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Lawyers Make Things Worse!

June 14, 2021 By Joy Rosenthal

“Lawyers make things worse!” I sometimes say to my clients.  “They can take people who are this far apart,” I say with my hands about 4 inches away from each other, “and make them this far apart by the time they’re through!” continuing with my hands still facing each other but my arms stretched about 3 feet away. This may seem like blasphemy coming from a lawyer!  And I mean no disrespect to my colleagues – but it’s part of … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Divorce, General, Negotiation Tagged With: divorce, law, lawyers, negotiating

Being a Guide

November 6, 2019 By Joy Rosenthal

moonlit path

This weekend, I saw the movie, Harriet, a riveting film about Harriet Tubman. We know the basics of the story — that she not only escaped slavery herself but kept going back down south, facing incredible danger, to help others make the journey to freedom. But seeing her life enacted onscreen (albeit a Hollywood version) gives the viewer a visceral sense of what it looked and felt like — I was riveted the whole time and went back to see … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Collaborative Process, Mediation, Mindfulness, Negotiation Tagged With: Couples separating, Divorce Process, Harriet the movie, Harriet Tubman

Power to the People!

September 12, 2019 By Joy Rosenthal

Close up.business partners give each other a fist.

A big change is coming to the New York State court system. Starting this fall, all New York State courts will work on a system of “presumptive mediation,” which means that it will be assumed that every civil case filed can be resolved using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) e.g. mediation, arbitration or early neutral evaluation. Instead of having to opt in – to affirmatively decide to mediate — parties may opt out. Think of the difference between being presumed innocent … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Divorce, Mediation, Negotiation, Nonviolence Tagged With: Abby Tolchinsky, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), arbitration, early neutral evaluation, Ellie Wertheim, Family Law, mediation, New York State courts, presumptive mediation

What Happens in the Mediation Room?

July 11, 2019 By Joy Rosenthal

What Happens in the Mediation Room? by Joy Rosenthal

I ask both parties to come in for an introductory meeting when they inquire about divorce mediation. I am not a fancy person. I look professional, but I don’t often wear suits in the office. I try not to use big words, and to explain things in English, rather than legalese. I don’t think my job is to scare clients — in fact, I try to reassure them that they can get through the process, because they can. And our … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Divorce, Families, Mediation, Negotiation Tagged With: Deciding to Divorce, divorce mediation, mediation, Mediation Process, Mediator

R-E-S-P-E-C-T — Find Out What it Means to Me!

August 22, 2018 By Joy Rosenthal

R-E-S-P-E-C-T — Find Out What it Means to Me! by Joy Rosenthal

I write this just days after the death of the infamous Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Hers was the voice of a generation — my generation — but she meant so much more. While it is difficult to imagine a world without her, I am grateful for her music, which will live on. From my perspective, Aretha’s most influential song was “Respect,” written by Otis Redding. As Wesley Morris wrote in her obituary, she turned the song — and the … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Collaborative Process, Cultural Competence, Divorce, Happiness, Marriage, Mediation, Mindfulness, Negotiation, Nonviolence Tagged With: Aretha Franklin, Dignity, Donna Hicks, Respect

Collaborative Law: A Different Way to Divorce

November 15, 2016 By Joy Rosenthal

            The media often portray divorce with ex-spouses lawyered up as courtroom adversaries — the same folks who once pledged to hold each other through better or worse now as mortal enemies fighting over the turf of their children’s hearts and minds. Going through a divorce can be a challenging, trying process. The reality is that divorce is usually much more complicated and nuanced.  Most clients I see are sad and confused and grieving and tender and thoughtful and hurt … read more »

Filed Under: Children, Clients, Collaborative Process, Divorce, General Tagged With: children, collaborative process, common ground, compassion, custody, divorce, win-win

Divorce — Many Separations

February 16, 2016 By Joy Rosenthal

Divorce is a long process of transforming your family from one unit into two. There are actually several kinds of separation occurring during this process. The first stage is the emotional separation. One or both of you may feel detached, alone or disconnected – for some reason, the unit is no longer functioning the way you had hoped or expected that it would. The feeling of “living together alone” may be real at this point. Then there is the physical … read more »

Filed Under: Children, Clients, Collaborative Process, Divorce, Families Tagged With: compassion, divorce, stages of divorce

NYS Same Sex Marriage – It’s Complicated!

January 12, 2012 By Joy Rosenthal

Today I led a workshop for the Family & Divorce Mediation Council (of Greater NY) with fellow Board members Teresa Calabrese, Katie Cole and  Mark Josephson on what the new law permitting same-sex marriage means in NY.  On one hand, it is a huge victory and an important step in creating civil rights for LGBT couples.   On the other hand, it is a legal tangle. As of this writing, only 6 states (plus DC) issue marriage licenses to same sex … read more »

Filed Under: Child Support, Clients, Cultural Competence, Divorce, Families, LGBT, Marriage, Mediation, Prenuptial

Today’s Families

June 19, 2011 By Joy Rosenthal

There are several articles in today’s NYTimes that reflect a change in today’s families, on this Father’s Day, 2011: A front page article about President Obama’s evolving views of gay marriage. Baby Makes 4, And Complications – A long and very personal portrait of a Park Slope mother, child, sperm donor/father and his partner. How Divorce Lost Its Groove, about the attitudes young people have toward divorce, and how they are trying to make it gentler on their kids — … read more »

Filed Under: Clients, Families, Happiness, LGBT, Marriage, Mediation, Mindfulness Tagged With: Barack Obama, caregiving, children, collaborative process, common ground, compassion, divorce, estate mediation, family, honesty, inclusivity, law, marriage, mediation, understanding

Congratulations!

January 5, 2011 By Joy Rosenthal

Congratulations to our client, Nora Olsen, who just published her first novel, The End: Five Queer Kids Save the World.  She calls it “a hyper-realistic story of a group of teenagers who travel through time to prevent a nuclear war.”  A sci-fi LGBT young adult novel —  very cutting edge, very cool!!

Filed Under: Clients, General, LGBT Tagged With: children, client success, planning, science fiction, teens

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Rosenthal Law & Mediation
212.532.4704

Joy S. Rosenthal, Esq.
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