News
November 19, 2025New Senior Counsel Joins Harris Beach Murtha’s Trusts and Estates Practice in Albany
Harris Beach Murtha’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group added a seventh new attorney this year with the hire of Samantha Whitney Bryant, a Senior Counsel with more than 20 years of experience representing clients in Surrogate’s Court with all types of estate and trust administration matters, including contested estate matters. Samantha also advises clients on all aspects of estate planning and represents clients on tax matters before New York State and the Internal Revenue Service.
The firm’s trusts and estates business continues to expand since Harris Beach PLLC and Murtha Cullina LLP combined on Jan. 1, 2025. The Trusts and Estates Practice Group works with high-net-worth individuals, families and business owners on complicated estate planning, tax, business succession, estate/trust administration and probate matters. Samantha’s hiring comes shortly after Senior Counsel L. Joyelle (Joy) Maini joined the firm’s Bantam, Conn., office to assist trusts and estates clients.
Samantha often serves as Guardian Ad Litem and Court Evaluator in Surrogate’s Court matters. She advises fiduciaries and assists with the preparation of estate and fiduciary income tax returns. Samantha also has experience with international administrations and the related complicating factors.
In addition, Samantha’s experience includes a particular focus on family business succession planning and multi-generational asset management. For more than 20 years, she’s steadily performed complex estate and trust planning to accomplish the various wealth transfer objectives of clients. She is also familiar with various complex real estate transactions involving land use, easements and development.
“Samantha’s experience and proven track record are exactly what our firm needs in this time of rapid growth,” said Partner Myles B. Fischer, co-leader of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. “Her knowledge and experience will only further enhance our ability to provide comprehensive advice and counsel of the highest quality to our clients on their trusts and estates matters.”
Previously, Samantha worked at several law firms where, in addition to estate planning and administration work, she handled corporate matters such as drafting and negotiating contracts, closing commercial real estate transactions, arranging mergers and acquisitions and performing due diligence in connection with complex acquisitions.
She also previously served as corporate counsel for a Fortune 500 company, working on national and international matters, including negotiating manufacturing and supply agreements, statements of work, purchase orders, SaaS contracts and non-disclosure agreements.
Samantha, who will be based in the firm’s Albany office, is admitted to practice in New York, Massachusetts and Hawaii.
