Recent News:
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses how prenups can strengthen your relationship on Avvo Stories.
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Cozen O’Connor’s family law attorneys counsel clients in their most personal legal matters, from marriage and divorce to child custody and support arrangements. The practice is challenging, not only because it concerns issues of profound emotional import, but because the legal strictures are constantly changing in response to broad social and economic trends. At the moment, greater involvement of fathers in child rearing, fluctuations in the residential real estate market, and growth of the dual-career family are all having a profound impact on family law and dispute adjudication. Clients must have counsel with the interpersonal skills to provide meaningful support during major life transitions and the legal skills to use cutting-edge deal structures and guidelines.
The family law attorneys at Cozen O’Connor have been resolving complex family disputes for more than three decades. We counsel clients on matters of divorce, division of property, and alimony; child and spousal support; child custody; domestic violence; pre- and post-nuptial agreements; name changes; and adoption or termination of parental rights. We are equally adept at representing financially independent and financially dependent parties.
Our goal in each case is to achieve a comprehensive and lasting solution as quickly as possible so that clients can move their lives forward. In many instances, family law matters can be effectively resolved using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques such as mediation and arbitration. Our attorneys are experienced at participating in and leading ADR proceedings, which may save time, defuse confrontation, and encourage mutuality. Unfortunately, not every situation lends itself to this approach. In those cases, Cozen O’Connor’s renowned litigators are prepared to advocate aggressively on clients’ behalf. We have extensive trial and appellate court experience and regularly appear before state courts, often in complex parallel proceedings to separately determine support, equitable distribution, and custody.
Members of Cozen O’Connor have held leadership positions in local, state, and national bar associations, and publish regularly in family law periodicals. Our team includes lawyers who are routinely interviewed by mainstream media outlets and lecture to other attorneys on topics related to marital and family law. This level of professional activity means that our attorneys are well informed about current legal trends and are able to provide clients with prescient strategic advice.
Clients also benefit from the fact that the family law team is backed by the resources of a full service law firm. We routinely reach out to colleagues in other practice groups, including trusts and estates, tax, corporate, and real estate, in order to develop a unified strategy to resolve family law questions and disputes. This team approach gives our clients an edge that few other firms can replicate.
SERVICE AREAS
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Prosecute and defend divorce actions on fault or no-fault bases
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Value marital estates, including business interests, real estate, retirement plans, and investments
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Negotiate equitable division of marital assets
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Analyze income, earning capacity, and expenses to determine duration and amount of alimony
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Seek interim relief for clients during the course of a divorce proceeding, including preservation of assets, occupancy of the marital home, and interim distributions of marital assets
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Analyze issues of child support, spousal support, and/or alimony pendente lite
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Review tax returns to accurately calculate income for determination of support
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Counsel clients on all aspects of physical and legal custody of minor children
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Assist in developing custodial arrangements that are truly in the best interest of the children
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Obtain or defend against Protection from Abuse orders in quasi-criminal proceedings
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Negotiate and draft both pre- and post-marital agreements
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Handle name changes as part of a divorce action or for minors and adults who wish to change their names for other valid and appropriate reasons
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Advance voluntary or involuntary relinquishment of parental rights and process both uncontested and contested adoptions
August 08, 2018
On July 4, 2018, two amendments to the Pennsylvania child custody laws went into effect making it easier for grandparents and other third parties to seek custody of a minor child. Specifically, Section 5324 and Section 5325(2) of the Pennsylvania Domestic Relation Code, was amended to expand the...
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July 07, 2018
Leora Cohen Schiff, an associate in the firm's Family Law Practice, published "Uterine Transplants: Legal Perspectives on Reproductive Technology" for the Legal Intelligencer.
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June 27, 2018
This time of year is especially popular for special family events such as weddings, graduations, and bar/bat mitvahs. For families going through a divorce, these events can pose unique challenges. There is no obligation in Pennsylvania or New Jersey that both parties contribute to the cost of...
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June 05, 2018
Leora Cohen Schiff, an associate in the firm's Family Law Practice, authored, "PA Superior Court Thorough Analysis of PFA Expungements and 'Expungement Continuum'," for Pennsylvania Family Lawyer.
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June 04, 2018
Leora Cohen Schiff, an associate in the firm's Family Law Practice, authored, "Grandmother's Contempt Reversed Since No UCCJEA Jurisdiction," for Pennsylvania Family Lawyer.
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May 25, 2018
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of the firm's Family Law Practice, authored the blog, "3 times responsiveness brought value to my practice" for Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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March 23, 2018
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of the firm's Family Law Practice, authored a recent blog for Lawyernomics by Avvo, "Building your online presence and reputation is easier than you think."
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February 27, 2018
The State of Pennsylvania recently enacted a new public access policy, 204 Pa. Code §213.81, to address the conflict between providing the public online access to Court filings and protecting private information. The new policy restricts public access to personal information and documents.
The...
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January 18, 2018
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of the firm's Family Law Practice, authored the blog, "Managing my practice: What I learned and accomplished in 2017," for Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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December 12, 2017
The holidays are supposed to be a time of good will and cheer. For those going through a divorce, however, the situation is often not cheerful and may even be grim. With some thoughtful planning and the right outlook, however, the joyful spirit of the holidays can be preserved. Following the tips...
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October 23, 2017
But first let me introduce myself. I’m Debbie Long, the family law paralegal in Cozen O'Connor’s Philadelphia office. I joined the Cozen O'Connor team this past August. While I am new to Cozen O'Connor, I am not new to family law. I have 20 years of experience in the legal field, with 15 years...
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September 26, 2017
New Jersey – The New Relocation Standard
Can a custodial parent in New Jersey move to another state and still retain custody if permission is not obtained from the other parent? A recent New Jersey State Supreme Court decision has made this more difficult by raising the burden of proof that needs...
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September 26, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of the firm's Family Law Practice, published, "5 tips for falling back into your routine after summer," for Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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July 10, 2017
Summertime and the living is easy, that is, except for those involved in a custody dispute. With relaxed schedules, vacations, camp, and changing activities, summertime custody can prove to be more difficult for parties to navigate. Nonetheless, following the do's and don'ts below can have you...
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July 05, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of the firm's Family Law group, gives five tips to achieve better work-life balance this summer in her blog post on Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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June 14, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law Practice, discusses the ethics of using supports in a law firm in her article for Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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May 10, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, describes the importance for attorneys' to define their brand in her piece, Why betting on your Brand is a safe bet, for Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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March 14, 2017
As a divorce lawyer, I have met with countless clients who claim they were blindsided by a divorce. While they may have seen signs that something was wrong in the marriage, they chose to ignore them hoping that things would improve. In some instances, they might have even tried marriage counseling...
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March 08, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses the importance of marketing and building your brand as a lawyer.
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February 10, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses the 3 stages to show clients "love" and appreciation.
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January 10, 2017
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses her resolution for personal and professional growth in Avvo's Lawyernomics.
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December 22, 2016
Today I was interviewed on television [see clip here] about a new type of divorce party. This is not a situation where a newly single person celebrates their freedom from an unhappy marriage, rather, this new type of divorce party has the divorcing couple celebrating the end of their marriage...
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November 29, 2016
The benefits of enrolling children in extracurricular activities are endless. Not only do they learn how to play a sport or musical instrument, but also soft skills and valuable life lessons, such as teamwork, the importance of practice and how to handle loss and disappointment. Thus it is not...
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September 21, 2016
Today I was asked to comment on television about the hottest news, the Brangelina divorce. If you haven't heard, another celebrity couple, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are divorcing after 2 years of marriage and twelve years of living together prior to that. They have six children...
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June 24, 2016
In our increasingly mobile society, it is not uncommon for couples to relocate numerous times throughout their marriage and acquire property and assets in different states. When a divorce dissolves the marriage and forces a distribution of assets spread across various states, the Court in the...
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May 25, 2016
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses how to manage client communications and maintain your life in Lawyernomics by Avvo.
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May 06, 2016
Pennsylvania allows parties to a divorce action to seek both no-fault and fault divorces. While fault remains available, the overwhelming majority of divorces are granted under no-fault grounds. The statutory framework for no-fault grounds for divorce are contained in 23 Pa.C.S. §3301(c) – mutual...
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March 16, 2016
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses tips for managing the tax season while going through a divorce on Avvo's Lawyernomics blog.
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March 15, 2016
When clients visit my office for an initial consultation about their impending divorce, they invariably ask about the benefits and pitfalls of mediation. Over the last several years, the use of alternate dispute resolution in divorce and other litigation matters has increased in popularity. This...
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February 17, 2016
Jennifer Brandt, co-chair of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law practice, discusses branding for lawyers on Avvo's Lawyernomics blog.
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January 18, 2016
Jennifer Brandt, a member of Cozen O’Connor’s Family Law practice, discusses tips on reviving your law practice in the new year on Avvo’s Lawyernomics blog.
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January 05, 2016
Pop icon Madonna is facing a difficult battle concerning custody of her 15 year-old son, Rocco. While the divorce agreement she entered into with Guy Ritchie about eight years ago, awarded her custody of Rocco, it appears that he now prefers to remain with his Father in London. Recently, he even...
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November 29, 2015
Two recent decisions highlight the importance of contracts between parties in cases involving assisted reproduction technology (ART). In Pennsylvania, the Superior Court found that television personality, Sherri Shepherd was indeed the legal mother of a child born in a surrogacy arrangement. For...
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October 12, 2015
During the course of divorce it is fairly common for one (if not both) of the parties to become involved in a new relationship. It is natural then for that party to want to spend time with his or her new love while also parenting the children of the marriage. Is it wrong to mix the two? And if...
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October 01, 2015
Jennifer Brandt discusses the legal implications of divorced couples introducing a new significant other to their children.
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September 08, 2015
Jennifer Brandt discusses how important it is for the modern family lawyer to develop a marketing-consistent strategy and embrace technology as a powerful promotional tool.
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August 27, 2015
Everyone is speculating that the Ashley Madison hack will mean an increase in business for divorce lawyers. This remains to be seen. However, the real question is what happens if your name appears on the list of users? And what if it is not your name but your spouse’s name that is included on...
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August 21, 2015
Jennifer Brandt discusses the important questions a prospective client should ask before hiring a divorce lawyer.
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August 05, 2015
Jennifer Brandt discusses the difficult task of reaching a divorce settlement and offers guidance on how to make things move more smoothly.
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July 23, 2015
Jennifer Brandt discusses the Ashley Madison hacking scandal and explains how before using a website, posting on social media, or sending an email, consider the ramifications, and consider whether the private information you are providing is really secure.
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July 05, 2015
With the recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court, same-sex couples now have the freedom to marry, and divorce, throughout the Country. There is finally marriage equality.
Certainly, being able to marry is important as not only is it the ultimate demonstration of love and commitment, but it...
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May 20, 2015
Does a wife deserve a monetary "bonus" for exemplary skills in housekeeping and child rearing? In some social circles, this is actually occurring. In fact, the trend was explored recently in a New York Times Op Ed piece, "Poor Little Rich Women," and I was asked to comment it today on television...
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May 11, 2015
Jennifer Brandt published an article in NEXT 2 Magazine on the topic of divorce, and how they can be an extremely stressful event in one's life, and how finding a knowledgeable counsel is essential to get through the process.
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April 02, 2015
With spring break upon us and summer just around the corner, many families are looking forward to annual family vacations. A lot of effort and money goes into vacation planning. And for divorcing or divorced parents, the possibility of a former spouse interfering with a planned vacation becomes yet another logistic to consider. Here are five tips for pleasant vacation planning.
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March 01, 2015
Jennifer Brandt and Megan Feehan, both residents of the firm's family law practice and Philadelphia office, published an article in the American Journal of Family Law on social media influences and how that effects the practice of family law.
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February 24, 2015
Communicating before marriage about the issues that are most important to each partner is the essence of intimacy. You can even up the romance with creative clauses like a requirement of weekly flowers or an agreement that gifts between husband and wife will forever belong to the recipient. All it takes is some imagination and consideration to bring romance and levity to your prenup.
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January 22, 2015
It is a well-known fact among divorce lawyers that January is the most popular month for people to initiate divorce. Perhaps that can be attributed to its promise of a new beginning; perhaps spending extra time over the holidays with spouses and extended family members was the final straw. No matter the cause, for those contemplating divorce in the start of the New Year, here are some key resolutions.
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January 08, 2015
Settling a divorce case is no easy task. It requires parties who are at odds with each other to come together for their mutual benefit. These parties must set aside their emotions and look at their economic situation in a detached, business-like manner. The attorneys advising these parties play a monumental role in convincing them to set aside their devastation, anger, and, perhaps, regret and focus on resolution. Both parties must have this same mindset to reach consensus. Timing is also key.
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December 16, 2014
The holidays are here. It is a time for joy and gratitude, a time for sharing and spending time with family. But for couples contemplating or going through a divorce, the holidays can be downright depressing. Instead of love and caring, there is animosity. Instead of togetherness, there is loneliness. Many couples who are parting would prefer to hibernate over the holidays and resurface sometime in January. Nonetheless, there are ways to manage the holidays even if you are separating or divorcing, and there is even the chance that you will find some enjoyment. The tips below will help.
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November 26, 2014
Adopting a child is a monumental decision. And if that child is a brother or sister, this situation is further complicated. The relationship changes from sibling to parent and takes on all the responsibilities that accompany that new role.
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November 10, 2014
During a recent custody trial, I was privy to an interview between the judge and a child who was the subject of the matter. Although the judge tried to make the interview as painless as possible, asking the child mundane questions about school and activities like a well-meaning relative or adult friend, no one in the room, the child included, could evade the tension and heaviness in the air.
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July 08, 2014
In an article published in The Legal Intelligencer, Jennifer Brandt and Megan Feehan, attorneys in Cozen O'Connor's Family Law Department, discuss a recent case involving actor Jason Patric and his former girlfriend Danielle Schreiber. Patric, a sperm donor, is now looking to have custody rights to the child he helped conceive four years ago. The California courts are grappling with competing statutes in searching for a resolution. The broader issue, however, is how technology is changing the definition of a family in our modern world and how our law is trying to adapt to these changes.
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July 03, 2014
In an article published in Zillow Blog, Jennifer Brandt, a member of Cozen O'Connor's Family Law Department, discusses dividing the marital home in a divorce, one of the most difficult aspects of property distribution. The house is often the most valuable asset owned by the parties, and it is the one that often has the most sentimental meaning as well. Couples spend a lot of time and effort choosing a home and filling it with memories, and frequently neither side wants to move from the home even while a divorce is pending.
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May 20, 2014
We all heard the news about George Clooney’s engagement. After holding out for so long, he is now finally getting married. However, he has a lot to lose in the event of a divorce. A prenuptial agreement is a must. See Jen Brandt's recent article on Yourtango.com discussing a proposed prenup for George.
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December 05, 2013
As soon as the calendar turns to December we’re bombarded with all things holiday. From advertisements, to recipes, to school events and water cooler chatter, we just cannot escape the frenzy of this supposedly joyous time of year. However, for those going through a divorce, the holiday season may be more depressing than delightful. Family traditions are altered, children are struggling, and finances are often tight.
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October 16, 2013
Child custody cases are difficult for everyone involved. While it is always best if parents can mutually agree on a workable schedule for their family, a family court judge may decide where children will live if the parents cannot agree on primary custody and visitation.
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June 08, 2013
Ready to file for divorce? Once you’ve made the difficult decision to go through with it, it’s time to figure out what’s next. Avoid a long, emotional ordeal by knowing what lies ahead and by taking action.
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May 30, 2013
In an article titled, "Should You Say 'I Do' to a Prenup?" Jennifer Brandt (Philadelphia) of the firm's Family Law Practice Group discusses prenuptial agreements, what they are designed to do, and what they are incapable of doing.
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July 12, 2011
The 20-Year Ditch: The Realities of Mid-Life Divorce - The Legal Intelligencer - Their names are familiar: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver; Al and Tipper Gore; Frank and Jamie
McCourt. Besides fame, fortune and power, what do these couples have in common? They all chose to
separate and divorce after more than 20 years of marriage.
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July 10, 2007
Summer 2007 - Business Law Observer -
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