Carolyn J. Pugh - York, PA

Carolyn Pugh has a reputation for practically and conscientiously guiding her clients through even the most complex cases. Her approach to client relationships is caring and down-to-earth, taking the time to ensure her clients understand their options and thoughtfully navigating them towards their best solutions.

Carolyn has been practicing in York County for almost 20 years. Most recently, she spent 3 years advising clients on complex estate planning matters including living trusts, Medicaid qualification, asset protection and guardianship. She taught weekly workshops on estate planning and was respected for her ability to break down challenging estate planning issues and develop outside the box solutions.

Carolyn spent the prior 15+ years of her legal career focused on family law. She served for six years as a Custody Conciliator, appointed by the York County Court of Common Pleas to conduct custody conferences. Additionally she continues to serve as a Certified Custody and Divorce Mediator. She served as a court-appointed guardian-ad-litem for children and represented parents in matters involving Children and Youth services.

Carolyn has extensive litigation experience – having represented clients in the Courts of Common Pleas of York, Adams, Cumberland and Lancaster counties in matters ranging from custody, divorce, PFAs, adoptions, Children and Youth cases to guardianships and civil matters. Additionally, she spent several years litigating in administrative courts, representing clients in Social Security appeals and Child Abuse Expunction appeals. She has also litigated before municipal Zoning Hearing Boards and School Boards-representing children in school matters including expulsions and special education matters.

Carolyn is a York County native, having graduated from Central York High School. She attended Penn State University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science and minors in Equine Science and English before earning her LLM at Penn State Dickinson School of Law.

She currently serves on the Board of the Horn Farm Center and previously served on the the York County Parks Board.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading and listening to books of all genres (especially mystery!), horseback riding, hiking with her dog, vacationing at her family’s home on Moosehead Lake, Maine and spending time with her large family and her boyfriend.

EXPERIENCE:

Estate Planning

• Drafting Powers of Attorney and Medical Powers of Attorney/Living Wills
• Drafting Simple Wills and Wills with Trusts
• Drafting Living Trusts – Asset Protection and Revocable

Estate Administration

• Probate of Wills
• Intestate Probate (no Will)
• Trust Administration

Guardianships

• Filing on Behalf of Proposed Guardian
• Substitution of Guardian
• Representing the interests of Alleged Incapacitated Persons

Adoptions

• Adoptions by consent and Adoptions by Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights
• Surrogacy Contracts and Adoptions including Pre-Birth Orders
• Stepparent Adoptions
• Third Party Adoptions
• Foster Parent Adoptions
• Grandparent Adoptions
• Same Sex Adoptions
• Adult Adoptions
• Name Change Petitions

Child Custody

• Custody Conciliator
• Mediating custody cases
• Negotiating and Drafting Custody Agreements
• Litigating Custody disputes – new cases, Modification of Custody Orders, Contempt of Custody Orders

Divorce

• Mediating divorce settlements
• Negotiating and Drafting divorce settlements
• Litigating contested divorces

Social Security

• Social Security Denial Appeal Hearings

School Law

• Represent parents in school meetings for Special Education matters (IEPs, GIEPs, due process hearings)
• Represent families with children facing disciplinary matters – Suspension and expulsion

Municipal Law/ Zoning

• Boundary disputes
• Zoning Hearing Board and Planning Commission hearings

Mediation

• Mediate divorce settlements
• Mediate custody settlements

Children and Youth Cases

• Represent Children as guardian ad litem, legal counsel and educational advocate in abuse, neglect and truancy cases
• Represent parents in truancy cases
• Represent parents accused of abuse or neglect
• Child Abuse Expunction Appeals – represent parents and others who have been found to commit abuse in obtaining expunction of record

Business Law

• LLC formation
• Drafting contracts and operating agreements
• Litigation

Real Estate

• Landlord Tenant cases
• RAYAC mediations
• Contract disputes
• Installment Sales agreements
• Rental agreements