Joel R. Brandes

Joel R. Brandes concentrates his practice in New York divorce and family law appeals indivorce, equitable distribution and custody cases, and enforcement and modification of orders and judgments, as well as high-profile contested matrimonial matters He has represented clients in numerous appeals to the New York Court of Appeals and the Appellate Divisions and was counsel in the landmark Court of Appeals cases of Morone v Morone, Tucker v Tucker and McSparron v McSparron. He also consults with and advises attorneys on appellate, trial court and international child abduction matters in all of the New York state and federal courts. He has drafted briefs for and acted as consultant to attorneys in many international child abduction cases, including cases in the United States Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. 

Mr. Brandes has been recognized by the New York Appellate Division as a "noted authority and expert on New York family law and divorce.” He is the author of the treatise Law and the Family New York 2021-2022cEdition (12 volumes), Law and The Family New York, 2d (9 volumes), Law and the Family New York Forms 2021 Edition (5 volumes)(bothThomson Reuters),  the New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook (Bookbaby) and the New York Matrimonial Trial Handbook Courtroom Edition (Amazon). His ”Law and the Family” column is a regular feature in the New York Law Journal.“ Mr. Brandes writes Bits and Bytes, ™ an electronic newsletter for the New York divorce and family law bench and bar, a website, New York Divorce and Family Law ( ), and two blogs, “New York Divorce and Family Law” () and “A Child is Missing: The International Child Abduction Blog”( ).