Long Island Family Law and Mediation Blog
A letter on a matrimonial lawyer’s letterhead has a way of making a marriage problem suddenly feel official, and frightening. If you open your mail or email and see that your spouse has retained an attorney “in connection with your marital difficulties,” your mind may immediately move several steps ahead. Has a divorce been filed? Am I about to be served? Do I need my own lawyer?
The first thing to understand is that what I refer to as a “matrimonial difficulties letter” is not a court paper or a document required by New York law. It is simply an initial communication from an attorney intended to open a discussion about marital issues and how they might be resolved.
When I send one of these letters, mine is usually short. I tell the other spouse that I have been retained, explain that my client would like to address the parties’ marital difficulties amicably if possible, and ask the spouse, or an attorney the spouse chooses, to contact me. Continue reading ›
When it comes to ending a marriage, couples often face a daunting array of choices, from navigating litigation to negotiating settlements. As a practitioner in matrimonial law, I engage in all facets of this process—litigation, negotiation, mediation, and even collaborative legal methods. Of these, negotiating or mediating a Separation Agreement before filing for divorce can often provide the most straightforward path forward. Here’s why.