Meet the Founder
Victoria Raikes is an experienced attorney. She is also a mother to young children and is based in downtown Manhattan. She knows firsthand the importance of planning for her family's future. She is driven by her goal of helping others gain control over the unexpected.
Victoria seeks to make the process of estate planning accessible to busy families and individuals. She rarely bills by the hour, preferring a flat fee to allow for communications without the dreaded clock ticking. Clients of Kirkham Raikes are encouraged to ask questions and be engaged in constructing their estate plan.
Meet the Attorneys
Victoria Raikes
Victoria is a graduate of New York University School of Law, and has lived in New York City for over twenty-five years. She started her legal career as a litigator with several prominent midtown firms, and transitioned to estate planning out of her interest in working with others to protect and enhance their well-being.
Victoria is raising two sons and has a healthy appreciation for the challenges facing individuals and families in New York City and beyond. She derives immense satisfaction from helping people "fill in the blanks" of their lives - whether it be through her estate planning services or in connecting clients with the best insurance agent, realtor or financial services professional for their needs.
Education
J.D. New York University School of Law (1999)
B.A. in Political Science and Spanish, Amherst College (1995)
Bar Admission
New York, 2000
Connecticut (ret.), 2000
Professional Membership and Associations
New York State Bar Association, Member of the Trusts and Estates section; Member of the Solo and Small Practice Advisory Panel.
Beth Margolis
Beth began her career as an auditor at Ernst & Young LLP. After graduating from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, she worked in the Financial Services Group at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, where she developed a strong foundation in complex financial and legal matters. She then spent over 11 years in the Legal and Compliance Group at Cowen Investment Management LLC, where she gained extensive expertise in regulatory compliance and asset management. Motivated by a passion for helping individuals secure their legacies and ensure their wishes are honored, Beth transitioned to estate planning. She now applies her financial and legal acumen to assist clients in protecting their assets and achieving their estate planning goals.
Education
J.D. Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (2010)
B.Accy, magna cum laude, The George Washington University (2004)
Bar Admission
New York, 2011
Professional Membership and Associations
New York State Bar Association, Member of the Trusts and Estates section
Betsy Mead
Betsy is a former journalist turned attorney with a strong background in corporate and business law. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she received a Certificate in Management from the Wharton Business School, she worked at two prominent international law firms in New York City, covering corporate and securities transactions and general governance matters. She has also had in-house legal experience across a variety of industries. After spending several years in the corporate legal realm, she decided to pursue her longstanding interest in estate planning law and joined Kirkham Raikes, where she is thrilled to be able to assist families and individuals plan for their futures. Aided by her prior media-facing experience, she hopes to “demystify” the estate planning process for clients who wish to learn how to protect their assets and preserve their legacies.
Betsy is also responsible for spearheading the Firm’s “Young Adult Estate Planning” program, which assists young adults to start planning for the future as they begin to take their next steps post-high school.
Education
J.D. University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, Certificate in Management from Wharton Business School (2018)
M.A. New York University (2015)
A.B. Harvard University (2010)
Bar Admission
New York, 2019
Professional Membership and Associations
New York State Bar Association, Member of the Trusts and Estates section
Our Clients
Kirkham Raikes can serve any resident of New York State; the majority of our clients reside in New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. Meetings to conduct a client's intake session as well as review session are typically over video conference. However, clients do need to sign their planning in person with the attorney, in the presence of two impartial witnesses. Most clients sign their documents at the firm's office on Wall Street.
Start Planning Today.
Now is the time to begin planning the future of your estate. Contact us to get started.