Attorney Profiles – The Mandel Law Firm
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Steven J. Mandel
Family Law Attorney / Founder
From the gritty streets of Brooklyn, Steven J. Mandel worked his way through law school as a professional comedian. In recognition of his comedic skills, he was asked to join the esteemed Friars Club. Steven J. Mandel credits his experience working in front of an audience with helping to make him the successful trial lawyer he is today. As he explains, both the lawyer and the performer must be fully prepared, confident, persuasive, engaging, quick-witted and able to relate to an audience, a judge and even a jury.
Steven J. Mandel now regularly “performs” as a legal analyst on TV, sharing his wealth of knowledge and legal expertise in a totally engaging way. All of the major New York newspapers have quoted him extensively and his legal papers have been sought out by Matthew Bender for inclusion in their form books, which serve as examples of writing excellence for other attorneys.
Steven J. Mandel went to Adelphi University on a baseball scholarship. Although he received an invitation to try out for the Toronto Blue Jays, he decided his competitive spirit would best be served by becoming a lawyer and thus he followed a dream and obtained a Doctor of Law (J.D.) degree, as a member of the prestigious “First Class”, from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1979.
In recognition of his knowledge, experience and integrity, upon the recommendation of a sitting Judge of the New York State Supreme Court, Steven J. Mandel was trained, certified and now volunteers as an Early Neutral Evaluator to assist litigants in resolving complex legal matters prior to going to trial.
Steven J. Mandel serves as a faculty member of the New York College of Matrimonial Trial Attorneys and, as such, presents continuing legal education programs on trial practice and family law for other lawyers at Bar Associations and law schools throughout New York State.
Steven J. Mandel was selected as a “Top 100 Lawyer in the United States”, as well as a “Super Lawyer“. He received Martindale-Hubbell’s “AV Preeminent Rating”, which is the “highest rating possible for legal ability and ethical standards” as well as AVVO’s “10.0” rating for “legal experience, peer recognition and client satisfaction”. He’s honored to be chosen a Family Law Practitioner of the Year by NY Magazine, and had a “profile rating” in April 2015, of #89 out of 100,331 lawyers in New York State and #1,275 out of 1,692,000 nationwide, placing him in the top 99.94 percentile!
Because of his wealth of knowledge and experience representing people in high net-worth and complex financial matters, Steven J. Mandel was asked to join the Advisory Board of the American Academy For Certified Financial Litigators.
Steven J. Mandel has been described as “the Picasso of the legal profession” because of his proven ability to keenly assess each client’s situation and tailor an approach best suited to a successful outcome. For these reasons, he has succeeded with what other lawyers might describe as the “un-winnable case”.
With all of these accomplishments, it is no wonder why Steven J. Mandel was been selected by his peers to be a co-chair of the prestigious New York County Lawyers Association’s Matrimonial Section and chosen as a “Titan — One of New York’s Bad-Ass Divorce Lawyers You Wouldn’t Want To See Representing Your Spouse.”
Areas of Practice
All areas of Family Law, Divorce, Child Custody, Support and Prenuptial Agreements
All LGBT legal matters, such as Prenuptial Agreements, Second-Parent Adoptions, Cohabitation Agreements, Surrogacy Agreements, Divorce and Estate Planning
Bar Admissions
New York, 1980
U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1981
U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1981
U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1999
U.S. Supreme Court, 1985
Litigation Percentage
90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Education
Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, New York
J.D. – 1979
Adelphi University, Garden City, New York
Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude – 1976
Honors: With Honors
Classes/Seminars
How to Try a Custody Case – Developing Trial Skills, The New York College of Matrimonial Trial Attorneys and NYCLA’s Matrimonial Law Section, May 29, 2015 – June 1, 2015
Honors and Awards
Recipient of Martindale-Hubbell’s prestigious “AV Preeminent” rating, which is the “highest possible in both legal ability and ethical standards”
Recognized as a “Super Lawyer” (an honor awarded to only the top 5% of the lawyers in the country)
Awarded a perfect “10” rating from AVVO for “peer recognition & client satisfaction”
Acknowledged as a Family Law Practitioner of the Year by New York Magazine
Faculty member of the New York College of Matrimonial Trial Attorneys
Trained and certified as an Early Neutral Evaluator to assist litigants in resolving complex legal matters prior to going to trial, upon the recommendation of a sitting matrimonial Judge of the New York State Supreme Court
National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Volunteer Hall of Fame inductee
Spirit Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York City Chapter
Legal Services Volunteer of the Year Award, from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, New York City Chapter
Professional Associations and Memberships
Faculty member of the New York College of Matrimonial Trial Attorneys
New York County Lawyer’s Association’s Matrimonial Law Section, Co-Chair
American Society of Legal Advocates, Member
Brooklyn Bar Association and its Family Law Section, Committee Member
New York City Bar Association and its Family Law Section, Committee Member
New York County Bar Association and its Family Law Section, Committee Member
New York State Bar Association and its Family Law Section, Committee Member
New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Member
New York Women’s Bar Association and its Family Law Section, Committee Member
Pro Bono Activities
Senior Volunteer Attorney for New York Multiple Sclerosis Society
Member of the Board of Directors and Chief Legal Counsel: Ed Randall’s Fans for the Cure for Prostate Cancer Awareness
Yale University Moot Court Competition – Featured Judge
Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law Moot Court Competition – Featured Judge
District Committee to Promote Gender Fairness in the Courts
Steven J. Mandel was honored to present a Continuing Legal Education program for attorneys, entitled “Same Sex Marriage: The Law and its Application” at Pace
University School of Law. This program was sponsored collectively The Pace Woman’s Justice Center, The Westchester Woman’s Bar Association and the Ninth Judicial
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