Ever since the Marriage Equality Act became law in 2011, we have frequently recommended that same-sex couples consult an attorney before marrying and having children. A case recently decided in Nassau County points to yet another reason to do so, and to some inequities in the law that same-sex couples still face. The NY Times […]

When same sex marriages first became legal, a small niche wedding industry began to pop up catering to this new market segment. Many of their sites were “basic, forthright, earnest and earthy — the web equivalent of Birkenstocks” according to a recent article in the New York Times. The Times article continues: “in the more […]

The recent progress in the legal rights of same sex couples isn’t a direct and inevitable path to equality as evidenced in New York after Brooklyn’s Surrogate’s Court judge, Margarita López Torres, a long-time proponent of LGBTQ rights, ruled that the same assumption of parentage held by heterosexual married couples now translates to same sex […]

The college financial aid application process is beginning to make more sense for LGBTQ families! Finally, some much needed assistance from The US Department of Education regarding the onerous college financial aid application, commonly known as the FAFSA. If college applications are looming for your family, the new FAFSA announcement will be welcome news. Beginning […]

Although existing family law is slowly attempting to get up to speed regarding same sex couples, many complicated situations remain. Suffolk County family court judge, Teresa Whelan’s recent decision in Estrellita A. v Jennifer D. may just be the first nail in the Alison D. coffin, a 1991 case where the court held that a […]

As same sex marriage has become legal in more states, unfortunately, divorce between LGBTQ couples is now also on the rise. Too often, traditional litigated divorces become quite adversarial, making a painful situation even more bitter. In contrast, alternative dispute models such as collaborative law and mediation are better options for any divorcing couples, but […]

Partner Carol Buell and Dr. Robert Raymond, a clinical psychologist in private practice and a collaborator with Ms. Buell in LGBTQ collaborative practice will discuss the role of Collaborative Law and Mediation Techniques in same sex divorces and domestic partnership dissolutions. The program entitled “Creating and Dissolving LGBTQ Families and Relationships using Collaborative Law: Encouraging […]

In another ruling favoring marriage equality, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled yesterday (Oct. 18, ’12) that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was unconstitutional and could not be used to deny benefits to married same sex couples. The ruling on the matter Windsor v. United States cited “In re Estate of […]

The New York Post headline screams on October 1, 2012: “Judge rejects birth mother and gives custody to partner” and the article claims that it is the first such New York State case involving a same sex couple. Is this news? I think so, but perhaps not for the reason you might think. I don’t […]