Negotiating Family Law Matters in New York

Buffalo lawyer helps settle marital disputes

Family law conflicts can be emotional and stressful, but they do not have to end up as expensive, drawn-out court battles. Often, issues such as property division in a divorce and orchestration of parenting time can best be resolved through negotiated settlements. At the Law Offices of Randy S. Margulis in Buffalo, our attorneys help Western New York residents achieve favorable outcomes by coming to terms at the negotiating table. 

Typical family law matters to negotiate

Typical family law matters that can be negotiated include:

• Terms of prenuptial or postnuptial agreements
• Dividing property in separation or divorce 
• What happens to business interests in separation or divorce 
• How much spousal support will be paid and for how long
• Child custody and parenting time (the formal name for visitation)
• Child support payments

We will put our seasoned negotiating skills to work in seeking positive resolutions on the issues that are most important to you. 

Preparing for negotiation 

Negotiation is not a contest, but you can better your chances of a beneficial outcome by being prepared. There are some positive actions you can take to ready yourself for the session, such as gathering all documents relating to your assets and debts, having all important facts at your disposal and getting your thoughts together about what you would like to achieve. Go into the negotiations knowing that you must compromise and you won’t get everything you want. Compose yourself so that your emotions don’t get the better of you. Our attorney will represent you throughout the process, presenting your side in a spirit of conciliation but with insistence on protecting your rights. 

Setting goals when negotiating with a spouse

Successful negotiations take open communication, flexibility and compromise, which require thinking through your goals to decide what is most important for you to achieve. You should prioritize your goals and focus on them in order. Your attorney will ask your spouse’s attorney what they want and look for areas where they can be flexible. Perhaps something they really want has less importance for you or isn’t even on your list. If you can make a concession, they may be willing to give up something you want. 

Negotiating complex divorce matters 

Property division requires considerable give and take, especially for high-income couples with diverse financial assets. Negotiation may necessitate multiple sessions, since valuations and professional opinions may have to be sought. Alimony (formally known as spousal support) must be based on both spouses’ financial resources and employment capabilities, which can be contested. Disputes also can center on the relative advantages of lump sum or periodic payments. We have decades of experience negotiating in a low-conflict way to bring out satisfactory resolutions of the most complex issues.

Uncontested divorces may require negotiations

Couples who agree on every issue involved in ending the marriage can get an uncontested divorce, which is less time-consuming and costly than a divorce that goes to trial. They can have a settlement agreement drawn up stating the terms of the divorce. However, disputes sometimes arise when the spouses take a hard look at what they’re being asked to agree to. Negotiations can iron out these issues. The spouses can also opt for family law mediation, where neutral third party helps resolve differences. 

Contact an effective Buffalo family law negotiator 

The Law Offices of Randy S. Margulis in Buffalo assists Western New York residents in negotiating satisfactory outcomes in the full range of family legal disputes. Call 716-886-9600 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.