Matrimonial & Family Law
Beldock Levine & Hoffman’s boutique family law practice is focused on helping our clients feel empowered in their personal lives. Whether our clients are facing divorce, the family regulation system, or starting a committed partnership, we provide a client-centered and personal approach. We provide individualized, full-service, and cost-effective representation to each of our clients regardless of the size or complexity of the matter.
MATRIMONIAL LAW
Divorce and Separation Litigation
Our divorce practice prides itself on serving people from all walks of life. Whether the asset being divided is a business, real estate, or pensions, we are prepared to navigate your divorce. While we value reaching negotiated settlements with opposing counsel, we know that this is not always possible and are always prepared to zealously advocate for our clients should litigation, trial or appellate practice become necessary. We are also experienced and prepared to help our clients with non-financial aspects of divorce such as custody, visitation and relocation, or issues of intimate partner violence. In addition to advocating for our divorcing clients in these matters, we have also had success in many of these issues as they relate to the separation of non-married partners.
We have extensive experience in both Supreme Court and Family Court throughout the boroughs of New York City and adjacent counties. We are also experienced in representing our clients in alternate dispute resolution, including as representatives in mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law.
Prenuptial, Postnuptial, etc. Representation
Whether we are the drafting or reviewing counsel in representing one party who plans to enter into an agreement, whether it be a prenuptial, postnuptial, parenting, domestic partnership, cohabitation, or any other related agreement, we focus on client empowerment, tactful negotiation with the opposing counsel, and precise drafting using proper procedure so as to ensure enforceability. While we draw upon universal templates that have been perfected over the years, we value individualizing each agreement to our clients specific needs, and we are not afraid of creative contract construction.
MATRIMONIAL & FAMILY LAW MEDIATION
Divorce and Co-Parenting Mediation, etc.
Whereas hiring an attorney creates an attorney/client, principal/agent relationship, a mediator is a designated neutral that does not advocate for one party or the other but rather aids the parties in finding a mutually agreeable resolution with each other. Mediation can be a transformative process whereby couples learn to safely communicate and resolve issues together. The clients’ active, participatory role in mediation also enables greater buy-in to the ultimate settlement agreed upon. It is especially appropriate for couples with young children who will need to continue to collaborate and would like to avoid a high-conflict separation that might expose the children to a hostile home environment and couples that would like to avoid the expense of a litigated divorce.
Prenuptial and Cohabitation Agreement Mediation
In prenuptial or cohabitation mediation, the mediator will explain the relevant matrimonial and family law and guide the parties in discussing and deciding whether these standards make sense for their individual circumstances. Prenuptial mediation can strengthen a couple’s relationship prior to marriage or cohabitation by creating clarity and transparency of the contract, whether the standard obligations under the law or the agreement the parties create together, that their marriage will create. It can also strengthen the couple’s ability to discuss complex financial issues and problem solve together. While many think of prenuptial agreements as creating a “blueprint” for divorce, which can ease a possible separation later, it can also create obligations and a “blueprint” for the life that the couple would like to create together. Mediation, being a collaborative rather than adversarial process, is a powerful way to make such an agreement.
FAMILY DEFENSE
Accidents can happen to anyone. Many who are facing the family regulation system never think it could happen to them. Nevertheless, children are prone to injuries, illnesses, or so-called behavioral issues. We will zealously advocate for clients tangled in the family regulation system, also referred to as child protective services, whether to advocate that their family stay together, or to defend them from being on the State Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment. These systems are incredibly difficult to navigate by oneself, and there is ample evidence that having legal counsel leads to better results for families on average.
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