Columbia County Family Lawyers

Kelly M. Curro has been a practicing Attorney for 23 years. She has varied experience in the general practice of law including civil litigation, criminal defense, real estate and business matters. Her active practice in the area of Matrimonial and Family Law benefits from her varied legal background to best serve the diverse needs of her clients. Ms. Curro represents clients in divorce, separation, custody, paternity, child and spousal support, property distribution, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and post-divorce issues such as enforcement and modification. Her goal is to assist clients to achieve clear and practical resolutions during...

Tammy J. Arquette, Esq. has been practicing law in the Capital District and..beyond, including Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, Rensselaer, Schoharie, Fulton and Montgomery Counties for over 20 years. Tammy J. Arquette is an experienced trial attorney, practicing primarily in the areas of divorce law, matrimonial law, family law, child custody, child support, paternity, separation agreements, and adoptions. Tammy J Arquette is also experienced in the areas of consumer bankruptcy law, vehicle and traffic law, DWI law, Real Estate including the purchase and sale of residential real estate, and criminal law.

After joining my firm in 1989, I became chairman of the department in 1992 and shortly thereafter a member of the law firm. I have administered the litigation department and handled the majority of the litigation files from inception to completion, including all the major litigation files in the office. The practice has involved representation for institutional and private clients in a number of areas of law. I have handled cases in both Federal and State Courts. Among the areas of law covered by the firm's litigation practice are the following: personal...

Terence E. Shanley attended Loyola University in Rome, Italy and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross. He received his law degree from Columbia University Law School. He is admitted to practice in all of the federal and state trial and appellate courts in New York State. He was a member of the Committee on Character and Fitness, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. Mr. Shanley is a member of the Rensselaer County, Albany County, and New York State Bar Associations. In addition he has been member of the Collaborative...

John A. Pappalardo is a Partner in the law firm of Farber, Pappalardo & Carbonari. He has been an active matrimonial practitioner for 32 years handling moderate to very complex litigation involving matrimonial and family law cases. He oversees a very experienced matrimonial department. He also has a private matrimonial mediation practice, is certified in matrimonial collaborative law, sits as a matrimonial arbitrator, and is New York State Certified as an attorney representing children. He has served as Guardian Ad Litem in matrimonial proceedings and is admitted to the State and Federal Bar in New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts....

Julie Rendelman began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County, Brooklyn, where she investigated and prosecuted hundreds of criminal cases and quickly earned a reputation as a tough and tenacious trial attorney. While in the office, Julie was lead counsel in over 60 felony jury trials that involved a wide variety of crimes, from drug offenses to sex crimes to homicides. Julie quickly rose to the level of Senior Trial Attorney and was eventually promoted to the elite Homicide Bureau where she became the Deputy Bureau Chief.

Additionally, while working as a prosecutor, Julie also...

David Badanes Esq. - Distinguished Long Island divorce lawyer and family law attorney serving Nassau and Suffolk counties. Concentrating in divorce, contested divorce, uncontested divorce, divorce mediation, matrimonial & family law and criminal defense. The Badanes Law Office is committed to providing optimal representation, while exceeding his clients’ expectations. He represents clients in Suffolk County, Nassau County and the New York City area with offices in Northport, Suffolk County and Uniondale, Nassau County.

Free consultations available.

Associations: Suffolk County Bar Association, Nassau County Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Suffolk County Matrimonial Committee, Nassau County Matrimonial Committee, Suffolk County Criminal...

Attorney David Bliven graduated with honors from Syracuse University in 1993 with a B.A. in Sociology. He went on to serve as a judicial intern and statistician with the NYS Commission on City Court Judicial Reallocation with the Office of the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge.

David Bliven then attended law school at New York Law School, where he graduated with honors and ranked within the top 15% of his class.

He then worked in private practice for a year, doing mostly matrimonial work, before serving as a prosecutor for nearly 3 years with the NYC Administration for Children's Services. There he prosecuted...

I was admitted to practice law in 1994, and since then the bulk of my practice has been focused on matrimonial and divorce law, appeals and closely related areas such as foreclosure defense.

My approach in representing clients is straightforward. Good people sometimes find themselves in bad situations, and people come to lawyers for solutions. That means whenever possible, negotiating a fair agreement is often the best route. Nevertheless, agreements, negotiations, litigation and appeals are only the tools used to obtain these answers. By taking a broader holistic approach, it allows me to see solutions that others may miss.

Reaching a fair...

Stephen Bilkis graduated from Touro Law School in 1997. Soon after he passed the bar exam of New York and established the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates. In over 20 years of practice, Mr. Bilkis has successfully represented scores of clients throughout Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester County, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Long Island, and Staten Island in matters related to personal injury, probate law, criminal law, and family law.

Mr. Bilkis strongly believes that each client is unique and each case is different. His solutions are never “one size fits all.” He prides himself...

Prior to opening up his own firm, Sam represented the NYC Administration for Children’s Services in all family court child protective proceedings, including conducting hundreds of trials and contested hearings; drafting motions, pleadings, and other legal documents; and negotiating settlements for his clients. Sam is also working as an Associate Attorney at Ezdrin & Woods, P.C. in Syosset, NY. Sam received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and is admitted to practice law in both New York and New Jersey, including the United States District Courts for both the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. During law school, Sam worked...

Former prosecutor, who spent the last 27 years specializing in matrimonial and family law. An experienced mediator, Certified Divorce Specialist and collaborative divorce practitioner as well as a recognized expert in working with victims of domestic violence. I believe that legal battles are more harmful to families than helpful, and am passionate about helping people find ways to make their own decisions for their families, rather than leaving their outcomes in the hands of a stranger in a black robe. When court is unavoidable, I aim to educate and support people to make the legal process less costly, scary, uncertain,...

Shari R. Gordon, Esq.
www.sharigordonlaw.com - Experienced Divorce and Family Attorney.
Since 1986, Shari R. Gordon has been practicing law. Her offices are located in Yorktown Heights and White Plains, New York. The law firm concentrates in matrimonial litigation and divorce mediation and criminal defense. Shari is also admitted to the Eastern and Southern District Courts as well as the United States Supreme Court. In addition to her divorce and family law practice, Shari has an extensive background in criminal defense as a former Senior Staff Trial Counsel with the Criminal Defense Division, Bronx County. She...

I pride myself on being goal and solution oriented and bring that approach to the firm. Every matter presents its own challenges and I'm committed to overcoming them. My commitment is present from a client’s first contact with the firm to the conclusion of their respective matter. Whether it’s a contract review or a TN Visa, I'm thorough every step of the way. The firm currently handles contracts, business law, immigration and family. Currently, I am licensed in Ontario, Canada and New York State. In addition, I am a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator and a Notary Public in...

Howard E. Knispel has been practicing law since 1989, having graduated from Eisenhower College of World Studies of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in International Politics in 1981 and New York Law School in 1988 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence.

Howard concentrates his practice to Divorce, Family Law, Bankruptcy, Criminal, Traffic and DWI, Real Estate and Wills. Howard has conducted numerous trials, both jury and non-jury. Howard has negotiated and settled hundreds of divorce, custody and support matters.

Howard has helped many people get out from crippling debt to get a fresh start....

Manuel Portela Manuel@portelalaw.com Law School: The Washington College of Law at American University, Degree: JD 1990 Undergraduate School: Fordham University, 1986 Foreign Language: Spanish Manuel Portela Esq. is the founding partner of The Portela Law Firm, P.C. He specializes in Criminal Defense, Immigration, Family Law and Personal Injury. After graduating from Fordham University and American University Washington College of Law, Mr. Portela accepted an appointment as an Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney‘s Office in New York. During his tenure as an Assistant District Attorney, he received extensive training and instruction in the Criminal Court...

Peter Tilem’s legal career started in September of 1991 as an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, where he was assigned to the prosecution and investigation of hundreds, if not thousands, of criminal cases—including violent crimes, white collar crimes and homicides.

Since founding Tilem & Associates, PC, Mr. Tilem has continued to litigate in both state and federal courts and has continued his representation of clients involved in high-profile cases. Mr. Tilem appears regularly in the newspaper and on television concerning his representation in such cases and as a legal commentator. He is...

Joshua is a native of Herkimer County. After college, he served our country as a Marine Officer, achieved the rank of Captain, and served on three deployments to the Middle East. Following service in the Marines, Joshua attended the Thomas M. Cooley Law School where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2015. Joshua gives 100% to everything he does. Following a recent jury trial in the Village of Herkimer [Docket No. 17050159], Joshua's client was found not guilty on all counts which was the first misdemeanor acquittal in Herkimer County in...

I am a divorce mediator and attorney who works with clients as a neutral third party to assist them in achieving a mutually agreed upon settlement of divorce. My goal as a mediator is to provide my clients with information and a supportive environment that fosters mutual respect and that ends with the best results for both of the parties and their children. Having been through divorce mediation personally, I embrace the mediation process not only as a practitioner advocate, but also as a former client of mediation. This experience has given me the unique ability to understand...

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Boston University School of Law. During my career as an attorney, prior to my current solo practive, I have worked as a government regulatory trial attorney for the State Public Service Commission, an in house counsel for a Fortune 100 corporation, and as a partner or counsel for a several Albany and Syracuse based medium sized law firms. I am committed to helping people and small businesses with their legal problems at a reasonable, fixed "no surprises" rate not based on the common "hourly billing" model. I am...

Dennis R. Vetrano, Jr., a divorce and criminal defense lawyer in Duchess County, is the founder of the Law Office of Dennis R. Vetrano, Jr., LLC. At the firm, Attorney Vetrano offers those with family law concerns thorough and understanding legal representation. With 17 years of legal experience, he carries an ability to make a competent judgment of whether a client’s case should be negotiated or tried in the court of law. As a skilled negotiator and courtroom litigator, he can advocate for client interests’ in both contexts. Attorney Vetrano knows every divorce is unique, and his firm works...

I am a General Practice Attorney with over 30 years of experience, representing clients in Real Estate Closings, Real Estate Matters, Estate Proceedings (probate, administration, voluntary administration), Wills, Trusts and Estate Planning, Family Court representation (custody, visitation, child support, adoption), Divorce matters (including divorce mediation), Contracts, BusinessFormation, Accident and Personal Injury. I have successfully represented clients in Livingston, Ontario, Monroe, Steuben, Genesee, Allegany and all surrounding counties. I am a life-long resident of Livingston County and have extensive experience in all of the Courts. Having represented thousands of clients in real estate closings, especially in...

Licensed in New York and New Jersey, Kevin Abessi is a heavily credentialed attorney with a background that is tailored to handle the challenges of family and business. As a client-facing professional with deep academic and professional exposures to finance and investment, Kevin and Abessi Law are well-equipped to handle the sort of financial and business matters that are often at play with matters pertaining to divorce, spousal/child support, contract negotiation, estate planning, and so much more. Abessi Law understands that facilitating legal services is about more than just lawyering, which is why it endeavors to be just as well...