Maria A. Cestone
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in Morristown, NJ
Selected to Rising Stars: 2006 - 2010
Disclosure
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Please visit the Super Lawyers Selection Process for a detailed description of the Super Lawyers selection methodology.
Attorney Maria A. Cestone is a partner at the law firm of Cestone & Thompson P.C. in East Hanover, New Jersey. Ms. Cestone devotes her practice to business law, charitable planning, estate administration, estate planning, taxation and trust law. She serves clients in Bergen, Essex, Morris and Union counties in New Jersey.
Ms. Cestone earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Drew University. She received her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, a Master of Law degree in taxation from Boston University School of Law and holds an active law license in New Jersey and before the U.S. Tax Court.
Before founding Cestone & Thompson P.C., Ms. Cestone practiced in the estate, tax and trust department of a private firm. She gained legal experience clerking for a New Jersey Superior Court judge.
Ms. Cestone has more than 20 years of experience. Over the course of her career, she has represented individuals, corporations and fiduciaries on a variety of business, estate planning and taxation matters. She is active in the New Jersey State Bar Association’s probate and trust law, and real property and taxation sections and belongs to The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She also previously served on the Supreme Court of New Jersey’s ethics committee.
In addition to her practice, Ms. Cestone lectures and writes on business and estate planning topics. She holds several community roles, including serving on the board of directors and as secretary of the executive board of the Tahirih Justice Center.
- 40%Estate Planning & Probate
- 20%Business Litigation
- 20%Closely Held Business
- 10%Tax: Business
- 10%Tax: Consumer
Estate Planning, Trusts
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2019 - 2022
- Rising Stars: 2006 - 2010
Articles about Maria A. Cestone appearing in Super Lawyers
Additional Sources of Information About Maria A. Cestone
Visit my FindLaw® profile
About Maria A. Cestone
First Admitted: 1997, New Jersey
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Cestone, Maria. A Cautionary Tale for Estate Fiduciaries and Beneficiaries of Estates with Closely Held Business Interests. New Jersey State Bar Association – Business Law Section Newsletter (discussing U.S. v. Johnson et al. (U.S.D.C. Utah) Memorandum decision dated May 23, 2012) (Fall 2012 Newsletter)
- Estate Administration Seminar, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), 2008
- Closely-Held Business Seminar, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), 2009
- Probate Seminar, New Jersey State Bar Association Convention, 2011
- Estate Planning and Administration Seminar, New Jersey Law Journal, 2011
- “Director and Officer Liability,” “Form 990,” and “Ethics,” Tax Exempt Entities From Start to Finish, National Business Institute, 2012
- “International Estate Planning,” Estate Planning for Special Situations, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), 2015, 2011
- “Form 1023,” “Board Governance and Liability,” and “Ethics,” Advanced Tax Exempt Organization Strategies, National Business Institute, 2015
- “Estate Planning from A to Z,” Estate Planning and Business Succession Planning, National Business Institute, 2016
- “Trusts 101,” National Business Institute, 2017
Pro bono/Community Service
- Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), Member
- New York-Presbyterian Hospital Planned Giving Advisory Council
Bar/Professional Activity
- Tahirih Justice Center, Executive Board, Secretary
- Bergen County Estate Planning Council, Member
- Tahirih Justice Center, Board of Directors, Member, 2014
- New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee, Member
- New Jersey
- New Jersey Bar Association, Real Property Trust & Estate Law Section, Board of Consultors, Member
- New Jersey State Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section and the Section of Taxation), Member
- U.S. Tax Court
Educational Background
- Drew University, Major: Economics and Political Science
- Boston University School of Law, LL.M., Major: Taxation
Last Updated: 12/27/2021