Maria Lianos Johnson

Maria Lianos Johnson is a trust and estate litigator representing individuals, families, fiduciaries, and beneficiaries. Maria handles will contests, contested accounting, probate and administration proceedings, settlement matters, and is also qualified to serve as Guardian Ad Litem in Surrogate’s Court proceedings. Maria represents her clients’ positions before the Surrogate’s Court and Supreme Court, and has successfully argued before the Appellate Division, Second Department. In addition to defending clients in disputes, Maria’s practice includes trust and estate administration.

A leader in her field, Maria is a frequent author and speaker on issues relating to trusts and estates for noteworthy organizations.

Prior to joining Farrell Fritz, Maria practiced at New York area law firms, establishing a strong basis for her current work in estate litigation and estate administration. Before becoming a licensed attorney, Maria was a paralegal at an AmLaw 100 law firm where she supported lawyers in a range of trusts and estates matters. Maria speaks and understands Greek.

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Experience

• Successfully argued before the Appellate Court, Second Department, that respondent’s motion to dismiss was properly denied by the surrogate’s court in a case involving subject matter jurisdiction.
• Successfully defended a Will, holding that summary judgment should apply so as to dismiss the objections and admit the Will to probate.
• Successfully argued before the Appellate Court, Second Department, that the lower court’s order should be reversed in a case involving the fiduciary’s objections to the guardianship accounting.
• Successfully defended a prenuptial agreement holding that summary judgment should apply so as to deny the surviving spouse her claim to an elective share.
• Successfully argued for a temporary restraining order preventing the nominated executor from collecting further rents on property owned by the estate.
• Successfully argued for the eviction of a beneficiary from the home owned by the decedent.
• Successfully defended against the production of the fiduciary’s personal estate planning documents in the context of an administration proceeding.

 

Community Work

• New York State High School Mock Trial Program, volunteer attorney advisor

Recognition

• Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2018-present