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Biography

Marcy L. Wachtel has been with the firm’s matrimonial and family law department since 1985, as a partner since 1990. Marcy has practiced exclusively in the matrimonial and family law field since her graduation from law school in 1982. She has litigated at the trial and appellate levels in New York State, as well as in the courts of Connecticut and New Jersey. The matrimonial department’s matters include contested equitable distribution/divorce cases involving substantial and complex marital estates, child custody matters, paternity proceedings, and pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements.

In addition to representing individual clients, Marcy has developed and trademarked ConsensUs®, an alternative dispute resolution process. In the ConsensUs® process the firm represents the couple in various contexts: post-nuptial agreements, paternity proceedings, trial separation and divorce.

Marcy and the attorneys in the matrimonial and family law department are experienced litigators who have been “in the trenches” on cutting-edge issues, but who have concluded that a settlement-oriented approach is generally the best path to resolution for the firm’s clients. Marcy has settled without a trial an extremely high percentage of the matters she has handled -- regardless of how contentious the dispute may have begun. Marcy has represented many clients in the public arena; the protection of these clients’ privacy is a top priority. Marcy is a Certified Law Guardian in child custody and access matters in the First Judicial Department.

Recent Publications & Presentations

Member of the Board of Editors of The New York Family Law Monthly

A Clarion Call to Eradicate the Doctrine of Constructive Emancipation, Family Law Review, Winter 2018.

Honesty Issues and Imputed Income, The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2013 and January 2014

Pre-nupitis – Diagnosis and Treatment, When Business Interests are Valued Subsequent to the Date of Commencement, The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2012 and January 2013

Court of Appeals Update 2008, The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2010

Equitable Distribution of the Appreciation in Value of Separately Owned Residences, The New York Family Law Monthly, January 2009

Support Modification Overview and Update, The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2008, January 2009

How the Courts Handle Equitable Distribution, The New York Family Law Monthly, July, August 2007

Creating Parental Access Plans, The New York Family Law Monthly, February, 2007

Understanding Equitable Distribution (an analysis of the capitalization of excess earnings valuation methodology), The New York Family Law Monthly, November, 2003

How to Challenge the Forensic Psychiatrist’s Report, The New York Family Law Monthly, March and April, 2003

Claims that can Arise from the Non-Marital Domestic Relationship, The New York Family Law Monthly, May and June, 2002

Formulating the Budget, Fairshare, April 1998, reprinted in The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2001

Deposition Preparedness Guidelines, Fairshare, June 1993, reprinted in The New York Family Law Monthly, December 2001

Ten Likely Areas of Inquiry During Deposition on Financial Issues, Fairshare, December 1993, reprinted in The New York Family Law Monthly, October 2001

Prenuptial Agreements: Divorce Insurance, The Alert, December 1998

Finding Direction Away from the Pain of Dissolution, The Recorder, June 28, 1993

Author: Divorce Counseling: For the Sake of the Child, Legal Times, May 24, 1993

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