Family · New York
Top Family Lawyers in New York
Family lawyers advise on relationships and children: custody and parenting time, child support, adoption, guardianship and domestic-violence protection. This list compares 64 family lawyers practising in New York on verified licences, years in this area, focus and sourced reputation.
- Updated 19 Oct 2026
- Ranking v1.0.0
- How we rank
- lawyers considered
- 64
- 34 verified licences
- 53%
- average years in practice
- 12
The ranking
Score out of 100- 1
Maria Dunmore
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Linden & Calder LLP33 yrs in practice4.8(23)FamilySpeaks English, Urdu
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Olivia Delgado
Out of dateSenior Associate
Vance & Granger LLP30 yrs in practice4.8(25)FamilyBusinessDivorce+1 more - 6
Thomas Calloway
VerifiedFounding Attorney
17 yrs in practice4.8(14)FamilyBusinessCriminal DefenseSpeaks English, Russian
- 7
Felix L. Kowalski
VerifiedManaging Partner
Harrow Law Group18 yrs in practiceFamilyChild CustodyPersonal InjurySpeaks English, Urdu
- 8
- 9
Vivian Lindqvist
VerifiedOf Counsel
Linden & Calder LLP11 yrs in practice4.3(12)FamilyChild CustodyDivorce - 10
- 11
- 12
Jonah Brennan
VerifiedAssociate
Linden & Marlow LLP32 yrs in practice3.6(7)Estate PlanningChild CustodyFamily - 13
Aisha Chen
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Prescott & Hale LLP11 yrs in practice3.3(6)FamilySpeaks English, Portuguese, French
- 14
Omar Ramirez
VerifiedPartner
Sterling & Fairfax LLP31 yrs in practice5.0(4)EmploymentFamilyImmigrationSpeaks English, Mandarin
- 15
Nadia M. Rourke
Out of datePrincipal Lawyer
22 yrs in practice3.7(3)FamilyEstate PlanningPersonal Injury - 16
Felix Whitaker
VerifiedManaging Partner
Kensington & Thorne LLP17 yrs in practice4.5(15)DivorceBusinessFamilySpeaks English, Urdu
- 17
- 18
Chloe Vasquez
VerifiedFounding Attorney
Prescott & Merritt LLP1 yrs in practice4.7(10)FamilyImmigrationSpeaks English, Tagalog
- 19
- 20
Anika Ortega
Out of dateFounding Attorney
Sterling & Wyatt LLP26 yrs in practice4.4(18)Personal InjuryChild CustodyEmployment+1 moreSpeaks English, Hindi
- 21
Benjamin Kowalski
VerifiedAssociate
Prescott & Merritt LLP3.3(9)FamilyDivorceEstate PlanningSpeaks English, Spanish
- 22
- 23
- 24
Helena S. Ortega
VerifiedAssociate
Kensington Law Group28 yrs in practice4.2(3)DivorceChild CustodyFamily - 25
Clara Stavros
VerifiedPartner
Prescott & Calder LLP22 yrs in practice4.4(20)EmploymentChild CustodyCriminal Defense+1 moreSpeaks English, Hindi
How we rank
Each lawyer gets nine component scores from 0 to 100. The bar shows how many of the 100 available points each component contributed. Weights are fixed for every lawyer in this list and published in full; payment plays no part.
Expertise50%
- Credentials20%
- Relevant experience15%
- Specialization15%
Standing35%
- Verified reputation15%
- Professional recognition10%
- Relevant track record10%
Service & data15%
- Client experience5%
- Profile & data quality5%
- Data freshness5%
New York legal resources
- New York State Bar Association
Statewide bar association; lawyer referral and public resources.
- New York City Bar Association
Legal referral service and free legal clinics.
- New York State Unified Court System
Court information, forms and the attorney registration search.
Choosing a family lawyer
Family cases are often decided by local judges with wide discretion, so local courtroom experience matters. Ask whether the lawyer offers mediation or collaborative law, and how they keep children out of the conflict. Confirm who on the team will actually handle your file day to day.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a family lawyer and a divorce lawyer?
Divorce is one part of family law. Family lawyers also handle custody between unmarried parents, adoption, guardianship and protection orders.
Can custody arrangements be changed later?
Usually yes, if circumstances change significantly. The court applies the best interests of the child when deciding whether to modify an order.