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Douglas Shaun Kepanis

Divorce and separation Attorney at New York, NY

5.0   8 reviews
  • State Years
    New York - NY 20 years
    New Jersey - NJ 20 years
  • Licensed for 20 years
    State NY
    Acquired 2003
    Status
    Currently Registered No misconduct found
  • Licensed for 20 years
    State NJ
    Acquired 2002
    Status
    Administrative - Not Authorized to Practice No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Douglas

Learn Douglas’s areas of practice.

2
Practice areas
  1. Divorce and separation
    50%
    Divorce, Litigation, Separation, Annulment, Pendente Lite (temporary awards), Child Support, Child Custody, Spousal Support, Appeals

    21 years

  2. Family
    50%
    Child Support, Spousal Support, Child Custody, Modifications (Order and Stipulations)

    21 years

I am a native New Yorker.  Inherent therein is the ability to detect BS – yes, I said BS.  I think growing up in New York enhances an attorney’s ability to fight for their clients – after all, as the song goes – “If I can make it there I can make it anywhere”.  That is not to say that my life has not been colored by the various places I have lived – California and Washington, DC come to mind.  Spending a few years in California was a dream come true.  You see, I play guitar and write music and going to California is every want-to-be rock star’s dream.  I played in a band for five years after graduating college.  Working in a band taught me the value of teamwork and the philosophy that the whole is indeed greater than the sum of its parts.  Playing in a band also gave me the opportunity to perform for a crowd – something that definitely has assisted my ability as a trial attorney.  Knowing how to play to a crowd (or, in the case of being an attorney, a judge), is an unquantifiable benefit to both my clients and me.  After graduating law school, I moved to Washington, DC, our nation’s capital.

It was in Washington, DC that I was in the belly of the beast.  You could feel the behind-the-scenes deal-making in the air.  It was electric.  Anytime I visited a restaurant, I would pass the tables of Congressman, US Supreme Court justices, attorneys, and lobbyists all jockeying for position to voice their opinion on the latest bill, legislation, or case.  The electricity of deal-making charged my desire as an attorney – wanting to ensure that my clients’ voices were the ones being heard the loudest.

When I opened The Kepanis Law Firm in New York years ago, I realized I would be able to bring my ability to work with clients, perform for judges and ensure my client’s satisfaction with the results of their cases.  I have been fortunate in that, in addition to my clients, my legal expertise has only been recognized by the FOX News Channel, WPIX-11, RTTV, various radio outlets, and the Huffington Post.  I hope that reading this bio gave you a sense of the man behind the law firm.  Whether you are a professional athlete, stay at home parent, blue-collar, white-collar, or no-collar worker, The Kepanis Law Firm is the law firm that  puts you first.

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Contact Douglas

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The Kepanis Law Firm, PC
477 Madison Avenue
6th Floor #4816
New York, NY, 10022

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  8 customer reviews
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Posted by Jonathan | October 4, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Gratitude to Douglas Kepanis
I am writing to let everyone know that if per-chance you find yourself in need of an attorney to represent your interests in a Family Court, you can do no better than to contact Mssr Douglas Kepanis Attorney! Mssr Kepanis has diligently fought for my granddaughter to remain with her mother and has come to be a good friend through it all!! He was truly invested and caring! Thank You Douglas!!
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Posted by anonymous | September 13, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Good vs evil
Douglas Kepanis was my attorney in my divorce and he helped me through some really rough times. He is a true go-getter and will stop at nothing to win the battle. A true asset to his field.
Posted by Ron | September 6, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
The best of the best
I highly recommend you retain the Kepanis Law Firm. Mr. Kepanis not only showed professionalism, knowledge of navigating the law, but most importantly he was always there for me. If you have a question or need help, he is always quick to respond. With other law firms you can wait days to get a response if you get one at all. If you are looking for a top notch attorney who fights hard for you, always has your back, and gets things done quickly and efficiently, use the Kepanis Law Firm. You wont be disappointed.
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Posted by RJP | January 7, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly recommended
Mr. Kepanis represented my son in a highly acrimonious divorce that was unduly prolonged by the fact that his now ex-spouse had a free ride because she had duped well intentioned friends to fund all her legal expenses. During discovery it was learned that the ex had disposed of joint assets in a foreign country hidden from my son, as well as dissipated substantial joint assets using nefarious means. The ex blatantly disregarded compliance with discovery in most part and filed several motions in bad faith since she was not paying for the work being done. This was not a vanilla divorce proceeding. Mr. Kepanis representation was exemplary. I found him to not only be well versed in the law but very tenacious in his pursuit of righting the wrongs perpetrated on my son. His judgment is impeccable as he combines a practical approach to problem solving, recognizing that the costs involved must be considered before blindly pursuing a course of action. I am a retired attorney and dealt extensively with Mr. Kepanis throughout my son's divorce proceedings. I was most impressed with his dealing with his client. Mr. Kepanis walked the tight rope of friendship with his client, while not letting his friendship affect his professionalism. Unlike some other attorneys, while he was confident in his abilities, he did not display any egotism in responding to questions and strategies suggested. He was not afraid to reply “I don’t know but let me research it” when he was not certain of an answer – an admirable trait not commonly found. While total fees were substantial, I felt that they were fair. I could not give Mr. Kepanis any higher marks. Whether you are seeking representation in a basic divorce action or family matter or in a complicated matter involving multiple state jurisdictions or international jurisdictions, Mr. Kepanis will represent you well, based upon my dealings with him.
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Posted by anonymous | September 8, 2017
This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.
| Consulted Attorney
Honest, integrity, empathetic
Doug has counseled many of my friends. He is there always .. his word is his honor. He has never let me down , always answered questions playing both sides truthfully and honestly! He will always be on your side if he believes in you.
Posted by anonymous | December 23, 2012
My honest assesment of Douglas Kepanis
I met and spoke with 8 different attys before i chose Douglas to represent me in my divorce. Its a tough period in your life. Quite scary. If the divorce is between two mature sane individuals ,its a breeze, as it should be ,, but as in my case, you can be sweet, sane and willing to be mature and even generous and be willing to be accomidating about the process,, and you can still be torched and ruined by the other person... Sadly,,,Greed ,Dishonesty, and the strong desire to wreck havoc and ruin the other person sometimes takes center stage,, My ex wife tried everything she could to destroy me , to the point that she was outwardly lying and fabricating stories to the authorities . I was scared to death, I KNEW i needed serious , smart, experienced representation..I needed an atty that actually gave a damn about me, someone i could confide in, someone that i could trust to help guide me thru the legal minefield that my ex laid out for me, Some of the attys i spoke to were weak, you could just tell they were not going to fight hard on your behalf, ( This was a common story i heard ,when speaking with other guys about their attys ) They were simply going to process you according to the law,, others were slick snake oil salesman type, fancy and polished, but you just knew that as soon as you signed up with them, you would never see the head of the firm again, and your case would be handled by one of the young college grads on the staff..thats something you definatley DONT want. During the entire process of my case i dealt only with him on a personal level, no underlings or interns, he gives you the personal one on one service that you want in a high profile atty,, I did my homework , studied many sites with reviews of many lawyers, ,,Douglas has a good reputation, and when we met i knew i had a big time winner , if i had to go to war to defend myself, this man was the one i felt would do the job and do it right,,, my ex went thru 3 different attys. But i stood steadfast with Doug and he did a fantastic job,, at the end of the process my ex even told me in the hallway of the courtroom " Hes good that lawyer of yours" to which i replied " "Hes one of the best" You can go with one the local cheap attys in the yellow pages, but im telling you honestly, if your going thru a tough case and your spouse is out to ruin you, i suggest you speak to this man, hes the real deal, not only did i have a great atty who helped me achieve everything i was hoping for as this all began,,but i consider him a friend in the aftermath of it . I highly recommend Douglas Kepanis and thats about as honest a review as i can give,
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Posted by anonymous | December 23, 2012
excellent lawyer
Douglas Kepanis is attentive and thorough for his clients. Our case has been going on for over a year, at no fault of Douglas and he is committed to our case and is continuing to make sure that a fair outcome is pursued.
Posted by Justina | June 7, 2011
Attentive to my needs as a client
The Kepanis Law Firm treated me with respect. My first attorney that I had hired for my case would treat me like a child, like I had no power to make any decisions in my case. Doug Kepanis spoke with me when I needed, and the flat fee retainer really helped me know my total cost ahead of time. I was even given my attorney's cell phone number so that I could reach him after hours and on weekends - no question was ever too small.
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Cost

Rates
  • Retainer Always
Payment methods
Cash, Check, Credit Card

Resume

AVVO RATING 9.1 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Attorney
  • The Kepanis Law Firm, P.C.
  • 2006 - Present
  • Associate Attorney
  • Private Law Firm 2
  • 2004 - 2006
  • Associate Attorney
  • Private Law Firm
  • 2003 - 2004

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center
  • LL.M - Master of Laws
  • 2003
  • California Western School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 2002
  • State University of New York, Binghamton
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1994

Legal Cases

  • Matter of J.W. v. M.Y. 2008 NY Slip Op 50553
  • Court found in favor of Douglas Kepanis's client - the "trip log" was not "new evidence".

Associations

  • New York State Bar Association
  • Member
  • 2003 - Present

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Top 3 Divorce Law Firm
  • Long Island Press
  • 2011
  • Long Island Legal Eagle
  • Long Island Pulse Magazine
  • 2009
  • Graduate with distinction
  • Georgetown University Law Center
  • 2003
  • Conflict of Laws - Top Grade
  • California Western School of Law
  • 2002
  • Graduate cum laude
  • California Western School of Law
  • 2002
  • Editor of Law Review
  • California Western School of Law
  • 2001
  • Criminal Law - Top Grade
  • California Western School of Law
  • 2001
View all awards

Publications

  • L.I. Woman Magazine
  • Good Advice article on divorce
  • N/A
View all publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Parents Without Partners
  • Divorce
  • N/A
View all speaking engagements

Attorney endorsements

Received (41)
Given (62)
Endorse Douglas
Divorce and separation Attorney | Oct 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Mar 28
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | Mar 05
Relationship: Other
"Very determined and dedicated attorney. I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Jan 28
Relationship: Worked together on matter
"Mr. Kepanis and I have worked closely together on a contentious and complicated family law matter. I was extremely impressed with his legal knowledge and professionalism, in addition to his ability to balance aggressive representation with the best interests of his client. I highly recommend Mr. Kepanis"
Family Attorney | Dec 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Dec 29
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. Excellent attorney with a great level of professionalism and experience."
Family Attorney | Jul 23
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Jun 10
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer. An extremely talented and well respected attorney in the legal community."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Feb 12
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"Not only is Doug an excellent lawyer, he is also a true gentleman and professional. Doug is always reasonable in his approach to a case yet when necessary he is always willing to vigorously litigate on behalf of a client. I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Oct 05
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | Sep 30
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Family Attorney | Sep 15
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Attorney Kepanis is a hard working, compassionate and client oriented advocates. I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Sep 12
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | Aug 21
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Aug 20
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Mr. Kepanis is simply an exceptional attorney who I would recommend to everyone and anyone. I am a former judge, former magistrate, former prosecutor, and an attorney with 24 years of experience. I still learn from his answers on Avvo on a daily basis and I am constantly impressed."
Divorce and separation Attorney | May 26
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Based on viewing this lawyer's answers to questions on AVVO, I endorse him."
Divorce and separation Attorney | May 18
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Unknown Attorney | May 17
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | May 05
Relationship: Other
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | May 02
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I endorse this lawyer."
View more endorsements
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Divorce and separation
Divorce and separation
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New York Divorce and separation Lawyer Douglas Shaun Kepanis
Douglas Shaun Kepanis
Divorce and separation Attorney
New York, NY
Licensed for 20 years