Thomas M. Kernan

Senior Counsel

A seasoned attorney with more than two decades of diverse experience across private practice and in-house counsel settings, Tom joined RLGC Law Group in January 2026.

Tom counsels individuals, families and closely held businesses in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, trust administration, business formation, business succession planning, commercial transactions, employment law compliance, and residential real estate.  An empathetic and conscientious attorney, Tom brings a calm, genuine, and client-centered approach to the practice of law. Tom is committed to providing high quality, personalized and caring service to clients throughout the greater Capital-Saratoga Region.

Tom received his J.D., summa cum laude, from Albany Law School, where he was salutatorian of his graduating class and Director of the Moot Court Board. He received his B.A. in Psychology from Bard College. Following his graduation from law school, Tom completed a two-year clerkship on the Central Legal Research Staff of the New York Court of Appeals. After completing his judicial clerkship, Tom spent the next decade in private practice, representing clients in a wide array of matters including estate planning, estate and trust administration, commercial transactions, residential real estate, employment matters, and matrimonial matters. Most recently, Tom worked for more than a decade as Vice President & General Counsel for a company in the healthcare workforce and technology space. In this role, Tom negotiated and drafted a wide array of commercial agreements, oversaw regulatory compliance and corporate governance, and worked to mitigate organizational risk. As part of his responsibilities, Tom oversaw human resources compliance for the organization, earning his SPHR® certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute.

A lifelong learner, Tom is currently pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) in Elder Law and Estate Planning from Western New England University School of Law. Tom is a member of Trusts and Estates, Business Law, and Corporate Counsel sections of the New York State Bar Association.

Tom previously served on the board of Caffè Lena and as Chairman of the Health Section Policy Council for the American Staffing Association.