Daniel S. Williford

Rochester Business Journal Staff//July 25, 2025//

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Attorney
McConville, Considine, Cooman & Morin, P.C.

Years in current role: 12

What skills do you think are most crucial for new attorneys entering the field today?

Attorneys in today’s legal marketplace need to find ways to differentiate themselves with respect to the client experience. With estate planning being a personable area of the law, I always strive to find ways to connect with my clients at a personal level and to make estate planning as smooth a process as possible. In order to make it a smooth process it is also about being available at the client’s convenience, which is why we have offices in various locations and we sometimes will go to the client to meet with them if we can. These skills are crucial to developing strong bonds with each client and continuing to grow your practice.

What’s one misconception people often have about your area of law?

One common misconception is that estate planning is easy and that anybody can prepare and sign a Will. This is most likely a byproduct of the online Will preparation landscape, but I always tell clients that law is more like medicine than people think. You would not see a neurologist for a heart issue, and I oftentimes feel the same way with the law. Estate planning becomes much more intricate than people think regarding probate versus non-probate assets, tax implications and long-term health care cost planning.

What’s your ideal way to spend a weekend in the Finger Lakes or Western New York?

My ideal weekend is family time with my wife and three children. This will usually involve a long dog walk/hike, a swimming pool, playing with or watching our kids play sports, or a trip to Seabreeze. Whenever we have the opportunity to explore the natural beauty of where we live — such as Letchworth, Niagara Falls, or the Adirondacks — we make the effort to take those types of trips on weekends whenever we can.

This profile is part of our Trusts & Estates Power List for 2025. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. View the full list at rbj.net.