OUR TEAM

Yumi Higashi

Associate

New York, NY
156 West 56th Street
New York, NY 10019
P 212.237.1185 F 212.262.1215
 P 212.237.1185 F 212.262.1215
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Experience

Yumi Higashi's practice focuses on matters pertaining to both cross-border and domestic trusts and estates. Her work involves drafting estate planning documents, preparing and filing probate petitions, assisting with the filing of estate tax returns and conducting research on various matters related to trusts and estate laws, particularly involving U.S.-Japan cross-border issues. 

Prior to bar admission, Ms. Higashi was a Legal Assistant with Windels Marx; a Legal Intern to the Honorable Hilary Gingold in the Surrogate's Court of the County of New York; a Court Evaluator to the Honorable Lisa Sokoloff, J.S.C., in the Supreme Court of the State of New York; and a Legal Intern at Project Guardianship, Inc.

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Higashi held senior corporate communications, marketing and operations leadership positions in both the U.S. and Asian offices of prominent banks and publishing interests.

She is fluent in Japanese.

Publications & Presentations

  • Outlier on LGBTQ Rights: Japanese Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Its Contradiction in the Age of Globalization, 50 Brook. J. Int'l L. (Forthcoming Spring 2025)
  • Calling for Greater Autonomy for Modern American Families Through Standby Guardianship (2024)

Community Involvement

  • U.S.-Japan Council - Council Leader, Program Development Committee Member, Shin-Issei Affinity Group Steering Committee Founding Member
  • Corporate Volunteers of New York - Executive Committee Member, Finance Officer
  • Orpheus Chamber Orchestra - Council Member, Young Orpheus

Pro Bono

  • Courtroom Advocates Project, Brooklyn Law School - Volunteer
  • Weinberg Center for Elder Justice - Researcher and Writer

Law School Academic Awards, Honors

  • Brooklyn Journal of International Law, Executive Article Editor
  • Dean's Merit Scholarship
  • Glasser Scholarship
  • Marsha Garrison Family Law & Policy Fellowship

Practices

Education

  • J.D., Dean's Merit Scholarship, Brooklyn Law School, 2025
  • B.A., Keio University (Japan), 1999

Admissions

  • New York (2026)