Allison R. Farina, Esq.
Allison began her own estate planning law firm after establishing and managing her family-run gourmet food shoppe in downtown Daniel Island, Charleston, South Carolina.
Allison left her native New York in 2006 and settled in Charleston, South Carolina. Prior to relocating, she was Counsel and Government Relations Director at New Yorkers for Parks, a non-profit advocacy organization that protects and promotes public parkland in New York City. She worked on increasing the Parks’ budget and advancing the group’s legislative initiatives at City Hall. Allison was also Associate Attorney at two New York City law firms: Cantor, Epstein & Degenshein, LLP, and Klein & O’Brien, LLP. During law school, her legal internships included: the Downtown Brooklyn Council, Cozen & O’Connor, PC, and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Committee. Allison spent her last semester of law school in London, England, at University College at London, and she joined other law school volunteers to work with Habitat for Humanity in Belfast, Ireland.
Allison also has extensive professional experience working with others in consensus-oriented settings. She spearheaded a collaborative effort to celebrate all 413 neighborhoods involving the NYC Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit and Citizens Committee for NYC. Prior to this, Allison was involved with other community organizations and fundraising at: The New School for Social Research, the 1994 Gubernatorial Campaign of Mario M. Cuomo, and the 14th Street – Union Square Local Development Corporation.She graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and received the College’s coveted 1993 Alumni Association Award. As an undergraduate, she studied at Georgetown University’s summer program in Fiesole, Italy, was President of the Fordham Club and served as a Resident Assistant at Fordham’s Rose Hill Campus in the Bronx for two years.
Allison later attended Fordham University School of Law, graduated in 1999 and was admitted to practice law in the State of New York. Ten years later, she also passed the South Carolina Bar and actively practices in both states. Allison is a member of WealthCounsel, American Bar Association, South Carolina Bar, New York State Bar Association and Charleston County Bar Association. She was head of WealthCounsel’s South Carolina State Forum of attorneys for 4 years.
In 2010, Allison founded and currently leads the Charleston Chapter of Fordham University Alumni, which holds several social, cultural and volunteer events each year.
In 2016, Ms. Farina, along with 23 other members, was asked to serve on Fordham University’s Alumni Association Advisory Board. The Board promotes the University and serves as a liaison between the institution and its 175,000 worldwide living alumni.
She enjoys reading about history, playing many different sports and the violincello, and, most of all spending time with her son, Spencer Robert, and her pooch, Rosie!
PRACTICE AREAS
Estate Planning
Probate/Estate Administration
Trust Administration
ADMITTED TO PRACTICE
New York, 2000
United States District Court, 2nd Circuit, Eastern District, 2002
United States District Court, 2nd Circuit, Southern District, 2002
South Carolina 2010
EDUCATION
Fordham University School of Law, New York, NY – Juris Doctor, 1999
Fordham University, Fordham College, Bronx, NY – Bachelor of Arts, 1993
St. Francis Preparatory School, Fresh Meadows, NY, 1989
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Bar Association
BNI Daniel Island Prosperity Partners
Charleston County Bar Association
New York State Bar Association
South Carolina Bar Association
WealthCounsel
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
Present
BNI Daniel Island Prosperity Partners Membership Committee (since 2018)
Fordham University School of Law, Class ’99 Reunion Committee (since 2018)
Fordham University, Alumni Assoc., Advisory Board (since 2016)
Fordham University, Alumni Assoc.,Reputation Committee (since 2016)
Fordham University, Charleston Alumni Chapter, Leader & Founder (since 2010)
Past
Cub Scouts of America, Coastal Carolina, Pack 519 Ctte Chair (2014-2015)
Fordham University, Class ’93 Jubilee Committee (2017-2018)
Saint Claire of Assisi Catholic Church, Annual Golf Outing Committee (2014)
National Italian American Foundation, SE Region, Planning Ctte (2009-2010)
WealthCounsel, South Carolina State Forum Leader (2010-2014)
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
The Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award (1999)
The Public Service Student Award (1999)
The 1993 Fordham College Alumni Association Award
Fordham Club President (1992-1993)
Phi Alpha Theta [International Honor Society in History] (1992-1993)
Dean’s List (1991-1993)
Italian Studies Program Award [Italian language and literature] (1991)
The Pope Foundation Award in Italian Studies (1991)
