Maria A. Cestone is an attorney with Coughlin Midlige & Garland LLP in Morristown, New Jersey. She concentrates her legal practice in the areas of estate planning and administration (domestic and International), the counseling of fiduciaries regarding estate, trust and charitable administration issues, as well as the creation, implementation and taxation of businesses and succession plans. Her clients include individuals, corporations (for profit and not-for-profit) and fiduciaries.

Maria received her undergraduate degree in Economics and Political Science from Drew University, her law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law and her LL.M. in Taxation from Boston University School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, she clerked for the Hon. David S. Cramp, J.S.C. Maria is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and before the U.S. Tax Court.

Maria serves as Secretary of the New Jersey State Bar Association Section of Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section, having previously served as Legislative Liaison/Assistant Secretary. She is a member of the Business Law Section, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Planned Giving Advisory Council and the Bergen County Estate Planning Council. Maria is a prior member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee (District VB) and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), a worldwide professional association for advisors with clients having international interests. She is conversant in Spanish and co-counsels on transactions in many Spanish-speaking countries.

Maria lectures on topics such as Closely-Held Business, Domestic and International Estate Planning, Trust and Estate Administration, Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Tax-Exempt and Charitable Entities, and Board Governance and Liability.

Maria became a member of the Board of Directors of the Tahirih Justice Center in 2014 and has served as Secretary of the Executive Board and co-Chair of the Expansion Council (and other subcommittees) in the years since.