Lauren E. Sharkey has been a partner at Cioffi • Slezak • Wildgrube P.C. since 2019. Prior to that, she was an associate attorney with the firm.
Lauren practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, elder law, business law and real estate law. Lauren is admitted to the New York Bar and to the United States Supreme Court Bar.
She enjoys getting to know families and helping them navigate legal issues through effective communication and compassionate problem-solving with her clients. She feels strongly that it is important to provide her clients with easy-to-understand guidance and options so that families can make informed decisions when it comes to their legal matters.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Business Management from Pace University and a Juris Doctor from Albany Law School.
Professionally, Lauren currently serves as the Treasurer for the New York State Bar Foundation, nonprofit, philanthropic organization established in 1950 to advance access to justice and strengthen the rule of law across New York State. Lauren was appointed to serve on the Character and Fitness Committee for the Third Judicial District in 2019 for a five- year term, which involves interviewing New York State Bar applicants prior to their admission to the bar several times per year. From 2019 – 2022, Lauren was selected as a Rising Star in the areas of Estate Planning and Probate by SuperLawyers.com. She is an active member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), a legal organization with approximately 50,000 attorney members. She served on NYSBA’s Executive Committee from 2021 to 2025. Lauren is a former chair of the NYSBA Young Lawyers Section and a current member of the NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Law Section’s Executive Committee and the Trust and Estates Law Section’s Executive Committee. In addition, she is a member of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Being involved in these organizations helps her to stay up to date and informed about current legal issues for her clients.
Locally, Lauren is a Past President of the Schenectady County Bar Association and a member of its Trusts, Estates, and Elder Law Committee. She served on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation for Ellis Medicine for nine (9) years from 2017 to 2026. As a lifelong resident of the Capital District, Lauren is committed to our region and its residents. And in her spare time (ha, ha) she coaches her son’s soccer team for the Niskayuna Soccer Club.
Lauren resides in Niskayuna (where she grew up) with her spouse, two children, backyard chickens, and dogs, Gus and Hank. She enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, playing soccer, gardening, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.
