Eric R. Strauss

Partner

People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care. -Theodore Roosevelt

Eric 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. Eric has 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, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, and National Business Institute.

A recognized leader in his field, Eric is a member of 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.

In his free time, Eric enjoys spending time with his family. He loves immersing himself in nature and is an avid fly fisherman as well as an advocate for conservation and habitat preservation and improvement. He also enjoys art, music, and travel.

  • Western New England University School of Law, J.D., 1990
  • Syracuse University, B.A., 1987
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, Real Property Probate & Trusts Law Section, 2009 – Present, (Vice Chair, Probate Division 2013-2014; Section Chair 2014)
  • Lehigh Valley Estate Planning Council, Member
  • Lehigh County Bar Association, Member, 1990 to Present
  • Carbon County Bar Association, Member, 1993 to Present
  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC)
  • Allentown YMCA-YWCA ( Board of Directors, President 1997-1998), Trustee (1999-present)
  • Lehigh County Senior Center, Board of Directors (2003-2009), Vice President (2007-2009)
  • Boy Scouts of America, Minsi Trails Council and Hawk Mountain Council Volunteer, and Trout Unlimited (1996-present)
  • Probate: Beyond the Basics, National Business Institute (Reading, PA), 01/28/2000
  • A Practical Guide to Estate Administration in Pennsylvania, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA) , 09/01/2000
  • Probate Process From Start to Finish, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 04/26/2001
  • Elder Law, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 07/11/2002
  • Fundamentals of Estate Planning, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Allentown, PA), 06/04/2004
  • Oddities and Challenges in Pennsylvania Probate Law, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA)
  • Probate: Beyond the Basics, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 04/07/2005
  • Plan While You Can: Estate Planning, Air Products and Chemicals International, Inc. “Lunch and Learn” lecture series (Trexlertown, PA), 05/02/2005
  • Pennsylvania Elder Care Planning: How to Protect Assets and Provide for Services, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 08/05/2005
  • The Probate Process from Start to Finish in Pennsylvania, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 10/05/2005
  • Fundamentals of Estate and Trust Administration, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Allentown, PA), 10/19/2005
  • Use of Trusts in Estate Planning—Basic Trusts, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg, PA), 01/06/2006
  • Estate Planning: Federal Estate Taxes, Air Products and Chemicals International, Inc. Lunch and Learn lecture series (Trexlertown, PA) , 01/17/2006
  • Taxes Affecting Decedent’s Estates, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 02/15/2006
  • Confidently Administering the Pennsylvania Estate, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 03/01/2006
  • Estate Planning Seminar, St. Joseph the Worker R.C. Church (Orefield, PA), 06/05/2006
  • Drafting Effective Wills and Trusts, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 09/12/2006
  • Pennsylvania Uniform Trust Act, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, 10/12/2006
  • The Probate Process From Start to Finish, National Business Institute, 12/13/2006
  • The Probate Process from Start to Finish for Paralegals, Institute for Paralegal Education (Allentown, PA), 04/24/2007
  • Use of Trusts in Estate Planning—Basic and Intermediate Trusts, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA March 13, 2007; Malvern, PA, April 27, 2007), 05/17/2007
  • Estate Law Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 05/21/2007
  • Estate Administration Procedures: Why Each Step is Important, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 06/06/2007
  • Estate Planning Basics, National Business Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 08/20/2007
  • Oddities and Challenges in Probate Law, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 12/17/2007
  • Death and Taxes, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg, PA), 01/06/2008
  • Estate Planning Bootcamp, Your Financial Choices, a radio program on WAEB AM790, host Laurie Siebeit CPA,CFP, 02/05/2008
  • Death and Taxes, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 02/07/2008
  • Estate Planning for the Married Couple, Your Financial Choicest radio program on WAEB AM 790, 05/16/2008
  • Estate Administration, Why Each Step is Important, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA)., 07/18/2008
  • Estate Forms for Paralegals. Institute for Paralegal Education (Allentown, PA), 09/18/2008
  • Pennsylvania Uniform Trust Act, A Practical Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 09/19/2008
  • Pennsylvania Uniform Trust Act, A Practical Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA)., 09/19/2008
  • How to Prepare Fiduciary and Decedent’s Final Lifetime Income Tax Returns, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Allentown, PA) , 10/30/2008
  • How to Prepare Fiduciary and Decedent’s Final Lifetime Income Tax Returns, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg, PA), 11/07/2008
  • Probate: Beyond the Basics, National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 11/17/2008
  • Probate: Beyond the Basics, National Business Institute (Reading, PA), 11/17/2008
  • Estate Law Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 05/06/2009
  • Use of Trusts, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg, PA and video simulcast), 05/14/2009
  • Estate Law Update, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg, PA and video simulcast), 05/20/2009
  • Use of Trusts, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Allentown, PA), 05/21/2009
  • Fundamentals of Estate Administration, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, PA) , 09/15/2009 to 09/23/2009
  • Insolvent Estates, a Primer for These Hard Times, Estate Law Institute, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia. PA), 12/10/2009
  • Death and Taxes, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg PA), 12/27/2009 to 03/03/2010
  • Estate and Elder Law Symposium, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, PA), 02/17/2010
  • Insolvent Estates, A Practical Primer for These Hard Times, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, PA), 05/06/2010 to 05/19/2010
  • Estate Law Institute—Creditors Rights to Non-Probate Property, 11/11/2010
  • Death and Taxes, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 12/10/2010
  • Estate and Elder Law Symposium, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, PA), 02/17/2010 to 02/24/2010
  • Use of Trusts, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Mechanicsburg. PA), 03/10/2010
  • Estate Law Symposium—Creditors Rights to Non-Probate Property Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, Mechanicsburg, PA), 02/16/2011
  • Valuing Antiques Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia, PA), 03/27/2012
  • Looking Under the Hood: Drafting Better Trusts to Accomplish Your Clients’ Estate Planning Goals Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia PA), 07/20/2012
  • Avoiding the Empty Hook: Estate Planning and Administration for Art, Antiques and Collectibles Pennsylvania Bar Institute (Philadelphia PA), 11/15/2012
  • The Probate Process From Start to Finish National Business Institute (Allentown, PA), 03/18/2013 to 08/30/2013

 

  • Volunteer Service Award, Allentown YMCA
  • Outstanding Service to the Community, Allentown YMCA
  • Donald P. Miller Award for Vision and Leadership
  • BV rating, Martindale-Hubbell

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