About Us

Rachel Hirschfeld, Attorney at Law and Founder of Petriarch.com

Rachel Hirschfeld is a nationally renowned expert in estate planning and a passionate advocate for people and their pets. Her mission is to ensure that every pet that has found a loving home is guaranteed a secure future. She is a frequent author and lecturer, often quoted in newspapers, legal journals and other media outlets including: ABC Nightline, CBS Early Show, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, The Today Show, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Dow Jones, Newsday, The New York Sun, Bottom Line Retirement, The National Academy of Elder Law Attorney's Journal, Consumer Digest, and Fox News. Ms. Hirschfeld's lectures in continuing legal education have been selected for live web casting by Thomson Reuters' publishing house.

She was one of the first attorneys in the country to focus on what is now known as animal law and works closely with many animal shelters and sanctuaries. Ms. Hirschfeld founded and co-chairs the New York County Lawyers Association's Animal Law Committee and works closely with the animal law committees of the American, New York City and New York State Bar Associations. She is a member of the prestigious National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) where she serves on the Advanced Programming and Education committees.

Through her practice, and the devastating illnesses of her beloved shelter dog, Soupbone - the missing link in her life that ultimately set her on the path of her most important life's work - she created the Pet Protection Agreement* and The Hirschfeld Pet Trust© both of which legally protect a pet's continued care. Ms. Hirschfeld's Pet Protection Agreement is available through the online document service, LegalZoom.com.

In an ongoing effort to provide for pets during a patient's stay in the hospital, Ms. Hirschfeld has co-developed a program, and the associated necessary legal forms, which care for patients' pets.

She is author of the book: PETRIARCH: The Complete Guide to Financial and Legal Planning for a Pet's Continued Care published by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

An honors graduate of Yeshiva University's Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Ms. Hirschfeld has interned in U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno's office in the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. and for the Honorable William G. Bassler. In addition to New York State, Ms. Hirschfeld is admitted to argue before the Supreme Court of the United States of America.

Ms. Hirschfeld, a Tony Voter, produced several shows on Broadway as well as in England, including On Golden Pond (Tony nomination, James Earl Jones), Blithe Spirit, (Tony Award, Angela Lansbury), and Hair. She was the first woman Haute Cuisine chef in America, having graduated from the Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in Paris, France, with the highest possible honor, Tres Bien. She is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier women of achievement in the culinary, fine beverage and hospitality professions. Fluent in English, French, Italian and Hebrew, Ms. Hirschfeld can be reached at rachel@petriarch.com and www.petriarch.com. She has three pets: a rescued dog and cat, Swizzle and Topper, and Tammy a feral cat.