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Lawton is a partner on the private client and tax team.
He focuses his practice on domestic and international tax, trust, and estate planning for high net worth individuals and their families.He regularly advises donors with respect to planned giving structures and counsels public charities, private foundations, and other tax-exempt organizations on formation, tax, and regulatory matters.
Achievements
Lawton is recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America for Nonprofit/Charities Law, Tax Law, and Trusts and Estates. Additionally, Lawton is recognized as a recommended lawyer by The Legal 500 US 2025 guide in the area of Not-for-Profit Tax.Recent recognition
Experience
Talks
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'Fundamentals of Public Charity Taxation and Form 990 (F994),' Surgent CPE Webinar - June 18, 2024, presenter
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'Complex Assets in Estate Planning,' National Business Institute (NBI) CLE Webinar - May 2024, presenter
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'Estate Planning and Probate Administration,' Connecticut Veterans Legal Center - January 17, 2024, co-presenter
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'Advanced Estate Planning in 2023,' National Business Institute (NBI) CLE Webinar - January 2023, presenter
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'Looking Ahead: The long-term benefits of Charitable Lead Annuity Trusts (CLATs),' Withersworldwide webinar - July 13, 2020, co-presenter
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‘Establishing a 501c3 Organization,' National Business Institute (NBI) CLE Webinar - April 22, 2020, co-presenter
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'Transfer of Assets to a Public Charity: Private Foundation Termination,' Lorman Education Services - January 14, 2020, co-presenter
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'Tax Exempt Organizations: New Rules and Updates,' National Business Institute - October 15, 2019, co-presenter
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'International Philanthropy: Overcoming Tax and Legal Obstacles,' Lorman Education Services - May 29, 2019, co-presenter
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'Nonprofit Bylaws: Drafting Mistakes Attorneys Can't Afford to Make,' National Business Institute - May 23, 2019, co-presenter
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'Nonprofit Board Governance Liability,' National Business Institute - October 29, 2018, co-presenter
Insight
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External publications
- 'Succession & Estate Planning 2026: USA - Connecticut,' Chambers and Partners - March 25, 2026, co-authored
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'Why Some Collectors Sell Their Artworks Through Trusts,' New York Observer - November 27, 2025, quoted
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'Lawton Leung,' Boston College Law School Magazine - Winter 2025, featured
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'Accelerating Charitable Efforts Act,' Withers Insight - February 16, 2022, co-author
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'Organizing a Successful Practice and Considering Tax and Estate Planning,' ScienceDirect - September 16, 2021, author
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'Old and new rules suggest coronavirus initiatives for private foundations,' Withers Insight - April 22, 2020, co-author
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'US Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Securities (CARES) Act boosts charitable deduction limitations for 2020,' Withers Insight - April 2, 2020, co-author
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'Planning opportunities during market volatility: Finding the silver lining,' Withers Insight - March 18, 2020, co-author
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'Nineteen Estate Planning Highlights from 2019,' - January 17, 2020, author
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'Tax Implications of Robert Smith's Pledge to Morehouse's Graduating Class,' - June 3, 2019, author
Admissions
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State of New York, 2016
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State of Connecticut, 2016
Education
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Dartmouth College, A.B. Economics
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Boston College Law School, J.D.
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New York University School of Law, LL.M. in Taxation
Languages
- English
- Cantonese
Memberships
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New York State Bar Association
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Connecticut Bar Association
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American Bar Association
Key dates
- Year joined: 2016