Moriarty & Dee, Attorneys in Buffalo, New York specializing in matrimonial and employment law.

Erie County Courthouse,
Buffalo, New York

Firm Policy:
The goal of our office is to provide courteous, competent, professional service to our clients. We are well qualified to represent you in matrimonial matters, and we pledge to you the best result that can be obtained by hard work and ethical representation.

Just a few words about our firm. We limit our practice to divorce, custody, family and employment law. Our firm of nine people-three lawyers and six support staff--is dedicated to producing maximum results for you.

At this point, a few words on the philosophy of our firm in handling matrimonial matters is in order.

Let us begin by noting we fully support efforts toward reconciliation. If any any time during the course of your action, you feel the need to reconsider your decision for divorce or separation, please do not hesitate to advise us of your desire not to proceed. If you wish, we can supply to the names of marital counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others who may be able to counsel with you with respect to reconciliation, divorce, custody, visitation and personal problems, or any other of the wide range of problems parties in the process of divorce or separation might experience.

With respect to counseling, please be aware that we are not marital counselors. Although many years of practicing law enable us to provide some answers, serious marital counseling problems are something for which we are not trained. If either you or we recognize the need for professional help, please do not hesitate to obtain it.

Our goal in handling your case is to resolve it well and quickly. Although the expeditious handling of a case requires the cooperation of both sides and the Courts, we work hard to move a case along in a speedy and efficient manner. We realize the toll litigation takes and the psychological burden it places on parties and children. You can be assured we will make every effort to resolve your matter at the earliest possible moment without sacrificing your interests.

Please note that our approach to matrimonial litigation will always be to act in such a way as to not make a bad situation worse. We will always conduct ourselves in a civilized, courteous manner and conduct negotiations in such a way as to make every effort to defuse tensions, avoid hostility, and maximize the ability of the parties and lawyers to arrive at a fair and reasonable settlement. It is our belief, supported by numerous studies and our own experience, that a negotiated agreement between the parties serves both parties best because it allows the parties to "fine tune" matters between themselves in a way the Courts are often unable to do, and it is always prudent to work out a settlement if at all possible.

However, there are times when settlement cannot be reached despite the best efforts of attorneys and clients. In our experience, this is less than five percent of the time. Settlement may be impossible to achieve for a number of reasons including the unrealistic expectations of the parties, disputes as to the facts or the law, the existence of novel and as yet undecided issues, or the desire on the part of the party to deny a divorce to the spouse. In those instances where trial is necessary , we are well qualified to represent you. Our ability to try cases when necessary allows us to negotiate from a position of strength.

Clients often ask whether being in litigation prevents discussion of settlement. Settlement discussions can take place at any time--before, during or even after trial in some instances. Ordinarily, it is better to conduct settlement negotiations after an action has been commenced in order to have the advantage of disclosure and discovery devices and so that the time spent in negotiations is not lost in the event settlement is not achieved. This is a tactical position that depends on the facts and circumstances of your case, however, and we will advise you if we feel your case should proceed otherwise. Settlement discussions may take place at the courthouse or at the attorneys' offices, and may be conducted with or without clients. Some clients wish to take an active part in settlement discussions and wish to be present at all times; some clients prefer to leave all matters to the attorneys or prefer to minimize contact with a spouse. Please advise us of your feelings about participating and we will proceed accordingly.

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