I have been a partner of BodnarMilone LLP in White Plains, New York since 2000.
The divorce process bears upon many of the most important aspects of the parties’ lives: their children, their home, their life savings, and perhaps an interest in a business or private practice.
As a seasoned litigator with more than 30 years of experience in the field of matrimonial and family law, I have represented clients throughout the counties of Westchester, New York, Kings, Nassau, Suffolk and Putnam in both the Supreme Court and Family Court. I have also litigated before the Appellate Divisions of the First and Second Departments. Nonetheless, given the emotional and financial cost of litigation, the best outcome for clients and their family is to reach resolution through settlement rather than litigation, if at all possible. This is particularly true where the parties involved have children. Litigation negatively impacts the children themselves as well as the future ability of the parties to coparent their children.
As a matrimonial attorney, my role is to advise and counsel the client as to the law, shepherd and support the client through this process, and assist the client in making reasonable decisions while avoiding unintended consequences. Consequently, the relationship between the matrimonial attorney and client is not merely a transactional one. It requires a bond of trust and confidence. It also means that there are times when the matrimonial attorney is constrained to proffer advice to the client that does not comport with what the client wishes to hear. Such is one distinction between the client’s matrimonial attorney and the client’s friends and family. Another is the objective dedication of the matrimonial attorney, which is free of the biases that may color the advice given by friends and family. In addition, the ethical standards which the matrimonial attorney must observe safeguard and protect the client’s best interests.
