Patricia Harold is a partner in the law firm of Donlon & Harold, P.C., an estates and trusts firm with offices in Garden City, New York. Just 10 years after becoming an attorney, the Bethpage native today is one of Nassau County’s leading independent Surrogate’s Court practitioners in the field of trusts and estates. Now in the prime of her career, Harold is currently Co-Chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Surrogate’s Court, Trust & Estates Committee.

Never afraid to speak her mind, Harold is, according to peers, a memorable and distinctive personality: “Patty is strong-willed and assertive, the best qualities for a litigator,” says partner Elizabeth Donlon. Quite naturally Harold holds strong views on the virtue of her work. “Our work should never be taken lightly. When our clients come to us for help with resolving their legal problems, they are usually grieving. They rely on us not only to help resolve their legal problems, but for a sense of security as well.” Mentored and groomed by Donlon over the years, Harold grew professionally -- “I owe everything to her.” Harold said she thought she’d become a prosecutor after passing the bar, but “the first person who walked into the courtroom in handcuffs I felt immediate sympathy for. Not a good characteristic for a prosecutor.” Having excelled in Wills, Trusts & Estates in law school, Harold joined Donlon, a preeminent trusts and estates attorney for many years, turning down larger offers.

Today, Harold reflects positively on her personal growth, and has but one regret: “I wish my mother had seen me graduate from law school.” In addition to her law practice, she enjoys photography and travel to beautiful locales, off the beaten path: rafting the Colorado River, hiking in Alaska, biking from Denmark to Sweden (and back again), and exploring Antarctica, just to name a few trips.

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