Divorce Attorney Ken Jewell

By Bennet Marcus

No-nonsense Approach

Divorce is an awful experience, highly emotional and painful for all parties involved. So why drag the process out, prolonging the agony – and running up more and more legal fees?  Attorney Ken Jewell runs his matrimonial law practice, Jewell Law, with that philosophy in mind, resolving divorce cases as efficiently as possible, enabling clients to move forward.

“We pride ourselves on getting the job done and doing what’s necessary and expediting clients as opposed to having their cases drag on, unresolved,” says Jewell. “A happy client is a client who’s got whatever they need done,” he adds. “If the client is looking to get divorced, he or she wants to get divorced. Our clients don’t want to go through years and years of agony; they want to get the job done sooner rather than later.” Jewell tries to get his clients to see divorce proceedings in as positive a light as possible, as a way to move away from an unhappy situation.

Courts View Marriage as Economic Partnership, Not Emotional

One of the biggest problems in matrimonial law is that everybody wants justice, Jewell explains, but obtaining justice for the perceived wrongs your spouse has committed is not possible – unless someone shows up with bruises.

For Jewell, it’s very important that people are aware that when a marriage goes bad, the courts look at it as strictly an economic partnership – absent very limited circumstances such as domestic violence. “The litigants need to understand that the emotions really have no play here, that it’s a business transaction, through and through, and we just have to work through each of the issues as quickly and efficiently as possible,” he says.

Jewell urges his clients to focus on solutions that will help dissolve the marriage: parenting time for the spouses; support payments, if required; and dividing up the assets. Explaining this can be eye-opening to clients. “As a general rule, the judge can’t rule on the injustices of the marriage. And if you’re trying to be vindicated, you’re just going to be throwing good money after bad, because there’s no resolution to get there.”

And Jewell’s goal is to get you out of that unhappy relationship as painlessly as possible. “It’s better, the sooner you let go, the sooner you close the door, the sooner that new opportunity can present itself, whether it’s a new relationship, a new job, whatever the case may be, the sooner that can come around.”

Resolving Personal Animosity May Require Counseling

Of course, he understands the emotional suffering caused by divorce, and helps to alleviate it however possible. If anger levels are so high that the spouses are unable to talk to one another to resolve the issues, Jewell may recommend they speak to a counselor. “This way, I’m dealing with legal issues while somebody who’s highly trained in dealing with people’s emotions and how to reconcile issues that the couple otherwise cannot, can keep them focused.” This helps the parties to reach as satisfactory an agreement as they possibly can so they can bring closure to their unhappy marriage.

Would You Rather Be Happy or Would You Rather Be Right?

For every decision a client makes in settling a divorce, Jewell asks: “Would you rather be happy, or would you rather be right?” Right, he says, is always more expensive and usually with no better results.

If you want to be happy – and isn’t that the point of ending your marriage? You need to think about what it is you’re fighting over, and whether or not that continued fight is going to make you happy or is it going to put a big dent in your bank account.

Jewell Law’s clients have included high-profile CEO’s, fashion models, doctors, performing artists, and real estate moguls. Many are professionals and entrepreneurs who have built their businesses; they’re attracted to his no nonsense approach to resolving their cases, saving them time and money in the process. Jewell often conducts divorce cases entirely by phone, e-mail, and Zoom — requiring no on-site visits, another time saver.

Started Firm Soon After Law School

Before attending law school, Jewell spent ten years as a Supreme Court librarian in Nassau County, helping judges and lawyers research legal issues. He was torn between becoming a psychologist or an attorney, and matrimonial law seemed a natural fit. “It sort of hits the hybrid of being both a psychologist as well as being an attorney and helping people.”

Jewell worked for another matrimonial practitioner for a short period, but quickly realized that with years of legal research experience already under his belt, he could bring in business and help people in a way that he considered more appropriate. He opened Jewell Law in 2003.

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