Divorce is messy, unpredictable and usually complex, but for professionals and executives in New York, the process carries unique challenges. Beyond the emotional toll, there are high-stakes financial, business, and reputational concerns. From dividing complex assets to protecting professional practices and ensuring discretion, affluent individuals need a divorce strategy that balances both personal and professional priorities.
As a medically trained divorce attorney, court-appointed mediator, and psychological strategist with more than 35 years of experience guiding New Yorkers through complex, high-asset divorces. My clients include executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, attorneys, and high-profile professionals who cannot afford costly mistakes or public exposure during a divorce.
Understanding the Unique Challenges of Executive Divorce
Executives and professionals face unique divorce challenges that differ from the average case:
- High-Value Asset Division: Complex compensation packages, stock options, restricted shares, or partnership stakes.
- Business Valuations: Protecting or dividing privately held companies or professional practices.
- Public Exposure: Court records are public; litigation can risk reputational harm.
- Demanding Careers: Time constraints and travel obligations complicate custody and negotiation.
- Privacy Concerns: Maintaining confidentiality for both personal and professional matters.
Below, I share my top divorce tips for professionals and executives to help you safeguard your wealth, career, and future.
1. Choose the Right Legal Strategy from the Start
Not every divorce belongs in a courtroom. For professionals with reputations to protect, mediation or negotiated settlements can provide privacy, speed, and control.
- Mediation allows couples to resolve disputes confidentially, without the publicity and hostility of litigation.
- Litigation may be necessary if the other spouse is uncooperative, but it should be approached strategically.
As both a litigator and mediator, I provide my clients with the flexibility to pursue either approach while ensuring their rights and assets are fully protected.
2. Protect Your Business or Professional Practice
For executives, business owners, and professionals, divorce isn’t just about splitting personal assets, it may involve valuing and protecting a business or practice.
Key considerations include:
- Business valuation and protecting future growth
- Safeguarding trade secrets, client lists, and intellectual property
- Structuring buyouts or settlements without disrupting operations
I work with financial experts, accountants, and business appraisers to ensure my clients’ professional lives remain intact during and after divorce. Some of the experts on my team provide free consultations as part of my very thorugh process.
3. Be Proactive About Financial Disclosure
New York law requires both parties to file a Statement of Net Worth, fully disclosing assets, debts, and income. For high-earning clients, this often involves:
- Multiple real estate properties
- Complex investment portfolios
- Stock options and executive compensation packages
- Retirement accounts and trusts
My role is to ensure full compliance with the law while designing strategies to protect wealth, minimize tax burdens, and maintain financial stability.
4. Consider Lifestyle and Spousal Support
Executives and professionals often have demanding careers and upscale lifestyles. During divorce, courts may examine:
- Income differences between spouses
- Standard of living established during the marriage
- Earning potential and future career opportunities
Whether you are seeking spousal support (maintenance) or negotiating to limit exposure, it is critical to develop a plan that is both fair and financially sustainable.
5. Protect Your Children and Custody Rights
For executives, travel schedules, long work hours, and public exposure can complicate custody arrangements. I help clients design parenting plans that balance children’s best interests with demanding professional obligations, while also addressing:
- Private schooling and extracurricular expenses
- International travel permissions
- Custody arrangements across multiple residences
My psychological training allows me to address custody disputes with sensitivity, while keeping the focus on the children’s well-being.
6. Maintain Privacy and Discretion
Public litigation can expose personal details, business finances, and even confidential information. For affluent professionals, reputation management is just as important as asset protection. Mediation and negotiated settlements offer the privacy that executives often require.
My practice emphasizes confidentiality, protecting both your family and your professional standing throughout the process.
7. Avoid Common Mistakes
Even highly accomplished professionals can make errors when navigating divorce. The most common include:
- Delaying action in hopes problems resolve themselves
- Failing to consult financial experts before settlement
- Letting emotions drive decisions, especially in custody and property disputes
- Underestimating the value of mediation as a discreet solution
8. Addressing Spousal Support (Maintenance)
New York courts consider:
- Standard of living during the marriage
- Income disparities
- Future earning potential
For executives with fluctuating or bonus-based incomes, spousal support requires careful structuring. We often negotiate creative solutions, such as percentage-based support tied to annual bonuses, so obligations remain fair but manageable.
For over three decades, I’ve guided high-net-worth clients through New York divorces with strategy, compassion, and discretion. So what sets me apart?
- Medically and Psychologically Trained: I understand both the legal and emotional complexities of divorce.
- High-Asset Divorce Expertise: From real estate portfolios to business ownership, I handle complex financial matters with precision.
- Mediator & Litigator: Whether your case requires negotiation or courtroom strength, I offer both.
- Discretion Guaranteed: I protect your privacy and reputation at every step.
Divorce is one of the most significant life transitions you will ever face. For professionals and executives in New York, the stakes are even higher. With the right strategy, it is possible to protect your wealth, your children, and your professional future.
If you are a professional or executive considering divorce in New York, I invite you to schedule a confidential consultation with me right now by calling 212.734.1551.
Together, we can design a plan that safeguards what you’ve built and prepares you for the next chapter of your life.
I look forward to speaking with you.
Warm regards,
Lois