Top Best Family Lawyers | 21711 Available

I am a partner at Keefe & Brodie. I joined the firm in August 2006 immediately following her graduation from law school. I am a member of The Family Law Section of the American Bar Association and the Missouri Bar Association, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts. I am also a fellow with the American Acdemy of Adopton and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys.. I currently serve on the board of trustees for the Missouri Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and enjoy spending time with my husband and son, traveling and running.. I graduated cum laude from Missouri State University in 2003 and received my J.D. from St. Louis University in 2006, where I was a Dean’s Scholar. During law school I was active in the St. Louis University Legal Advocacy Clinic, Women’s Law Society, International Law Society and was a finalist for the David Grant Excellence in Clinical Representation Award.

I am a solo practitioner managing a varied general practice emphasizing the areas of Litigation, Transactional Matters, Administrative Proceedings, Landlord and Tenant, Personal Injury Law, Matrimonial and Family Law, Real Estate, General Legal and other Civil Matters.. I have extensive experience handling complex personal injury, toxic tort, including lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases, birth injury cases.. I am a "hands on" attorney who is personally involved in each case from intake, investigation, pleadings, discovery court conferences, depositions, motions, oral arguments, summary judgment motions, and all litigation up to trial.. It is my pleasure and my pride that other attorneys have the confidence and trust in me to retain me to handle their matters.. I have handled and continue to handle matters in all of the downstate counties of New York State.  I have handles cases from Orange County to Suffolk County.

I believe in mediating separations and divorces; both because as a lawyer I have been involved in too many battles where winning is losing and the children suffer the most. Sadly, I have also experienced divorce on a personal level.. Ask anyone who has been through a terrible divorce this question. If you could do it all over, would you choose a court battle or mediation? The answer will almost always be a mediation. So if you are at the beginning, choose the humane, far less expensive and far, far less damaging alternative. My goal of my practice as a lawyer is that people in conflict can resolve their disputes peacefully. Most important, this resolution needs to also preserving the dignity of each individual, and take into account the needs of both parties.. I have been practicing law for 40 years, and I have learned a few things during that time. Being a lawyer is not a job, it’s a profession, and it’s one that I take seriously. We are sometimes called lawyers, but often called a lot worse. We are also known as counselors. I have seen and encountered many situations over the years, and I am now confident in my role as a counselor in addition to being an attorney.. I don’t mean that you lie on a couch in my office. What I mean is that I can guide my clients through the maze known as the law. Information is your best tool. I treat every client like my practice depends on their personal satisfaction. If you’re visiting this site for the first time, you’re likely searching for a way to divorce that is humane and fair. If that is what you are seeking, it is fair to assume you might already be in a stressful, discouraging situation. When I look at a client, I recognize the fear and helplessness in the eyes that look back. I know that good people often fall into bad circumstances.. I want to help you. I have pride in my work and can say with assurance that I always return phone calls in a timely manner. I am flexible and work around the clock. I am committed to helping all my clients get through a very difficult period in their lives.. Let me offer you a little about my own personal history. I am a first-generation American, born to parents who fled Europe on the heels of the rise of Nazi Germany. My parents never took the value of human life for granted; they taught me that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect.. I graduated from Bronx Science High School, Queens College, and the University of Richmond Law School. I made my way into the Bar after passing the Bar exam the first time I took it. I have been in practice since 1983. In my career, I have had a wide general practice with a special interest in issues related to Family Law. My general practice also spans a wide range of issues, such as Real Estate, Bankruptcy, Wills and Estates.. In my practice as a Mediator, I work as a team with my wife, Jacqueline Kaufman who is a trained therapist with many years of experience. Our goal is to make this process as smooth and easy as possible under the circumstances. Call me, and I will be happy to hear from you.

The families I work with are facing some of the most difficult, emotional, and high-stress moments of their lives. It’s this understanding that helps me see them through to the other side of their situation, using my deep courtroom experience and legal skills to handle property settlement and separation agreements, manage nuanced financial issues, and address related matters. I’m also part of the Fourth Department’s Attorney for the Child panel, where I represent children in both family and supreme court matters—a role that has given me significant insight into the needs of children and families, particularly in cases involving child custody and domestic violence.