New York City Lawyers Handling LGBT Family Law Issues
"Our legal system works. The trick is to find an attorney who makes it work FOR you rather than against you." — Attorney Steven J. Mandel
Currently, gay and lesbian couples do not have the same legal protections and allowances as married couples. As a result, issues related to custody of children, division of property upon separation, spousal maintenance, critical medical decisions, and even inheritance rights and probate are made more difficult for gays and lesbians.
In many cases, legal options exist which effectively provide the same kinds of legal protection available to married couples, through partnership agreements, tenancy agreements, powers of attorney, health care proxies, last wills and testaments, and other legal contracts. At The Mandel Law Firm, we assist gay and lesbian couples in creating legal solutions that help them achieve their short and long-term family-related goals.
Our attorneys have the resources and experience needed to help you and your partner protect your children, assets, and health care needs. To learn how we can help you, contact The Mandel Law Firm today.
Leaders in Gay and Lesbian Family Law
In recent years, a number of important legal developments have occurred in regard to recognizing gay and lesbian marriages. While still controversial, the implications of the "privileges and immunities" clause in Article IV of the Constitution could provide the legal foundation for recognizing gay and lesbian marriage. As a result, law is currently being made in this area as cases on appeal make their way through the state and federal judicial system.
At The Mandel Law Firm, we're poised on the cutting edge of development in this area. We follow cases closely in order to use new legal precedents to advance our clients' cases, and have successfully been involved in many such matters.
Since this is a new and developing area of the law, it is often necessary to combine contract law, family law, and estate planning in order to create solutions that work for our gay and lesbian clients. Our broad-based experience allows us to apply a wide range of tools to resolving a dispute or protecting your rights.
Finding Family Law Solutions that Work
The Mandel Law Firm provides direction and legal representation for gay and lesbian couples in regard to the following:
- Partnership agreements
- Cohabitation agreements
- Division of property upon separation
- Custody and support of children
- Tenancy agreements
- Durable powers of attorney
- HIPAA regulations and health care directives
- Last wills and testaments
- Same sex adoptions
- Reallocation of assets
- Transfer of real estate and other property
Protecting Your Partner, Children and Assets
Gay and lesbian couples who do not have a partnership agreement, tenancy agreement, or documented legal relationship can encounter problems if they decide to separate. If you and your partner adopted a child during your relationship, the court will have to determine custody, parenting time, and an appropriate level of child support. This may be further complicated if one of the partners is the biological parent.
Additionally, your ex-partner may sue you for a division of partnership assets, including any equity acquired on your home during your relationship, any earnings on investments from that time, and interest earned on your bank accounts. Our lawyers have the knowledge and experience needed to help you protect and assert your rights to ensure you are fully protected. Contact us today online, or by telephone toll-free at (888) 2 WIN NOW (888-294-6669) or locally at (212) 697-7383 to learn more in a consultation.
