As the current President of the New York Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, I know well the efforts of our Fellows to advance the needs of New York families before our legislature, to elevate the practice of law among the bar, and to educate the public. These efforts, however, are undercut by those who use public forums to add untruths into an area of law already fraught with emotional tension. To that point, the article, “What ‘Safety First’ for Children Should Mean,” published on June 22, 2022, does a great disservice to the public. The article misstates the many protections afforded to children in New York, including, the right to counsel where appropriate in a contested matter; appointed counsel for the child(ren) has standing to seek relief, examine witnesses, and to file an appeal (as well as to take a position on an appeal filed by a parent). Naturally, the system is not perfect, and the AAML-NY will continue to work to advance the safety and rights of all stakeholders; however, to move forward we must start with a correct statement of where we are now, and this article damages the cause by misrepresenting the state of the law.
Adam John Wolff is co-founder of Alter, Wolff & Foley.
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