Manhattan Family Lawyer

Why hire Stephen Bilkis & Associates when facing a family law matter in Manhattan?

A family law case often asks people to make decisions that will affect them for years, at a time when emotions are running high. Having an experienced Manhattan family lawyer beside you can make those choices clearer and less overwhelming. Stephen Bilkis has spent close to 30 years handling family law and matrimonial cases in New York County Family Court and New York County Supreme Court, along with courts throughout the New York area, and the firm he leads has guided more than 10,000 family law consultations and cases. Together, the attorneys at the firm bring over 300 years of combined legal experience to Manhattan families.

New York family lawyer Stephen Bilkis represents clients in a wide range of family law matters, including divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity, spousal support and maintenance, orders of protection, abuse and neglect proceedings, guardianship, and grandparents’ rights.

At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, we manage cases from the first consultation through their conclusion. Our work may include investigating the facts, gathering and preserving evidence, reviewing financial information, negotiating with opposing counsel, and preparing for litigation and trial. When a client is involved in more than one related proceeding, we consider how developments in one matter may affect the others and prepare the client for what to expect as the case moves forward.

Professional Recognition and Education

Stephen Bilkis has received a number of professional honors over the course of his career. He has been selected to the New York Super Lawyers list, a distinction limited to the top 5% of attorneys in the state. His other honors include an Excellent designation from Avvo, a Top-Rated Lawyer recognition from Justia, and recognition from Expertise.com and TopLawyer.com.

Stephen studied at Tulane University and earned his law degree at Touro Law School. Since his admission to the New York State Bar, he has handled a wide range of legal matters, with family and matrimonial law as a major part of his practice.

Committed Family Law Advocacy in Manhattan

Our attorneys combine thorough case preparation, skilled negotiation, and courtroom experience to protect our clients’ relationships with their children, their financial security, and their futures. Contact an experienced Manhattan family lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates today at 800.696.9529 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Family Law Services for Manhattan Clients

The right strategy depends on the type of case, the court hearing it, and the client’s goals. Stephen Bilkis & Associates plans each case with all three in mind. Below are the areas of family and matrimonial law our experienced Manhattan family lawyers regularly handle.

Filing for Divorce in Manhattan

Ending a marriage while managing a demanding career and a family can leave little room to think clearly about the future. Stephen Bilkis & Associates handles contested, uncontested, high-conflict, and high-net-worth divorces in New York County Supreme Court. In high-net-worth cases, valuing the marital estate is often the hardest part. For example, it might include an apartment that needs co-op board approval to transfer, restricted stock units that vest after the divorce, or an interest in a professional firm. We review compensation plans and partnership agreements and work with valuation experts to determine which assets, or portions of assets, are marital property, establish their value, and pursue an equitable division.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements in Manhattan

Couples planning a wedding may want to protect a business, family wealth, or children from a prior relationship. Stephen Bilkis drafts, reviews, and negotiates prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. We make sure each agreement is clear and properly signed and acknowledged as New York law requires. When a divorce begins, we also review whether an existing agreement can be enforced or challenged.

Custody and Visitation Disputes in Manhattan

Disagreements over custody can leave a parent second-guessing every phone call and text with the other parent. Stephen Bilkis and his team draw on more than 500 child custody cases when helping parents seek a new order, change an existing one, or respond to the other parent’s petition. These cases are heard in New York County Family Court at 60 Lafayette Street, or in Supreme Court when a divorce is pending. In contested cases, the court may appoint an attorney for the child or order a forensic evaluation by a mental health professional. We prepare clients for those evaluations, examine the findings closely, and challenge unsupported conclusions through cross-examination or additional expert evidence when the court permits it.

Manhattan Child Support Orders

Child support disputes strain both parents, whether one is waiting on overdue payments or the other faces an amount based on outdated income. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps parents in New York County Family Court establish fair support orders. When payments stop, the NYC Human Resources Administration’s Office of Child Support Services can use enforcement tools such as income withholding, interception of tax refunds, and suspension of a driver’s license. We can also file a violation petition in Family Court when those measures are not enough. When earnings rise and fall with commissions or freelance work, we use pay records and tax filings to show accurate income.

Spousal Support in Manhattan Divorces

Questions about spousal maintenance usually come down to two concerns: how much and for how long. Stephen Bilkis handles maintenance claims in New York County Supreme Court on behalf of either spouse. New York starts with a formula, and the marriage’s length helps set how long payments last. The court also weighs factors such as each spouse’s health, earning capacity, and career sacrifices, and we may use a vocational expert to show what a spouse can realistically earn.

Resolving a Divorce Without Litigation in Manhattan

Keeping decisions about your children, home, and finances in your own hands, rather than a judge’s, is a major reason spouses look for an alternative to litigation. Stephen Bilkis & Associates advises clients using mediation and collaborative divorce, two approaches that still end with a court judgment but avoid a contested trial. When a client uses mediation, we act as review counsel, examining the proposed agreement and recommending changes before anything is signed. In a collaborative divorce, both lawyers agree in writing to withdraw if the case goes to court, which gives everyone a strong reason to settle.

Manhattan Order of Protection Cases

Threatening texts, social media posts, or a tracking app hidden on a phone can leave someone constantly looking over their shoulder. Stephen Bilkis and his team handle these cases from both sides, whether a client needs protection or has been accused. Family Court in New York County is available when the parties are related or have had an intimate relationship, while a case in Manhattan Criminal Court usually begins with an arrest, and a person may pursue both. For clients seeking protection, we preserve digital evidence such as screenshots, call logs, and location data. For those accused, we look for altered messages and missing context.

ACS Investigations in Manhattan

When ACS removes a child or files a neglect case, a parent may have only days to prepare for the first court appearance. Stephen Bilkis moves quickly in these cases, asking the New York County Family Court to return the child home at the earliest hearing. If the court orders services, such as parenting classes or drug testing, we work to keep those conditions reasonable. When it serves the client, we also pursue resolutions without a finding against the parent, such as an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal.

Proving or Disputing Paternity in Manhattan

Learning that a child’s biological father may not be the man raising them can upend a family. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps mothers, presumed fathers, and biological fathers resolve these questions in New York County Family Court. When a child is born during a marriage, the law generally presumes the mother’s husband is the legal parent, and that presumption can be difficult to overcome. Courts may also refuse genetic testing when a man has long acted as the child’s father and a test would harm the child. We gather evidence of the parent-child relationship to support or oppose testing, depending on our client’s goals.

Manhattan Grandparents Seeking Visitation

When a parent decides to end contact, grandparents are often surprised to learn how much weight New York courts give to that parent’s choice. Stephen Bilkis and his team help grandparents build a case strong enough to overcome that hurdle. The law allows a grandparent to ask for visitation when a parent has died or when other circumstances, such as a long and close bond with the child, justify the court’s involvement. From there, we show the judge how continued contact benefits the child and why the parent’s objection should not end the relationship. Custody is harder to obtain, because the grandparent must first prove extraordinary circumstances before the court will consider the child’s best interests.

Becoming a Guardian in Manhattan

After a parent dies, two relatives may each believe they are the right person to raise the child, and the dispute can end up in court. Stephen Bilkis & Associates helps families resolve these competing claims, whether the case is filed in New York County Family Court or Surrogate’s Court. To make our client’s case, we focus on the child’s existing routines, the strengths of each home, and what the parent wanted, including any wishes in a will. When a child inherits money or receives a settlement, we also help families seek a guardian of the property in New York County Surrogate’s Court. That guardian manages and protects the child’s assets under court oversight, generally until the child turns 18.

Request a Free, No-Obligation Consultation with Stephen Bilkis & Associates

To discuss your situation, contact an experienced Manhattan family lawyer at Stephen Bilkis & Associates today for a free consultation. In your first conversation with us, it helps to share how the dispute began, any court dates or temporary orders already in place, and the outcome you want. With that information, we can outline the options available to you and the steps that make sense right now. Early action matters, because evidence can be lost and temporary arrangements often become harder to change the longer they stay in place.

The early weeks of a family law case often set the tone for everything that follows. At Stephen Bilkis & Associates, we first address our client’s immediate needs, such as temporary parenting time, support, or living arrangements, while learning the history of the relationship and what the client ultimately wants. At the same time, we organize the documents, messages, financial records, and photographs that support our client’s position, and we line up witnesses when they can help.

As the case develops, we look for the most effective path to a resolution. Some issues can be settled through attorney negotiations or a settlement conference, while others need a judge’s decision. Because we prepare every case as though it may go to trial, our clients can negotiate from a position of strength rather than pressure.

The way we handle a case depends on the client’s circumstances and priorities. We may emphasize negotiation when agreement is realistic, take a more aggressive position when court intervention is necessary, or combine both as the case progresses. At each stage, we consider how decisions may affect our client’s children, finances, safety, and life after the case ends.

Contact Stephen Bilkis & Associates today for a free consultation at 800.696.9529.