NYC family law attorney Bernard Clair shares his approach to handling a property division dispute. He explains that the first thing he tells high-profile clients is that many of the assets they take for granted may be subject to claims by the other side. Often, clients do not realize that retirement accounts or assets they owned prior to the marriage, which have since been commingled, are now potentially vulnerable.

He adds that many high-profile individuals earn income in ways that are initially difficult to understand. They may receive restricted stock units, equity stakes in funds, or a variety of other complex assets that generate significant wealth. He emphasizes the importance of becoming fully familiar with a client’s financial picture. First, because an attorney cannot effectively represent someone without understanding how they have earned their wealth, and second, because it is essential to comprehend the structure of that wealth in order to advise the client on potential claims by the other spouse seeking asset participation.