Nicholas E. Papasifakis

Member

An attorney in Dickinson Wright’s Troy office, Nicholas Papasifakis advises individuals, families, and business owners on estate planning, asset protection strategies, business matters, and probate and trust administration and litigation.

He works closely with clients to design estate plans that reflect their goals around wealth transfer, tax planning, asset protection, probate avoidance, and charitable giving. Each plan is tailored to the client’s family dynamics and financial priorities, with an emphasis on creating practical, long-term strategies that evolve as circumstances change. 

In his probate and trust practice, Nick represents both fiduciaries and beneficiaries through all stages of administration and dispute resolution. He helps clients navigate the often difficult process of settling an estate, including issues involving real estate, tax considerations, and closely held business interests. His litigation experience includes matters involving will and trust contests, allegations of undue influence or lack of capacity, and claims of breach of fiduciary duty.

Nick also counsels entrepreneurs and closely held businesses on formation, structuring, and succession planning. He regularly drafts and negotiates key business agreements, including operating agreements, buy-sell agreements, shareholder agreements, and employment contracts, and serves as a trusted advisor on day-to-day legal and strategic issues, particularly for family-owned businesses planning for the next generation.

Education & Credentials

Education

New York University School of Law

L.L.M., Taxation

University of Detroit Mercy School of Law

J.D.
  • magna cum laude

Western Michigan University

B.B.A.
  • cum laude

Bar Admission

  • Michigan
  • South Dakota

Acknowledgements

  • The Best Lawyers in America® for Litigation
    • Trusts and Estates, 2026
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® 
    • Trusts and Estates Law by Best Lawyers, 2022-2025
  • Michigan Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters, 2022-2026

Professional Involvement

  • State Bar of Michigan – Probate & Estate Planning Section
  • State Bar of Michigan – Tax Section, Tax Council Member
  • Hellenic Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Doris and Wendel Rogers Foundation, Board of Directors.
  • Pancretan Association of America, Former Legal Advisor

Publications/Presentations

  • Speaker, “Drafting Powers of Appointment,” ICLE’s 33rd Annual Drafting Estate Planning Documents, February 2024
  • Speaker, “Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Planning,” ICLE Seminar – Planning Techniques for the Taxable Estate, December 2022.
  • Speaker, “Estate Planning 101”, Taxation Boot Camp, Tax Section of the State Bar of Michigan, November 2022
  • Speaker, “Overview of Taxes and Returns,” ICLE Seminar – Fundamentals of Estate Administration, June 2022.
  • Speaker, “Recent Developments with Estate Tax Reform and Sunset Provisions,” ICLE’s 34th Annual Tax Conference – Taxation Section for State Bar of Michigan, May 2022.
  • Moderator, “Tax Law Series: Implement Flexibility with Established Estate Planning Tools,” ICLE, 2020.
  • Speaker, “Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax Planning,” ICLE Seminar – Planning Techniques for the Taxable Estate, December 2019.
  • Author, “Top 10 Asset Protection Tips for Physicians and Dentists”, JD Supra, April 21, 2020
  • Co-Author, “Foreign Trusts: Tax Consequences and Reporting Requirements,” Michigan Tax Lawyer, Fall 2019.
  • Co-Author, “Protecting Your Assets with a DAPT,” JD Supra, January 2017
  • Co-Author, “For Me? You Shouldn’t Have! Legal Considerations for Gifting,” JD Supra, August 2017.
  • Co-Author, “She Did What With the Family Farm? Top Ways to Challenge a Deed in Michigan,” JD Supra, June 2017.
  • Author, “Wrongful Death Claims: An Overview for Probate Attorneys,” Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Journal, Spring 2017.
  • Co-Author, “A Guide To: Challenging a Financial Durable Power of Attorney in Michigan,” JD Supra, April 2017.
  • Co-Author, “A Guide for Challenging a Joint Account Arrangement,” JD Supra, March 2017.
  • Co-Author, “A Guide To: How to Challenge a Trust in Michigan,” JD Supra, February 2017.
  • Co-Author, “A Guide To: How to Challenge a Will in Michigan,” JD Supra, January 2017.
  • Co-Author, “Get Your Claims In: An Overview of Pre-death Claims by a Fiduciary,” Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Journal, Winter 2017.
  • Author, “Rebutting the Presumption of Natural Parentage in Michigan,” Michigan Probate & Estate Planning Journal, Summer 2015.
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