Deborah A. Slezak is a principal at Cioffi • Slezak • Wildgrube P.C. a women-owned and operated law firm located in Schenectady, NY.
Deb’s practice is concentrated primarily in the areas of elder law, guardianship, estate planning and administration. Deb gravitated to these areas of practice as she enjoys helping families navigate through difficult times. She finds it rewarding to work with generations of families on planning and problem-solving the issues that may arise as they buy houses, marry, extend their families, age and then pass away, leaving assets and property to the next generation.
During her 25+ years of practice, Deb has lectured on topics of elder law and estate planning for the NYS Bar Association, local bar associations, businesses and many community groups.
In addition to her private practice, Deb was the Town Attorney for the Town of Amsterdam from October 1996 until December 2009 and has been the Attorney for the Town of Florida from November 2009 through the present.
Deb enjoyed the distinction of being the Town Justice of the Town of Amsterdam for two terms: from January 2010 to December 2017.
Deb is a member of the New York State Bar Association (Trust and Estates and Elder Law Sections), and is a member of the Elder Law and Special Needs Law Section’s Executive Committee. She is a member of the Schenectady County and Montgomery County Bar Associations and the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York. She is the Co-Chair of the SCBA’s Trust and Estates and Elder Law Committee and was the Secretary of the Board of the SCBA. In addition, Deborah is a NY NAELA Board member and former Chair of the Webinar Committee.
Deb was the recipient of the NYS Women of Distinction Award in 2016.
Her community is important to her. As an active community volunteer, she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Montgomery County Office for the Aging, Inc.; is a member of the Quality Supports Committee of Liberty ARC of Montgomery County, is the Community Representative of both the Ellis Residential & Rehabilitation Center Committee and the Mental Health Committee of Ellis Rehab; she volunteers at her son’s school: she is a Booster Club Member of the Amsterdam High School Drama Club, the AHS Marching Rams; the AHS Boys Soccer Team; and she is active in her son’s scout troop as a volunteer and committee member. Deb served on the Board of Directors of the Amsterdam YMCA from 1997 through 2008 and was a past Board President; and was a past board member of Amsterdam’s Saint Mary’s Hospital Board of Trustees, among other volunteer obligations.
Deb resides in Hagaman with her husband and their three children: Sam, Kate and Luke, their two dogs and the cat. Deb is a graduate of Skidmore College and Albany Law School.