The Divorce Book for Men and Women Harriet Newman Cohen & Martha Cohen Stine

Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP

Meet Harriet Newman Cohen and Martha “Marti” Cohen Stine, the mother-daughter legal duo who are principals of their firm Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP, specializing in family and matrimonial law. “We were one of the first mother-daughter law firms, and we’re one of the only mother-daughter law firms in New York,” says Harriet.

Andrew Cuomo & Laurence Fishburne

The Wives of Howard Stern and Harvey & Bob Weinstein
Both lawyers have decades of experience under their belt, representing high-profile clients including Andrew Cuomo, Paul George, actors Laurence Fishburne and Linda Lavin, the wives of Harvey and Bob Weinstein and comedians Louis C.K. and Howard Stern, singers Ute Lemper and Isabel Leonard and other high-net- worth individuals during challenging times in their lives. Both are consistently listed in Super Lawyers as among NY’s top 50 female attorneys and top 100 male and female lawyers and hold the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Streamlined Services

After working virtually during 2020, they realized they could continue to do so and streamline their practice. “With so many lawyers working from home, we realized we did not need the huge amount of space we had. We took smaller space in the same building and reduced our overhead, servicing our clients in a more efficient, cost-effective way.” In January 2021, mother and daughter joined forces and relaunched their practice as Cohen Stine Kapoor LLP, a leaner, more effective boutique law practice with five attorneys. “With remote court appearances, we can easily appear in any county or even another state. For example, I appeared remotely in West Virginia, because of Zoom capability.

Harriet Newman Cohen
Doyenne of Matrimonial & Family Law

Harriet had a circuitous path to becoming known as the “doyenne of matrimonial and family law attorneys.” She entered law school at 38 after years as a stay-at-home mother of four and a stint teaching math. “I didn’t want to continue to be a schoolteacher, I wanted to go into a profession where women were in a man’s world.” She was one of only a handful of women at Brooklyn Law School in those days. “I felt that I had to make my mark in a man’s world and wanted to make a difference and have a voice that was going to be heard.”

President of the NY Women’s Bar

Harriet’s many achievements in the field include serving as president of the NY Women’s Bar and as a member of the Matrimonial Mediation Subcommittee of the NY State Supreme Court. She helped negotiate and draft NY’s Equitable Distribution Law and served on the Child Support Commission that drafted the Child Support Standards Act. She authored The Divorce Book for Men and Women and writes an annual New York Law Journal article on family law. Harriet is often selected as an attorney for the child in contested high-conflict custody cases and as a neutral evaluator in complex financial disputes where a judge feels that an outside experienced lawyer can work with the parties and their lawyers to help effectuate a settlement.

Lotos Club Board & Stecher & Horowitz Foundation

Harriet serves on the board of the Stecher & Horowitz Foundation which organizes the NY International Piano Competition and Young Artists Series. “We have a competition open to pianists of all nationalities, identifying young artists and talent from around the world. It’s a very gratifying way to give back.” She is also on the Board of Directors of the Lotos Club, a prominent literary and cultural club that was founded by Mark Twain. She was also awarded the Medal of Merit, the Lotos Club’s highest award.

Martha Cohen Stine: NY County Lawyers Association

As an undergrad at NY University, Marti knew that she wanted to be a lawyer. “Harriet was in law school while I was in college, and I would sit in on her classes. I loved the classes, and my mother was an inspiration. I was always vocal and outgoing, and I’m a good writer. I figured if she can do it, so can I! She warned me that I had to be top of the class and make law review, and I did. I never dreamed that someday we would work together. We know how lucky we are and feel like our family can help other families during their most difficult times to turn a new chapter.” Marti received her JD from the Cardozo School of Law, then spent the first ten years of her career as a litigator at Shea & Gould before joining her mother’s practice and focusing exclusively on family law. She has been a top attorney in family law for over 25 years. Marti sits on the board of directors of the NY County Lawyers Association, is Chair of the Matrimonial Law Section, and presents continuing legal education programs; she is often a speaker/panelist. Marti is also Chair of the NYCLA Foundation, the charitable arm of NYCLA which supports pro bono programs.

Lambs Club, Utopia Opera & Blue Hill Troupe

A classically trained singer, Marti has performed with the Blue Hill Troupe, Village Light Opera and Utopia Opera. She has produced and directed original musicals performed by lawyers and judges throughout NY and is an active member of the Lambs, America’s oldest theatrical club, and the Lotos Club, where she Chairs the Music Committee. csklawny.com