Skilled Long Island Lawyers for Settling Divorce Out of Court

Aggressive negotiations solidify fair terms and limit regrets down the road

There are many advantages to settling your divorce out of court. You can save time and the expense of court hearings on various issues. But if you settle on subpar terms, you could wind up costing yourself in the long run. At Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C., we want you to have all the benefits of a settlement without any buyer’s remorse. We negotiate firmly, protecting your interests, and we never recommend compromise when we think you can do better taking the issue to court. We realize that divorce can be arduous, but settling just to “be nice” or to “get it done” is never in your interest. You can trust our experienced New York divorce attorneys to fight, whether at the bargaining table or in court, to deliver the best possible results.

How to achieve a divorce settlement in New York

There is no one path towards an uncontested divorce settlement. Some couples negotiate a settlement before either party even files for divorce, others finalize details in the divorce mediation process, while some settle their cases in the middle of trial. The process varies according to many factors, including:

  • Cooperation of the spouses — Some couples retain a level of civility and respect that allows them to negotiate in good faith through their attorneys. But some spouses have difficulty controlling their emotions and deliberately drag out proceedings to raise the cost of divorce to hurt the other party.
  • Agreement on parenting issues — Child custody is one of the most contentious issues in divorce. The more parents agree on how and where their children should be raised, the easier it is to forge a parenting plan.
  • Size of the marital estate — High-net-worth couples are more likely than couples of modest means to have disagreements over the equitable distribution of their property.
  • Pre-existing marital agreement — A prenuptial or postnuptial agreement that has already settled numerous ancillary issues can facilitate negotiations on the remaining items.
  • Quality of legal representation — The more experience and competence the attorneys have, the more smoothly and professionally negotiations can progress. Of course, you have to make sure that your attorney can match your spouse’s attorney, or talks may progress rapidly but in the wrong direction for you.

The most important thing is for you and your attorney to enter into negotiations with clear, realistic goals in mind. When you know what you’re trying to achieve, talks have somewhere to go. At Salamone & Associates, we spend the time necessary to get to know your objectives and craft a strategy for delivering positive results. It’s often possible to quickly negotiate a fair divorce settlement for a low-cost divorce. Other times, parties need to choose mediation vs. fighting the issues out in court. When you choose our firm, you get reliable advice for making these decisions and capable representation for pursuing your goals.

Never negotiate a divorce settlement without legal representation

A divorce settlement is a contract, and you are within your rights to freely negotiate and sign. But negotiating an agreement without experienced legal assistance is never a good idea. Legal language has consequences you may not fully appreciate, and contracts need contingency clauses for events you might not foresee. You might have the idea that since you negotiated informally, you can always amend the agreement the same way. However, once the court approves your agreement, it has the force of the law behind it. Nothing obligates your spouse, who may have gotten the better of the bargain, to renegotiate with you. If your terms prove burdensome, you’ll have to get a new court order to fix things. But unless you show that your circumstances have changed significantly, the court is unlikely to tinker with an existing order.

Don’t get stuck with a divorce settlement you’ll regret. Our attorneys can negotiate and draft an agreement that protects your rights.

Hire divorce settlement attorneys who negotiate to win. Don't wait. Call us today.

Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C. is well-known for aggressive divorce representation, which gives us leverage to negotiate successful settlement agreements. To schedule a free initial consultation, you can call 1.631.479.3839 or contact our office online. But if you’re ready to get your case started, pick up the phone!