Frequently Asked Questions

Contact us by phone, email, or through the consultation request form on our Contact page. We will respond within one business day to schedule an initial consultation and discuss your matter confidentially.

Yes. We offer an initial consultation to discuss your matter and determine whether Michel Law is the right fit for your situation. Please contact us to schedule. There is no obligation to retain after an initial consultation.

We respond to all inquiries within one business day. If your matter is time-sensitive, please indicate the nature of the urgency when you reach out and we will do our best to accommodate you promptly.

Fee arrangements vary depending on the nature and complexity of the matter. We discuss fee structure and billing transparently at the outset of the engagement. We accept payment by check, credit card, and ACH transfer. Existing clients may pay invoices through our secure online portal.

Yes. All inquiries — by phone, email, or contact form — are treated with strict confidentiality. An attorney-client relationship is not formed by an initial inquiry or consultation, but all communications are handled with the same discretion we bring to every client engagement.

Yes. Michel Law is admitted in New York State and the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. We regularly handle matters across Nassau, Queens, Kings, Bronx, Westchester, and Monroe counties. If your matter involves another jurisdiction, contact us and we will advise whether we can assist or refer you to qualified counsel.

Yes. Fabrice K. Michel is fluent in both English and French. We welcome clients who prefer to communicate in French and can conduct consultations and handle correspondence in either language.

High-net-worth divorce involves marital estates with significant or complex assets — real estate holdings, retirement accounts, business interests, trusts, investment portfolios, or other structures that require sophisticated legal and financial analysis to properly value and divide. The complexity of the assets, not simply their total value, is what distinguishes these matters.

New York is an equitable distribution state. Marital assets — those acquired during the marriage — are divided fairly, though not necessarily equally. Courts weigh factors including the length of the marriage, each spouse’s income and earning capacity, contributions to the marital estate, and the tax consequences of proposed distributions. Separate property, such as pre-marital assets and inheritances kept distinct, is generally not subject to division.

A prenuptial agreement is a contract entered into before marriage that defines how assets will be treated in the event of divorce or death. New York courts enforce prenuptial agreements that meet specific formal requirements — including notarization in the form of a deed acknowledgment — and that were entered into voluntarily, with both parties having had a genuine opportunity to review the terms and consult independent counsel. Agreements signed under pressure or very close to the wedding date are more vulnerable to challenge.

An uncontested divorce can often be resolved in a few months. Contested matters — particularly those involving complex assets, business valuation, or custody disputes — typically take considerably longer. The timeline depends on the issues in dispute, the court’s docket, and the willingness of both parties to engage constructively.

It depends on your assets and goals. A will alone goes through probate — a court-supervised process that is public and time-consuming. A revocable living trust avoids probate entirely, provides privacy, and allows for more flexible planning. For individuals with significant assets, real estate in multiple states, or specific distribution goals, a trust is usually the more appropriate vehicle. Many clients benefit from having both.

New York imposes its own estate tax with a significantly lower exemption than the federal threshold — currently approximately $7.16 million, adjusted annually. Unlike the federal credit, New York’s exemption operates as a cliff: estates that exceed the threshold are taxed on the full estate value, not just the excess. For estates approaching this level, careful advance planning is essential.

An executor marshals the estate’s assets, notifies creditors, files required tax returns, and distributes the estate to beneficiaries in accordance with the will — all under Surrogate’s Court supervision. The role carries fiduciary responsibility and can extend for a year or more in complex estates. Executors are strongly advised to retain legal counsel, as attorney’s fees in estate administration are paid from the estate, not personally.