectibles, digital assets, creditors rights and insolvent estates, fiduciary misconduct, fiduciary accounting, land title issues in estates, will contests, Pennsylvania inheritance tax, federal estate tax, and related areas.

Eric also supports his community and has actively volunteered for community organizations including the Allentown YMCA-YWCA ( Board of Directors, President 1997-1998), Trustee (1999-present); Lehigh County Senior Center, Board of Directors (2003-2009, Vice President 2009); Boy Scouts of America, Minsi Trails Council and Hawk Mountain Council Volunteer; and Trout Unlimited. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and has earned a BV rating in the Martindale-Hubbell peer-related directory of attorneys.

Most recently, Eric was elected into the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). To qualify for membership, a lawyer must have no less than 10 years' experience in the active practice of probate and trust law or estate planning. Lawyers and law professors are elected to be Fellows based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill, and substantial contributions to the field by lecturing, writing, teaching and participating in bar activities. It is their aim to improve and reform probate, trust and tax laws, procedures, and professional responsibility. For more information, see https://www.actec.org.

In his free time, Eric enjoys spending time with his family. He enjoys time in the outdoors and is an avid fly fisherman and advocate for conservation and habitat preservation and improvement. He also enjoys art, music and travel.