Rosenthal Law & Mediation
  • About Us
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
212.532.4704

We're here for
your family.

  • Work With Joy
    • Divorce Mediation
    • Collaborative Law
    • Review / Consulting
    • Prenuptial Agreements
  • Learn With Joy
    • Free Webinars
    • Landing On Your Feet
  • Calculator
  • Free Divorce and Family Law Resources
  • Contact
internal-main-image-divorce

Finally, A Better Definition of Family

September 21, 2016 By Joy Rosenthal

New York’s highest court, the New York State Court of Appeals, made a long overdue and unquestionably important decision last month—that a de facto parent who is not a biological or adoptive parent has standing to petition for custody and visitation. This comes up in the context of same-sex relationships where one parent is related to the child biologically, where the parents have raised the children together but are not married.  The issue is whether, if they break up, the … read more »

Filed Under: Caregiving, Children, Divorce, Families, LGBT Tagged With: children, compassion, conflict, court, custody, divorce, family, gay, lesbian, LGBT, marriage

How History is Written

April 8, 2016 By Joy Rosenthal

I just read a beautiful tribute to the late Hon. Judith Kaye (1938-2016), who was the much respected and beloved Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals of the State of New York.  The tribute was written by Roberta Kaplan, Esq., who represented Edith Windsor in US vs Windsor, the landmark Supreme Court case that, overnight, extended equal rights of gay and lesbian Americans in unprecedented ways.  Ms. Kaplan recently remembered Judge Kaye at a dinner for Le-Gal, the LGBT … read more »

Filed Under: Adoption, Children, Families, LGBT Tagged With: family, gay, law, lesbian, LGBT

Same Sex Married Couples Still Need Second Parent Adoptions

June 2, 2015 By Joy Rosenthal

I have written about this before, and it is still true – same sex couples still need second parent adoptions even though they are legally married. New York’s Appellate Division Second Department made this clear their May 2015 decision, Matter of Paczkowski. The case is about a lesbian couple who was married and had a child together during the marriage.  The non-biological mom had not adopted their child. The couple later broke up, and she filed for joint custody, arguing … read more »

Filed Under: Adoption, Children, Families, LGBT, Marriage Tagged With: Adoption, children, family, gay, law, lesbian, LGBT

Busy week!

November 21, 2014 By Joy Rosenthal

It’s been a busy week – I was on a panel at CUNY School of Law about Contemplative Lawyering and alternatives to litigating on Monday. On Wednesday I was a panel at Cardozo Law School about mediating with non-traditional families. And today I published an article on FamilyAffaires.com about why second parent adoptions are still needed even when the same-sex parents are married.  They say that if  you love what you do, it never feels like work.  So true. I’m … read more »

Filed Under: Adoption, Families, LGBT Tagged With: Adoption, collaborative process, lesbian, LGBT

Second Parent Adoptions are Still Necessary!

June 17, 2014 By Joy Rosenthal

The NY Times’ Motherlode blog ran an article today about 2nd parent adoptions, and Judge Lopez Torres’ recent decision to deny a petition for such when the adoptive parents were married. Here is my comment (which they also published): I am an attorney who does second parent adoptions. I have completed and filed several such adoptions in New York State since Judge Lopez Torres’ decision was published – parallel courts recognize them as still being necessary. While Judge Lopez Torres’ … read more »

Filed Under: Adoption, Caregiving, Families, General, LGBT Tagged With: Adoption, children, family, gay, lesbian, LGBT

Can a child have 3 parents?

October 13, 2013 By Joy Rosenthal

We all know that a child can only have 2 biological parents – a man and a woman.  But we also know that biology is only a small part of the story.   Every child is connected to more adults – as they say, “it takes a village to raise a child.”   Many children are actually being raised by more than 2 parents — step parents, grandparents, friends and partners can play an important role in the financial and emotional … read more »

Filed Under: Caregiving, Child Support, Children, Families, General, LGBT Tagged With: children, custody, divorce, family, finances, inclusivity, lesbian, LGBT, marriage, parents

DOMA and the States

July 10, 2013 By Joy Rosenthal

There is no doubt that the Supreme Court’s recent decision regarding the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was historic, and will forever change the lives for millions of same-sex couples and their families. There are over 1,100 federal benefits now available to married same sex couples that were previously only available to married heterosexual couples. But DOMA is not entirely deceased. There were 2 parts to DOMA – the part that remains intact is the part that says that states … read more »

Filed Under: Children, Estate Planning, Families, LGBT, Marriage, Travel Tagged With: Adoption, law, lesbian, LGBT, marriage, planning, wills

The Dreaded Pre-nup

February 18, 2013 By Joy Rosenthal

Lately, I have had a few clients who have come to me asking for a prenuptial agreement because their parents insisted that they have one. Prenups used to be thought of only for the rich and famous.  But they are becoming much more common, and are losing some of their stigma.  When should you consider having a pre-nup?  Here are some common examples when a pre-nup can be helpful.  If: You are part of a family business, and you want … read more »

Filed Under: Collaborative Process, Divorce, LGBT, Marriage, Mediation, Negotiation, Prenuptial Tagged With: children, collaborative process, common ground, compassion, conflict, family, gay, lesbian, LGBT, marriage

In the News

April 1, 2012 By Joy Rosenthal

Three articles have caught my eye this week, because I provide all 3 services.  This is why I love my varied practice — all geared toward helping families through their many transiations! The New York Law Journal published an article (in which I am featured!) by colleagues Ellie Wertheim and Abby Tolchinsky entitled Elder Mediation Addresses Range of Family Decisions, explaining that often, mediation can address important issues that the law cannot. The New York Times article, If ‘Forever’ Doesn’t … read more »

Filed Under: Children, Divorce, Elder Mediation, Elder Mediation, Estate Planning, Families, General, LGBT, Prenuptial Tagged With: collaborative process, common ground, elder mediation, family, health, lesbian, LGBT, mediation, planning, pre-nup

Will the law catch up?

July 4, 2011 By Joy Rosenthal

The papers have been rife with stories this week about New York’s new law allowing same-sex marriage.  It couldn’t have come at a more poignant time – 2 days before Gay Pride day.  People have described the mood there as unadulterated joy – one friend even told me, “I haven’t experienced anything like that since the March on Washington” — meaning the 1963 march in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his “I Have a Dream” speech.  It is … read more »

Filed Under: Cultural Competence, Divorce, Families, General, LGBT, Marriage, Prenuptial Tagged With: children, common ground, custody, divorce, family, gay, hope, inclusivity, law, lesbian, LGBT, marriage

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Greetings from the law firm of Spin, Spin and Spin!
  • A Little Advice From Our Friends…
  • Advice needed! (and Happy New Year)

Recent Comments

  • Lauren Petkin on As I Live and Breathe…
  • Steve Abel on What’s Fair Is Fair… Or Is It?
  • Joy Rosenthal on Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Archives

How Can We Help You?

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

↑ Back to Top
Rosenthal Law & Mediation
212.532.4704

Joy S. Rosenthal, Esq.
226 Prospect Park West #156
Brooklyn, NY 11215

The information on this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney to obtain legal advice regarding your own situation.
Client Resources | Make a Payment | Disclaimer | Privacy
Website Design by Team of Horses | ©2010-2023 Rosenthal Law & Mediation