Print Email this page Family Law  

Pryor Cashman’s clients can be confident that their matrimonial and family law matters are being handled by some of the most respected lawyers in the field. Whether it is negotiating the terms of a difficult separation or prenuptial agreement or litigating a sensitive custody dispute or complex financial issue, our experienced Family Law Group will work hard to achieve your goals.

Our Group has the added advantage of being backed by other accomplished lawyers at the firm to provide a full spectrum of services related to your matrimonial or family law matters, including estate planning, tax counseling, real estate services, employee benefits, corporate and securities expertise, and criminal defense.

Pryor Cashman’s team of Family Law lawyers are recognized as being among the best at what they do. Skilled in negotiating and drafting agreements, and trained in alternative dispute resolution – including collaborative law and mediation – we excel at navigating the sometimes rocky path towards resolving family law matters. If a matter cannot be resolved through agreement, clients can rely on our decades of successful trial and appellate experience, knowing that even when litigation is necessary, we will always maintain our commitment to reach the best, most timely and cost-effective outcome.

Areas in which our Family Law Group concentrates include:

Separation and Divorce

Our Family Law attorneys are  adept at addressing the many financial concerns confronting clients going through a divorce or separation, including the need for spousal maintenance and  child support, and the division of marital assets. Pryor Cashman’s Family Law Group, with the support of  talented business lawyers at our firm, can expertly handle such complex financial matters as valuing privately held businesses, partnerships, and professional practices; assessing the worth and distribution of stock options and real estate assets; and measuring the value of licenses, degrees, enhanced earning capacity and celebrity status. Our Family Law partners are experienced trial lawyers who excel at  litigating any  issue involved in a high conflict divorce.

Child Custody and Parenting Arrangements

The Group brings to the practice of Family Law an acute sensitivity to our clients’ concerns for their children. We know how to guide our clients through the emotional minefield child-related issues often present. We deftly handle all aspects of custody disputes, even when they involve international issues; conflicts arising when a parent wishes to relocate; and access issues for parents, grandparents and other relatives. We are skilled in matters involving special needs children and also have a broad range of experience in paternity cases.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, Same-Sex Cohabitation Agreements

In negotiating and drafting marital and cohabitation agreements, we bring the same financial sophistication and attention to detail that we bring to divorce and separation. And since we understand that such agreements are intended to enhance relationships, not disrupt them, we encourage open lines of communication and cooperative negotiation. Our goal, as always, is to protect our clients’ best interests, striving to conclude agreements wisely, expeditiously and with as little tension as possible.

Enforcing Judgments and Modifying Agreements

Unfortunately, not every divorce brings an end to conflict between the parties. Sometimes, legal representation is needed to enforce or modify the financial provisions of a divorce agreement, change custody and access arrangements or litigate an appeal. Whatever issues may arise after a divorce, our seasoned Family Law practitioners are well-equipped to resolve them.

Collaborative Law and Mediation

In recent years, clients have been considering alternative means for resolving matrimonial and family law issues, such as collaborative law and mediation. Trained in dispute resolution, collaborative law, and mediation, our attorneys can help clients decide whether those alternative approaches are right for them. For those who decide upon an alternative path, we will guide them to a comprehensive and successful conclusion. In addition, for couples who decide to mediate their conflicts, our Family Law Group includes mediators with far-reaching experience, who will work with both husband and wife to cooperatively resolve their divorce or other family law matter.   

Representative Work

Examples of some of our work in the area of family law include:

• Obtained a judicial decision declaring a prenuptial agreement void for fraud and then negotiated a settlement favorable to our client
• Mediated the “divorce” of a same-sex female couple with a teenage daughter, crafting a detailed agreement creating contractual rights and remedies where none existed at law
• Represented a well-known major league baseball player threatened with a paternity suit and negotiated a resolution which spared our client any exposure to adverse publicity
• In a divorce matter that began with criminal assault charges against one of the parties, we managed to diffuse a tense and acrimonious situation and assist the parties down a path that now enables the former husband and wife to successfully co-parent their young child
• In a complex and unusual child support case involving parents who conceived a child through artificial insemination – with both donor sperm and donor egg – we brokered a marital dissolution that ensured the child’s future well-being