"Surrogate’s Court touches families at some of the hardest moments in their lives. After thirty years immersed in Surrogate's Court law, and currently serving as Principal Court Attorney, I’m running for Surrogate’s Court Judge because every person deserves a Court that is consistent, compassionate, and committed to equal justice under the law."
— Judy Nolfo
Judy Nolfo has spent her career focused on all areas of Surrogate’s Court law. After graduating from Albany Law School and being admitted to practice in New York, she chose estates and elder law, helping families honor a loved one’s wishes and protecting seniors and vulnerable adults.
PROTECTING CHILDREN, SENIORS, AND ADULTS
She spent 19 years in private practice at the Nolfo McKenna Law Office, practicing throughout the Capital District and the Hudson Valley, helping people plan estates, navigate Surrogate’s Court, and care for aging parents and relatives. Seeing how grief and confusion collided with dense legal language, she focused on listening carefully, explaining plainly, and finding solutions that lowered the temperature.
LISTENING CAREFULLY, EXPLAINING PLAINLY
As her experience grew, Judy moved into leadership in the New York State Bar Association, especially in the Elder and Special Needs Law and Trusts and Estates sections. She served as Co-Editor in Chief of the Elder Law sections journal, co-chaired key committees on estates, trusts, mediation, and veterans, and helped launch the first statewide mediation committee for Trusts and Estates, shaping how lawyers across New York approach these sensitive cases.
A LEADER IN TRUSTS, ESTATES, AND MEDIATION
Today, as Principal Court Attorney in Ulster County Surrogate’s Court and Acting Supreme Court, Judy has seen how probate, guardianship, and loss land hardest on ordinary families. She has used her role to make the law understandable, to steer conflicts toward fair resolutions, and to keep the focus on people rather than paperwork.