Lorraine R. Silverman, Esq.

Lorraine Silverman Divorce Family Lawyer Attorney Albany NYPartner

Email: LSilverman@theCDSLawFirm.com

Primary Practice Areas: Divorce & Family Law

Lorraine R. Silverman is a Partner with Copps DiPaola Silverman, PLLC. She practices exclusively in the field of New York Divorce and Family Law and represents individuals in the negotiation and litigation of all family law matters, including, but not limited to divorce, child custody & parenting time, complex asset division, modification & enforcement proceedings, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, conflict resolution, paternity, grandparent rights, spousal support (alimony), domestic violence (Family Court Orders of Protection), companion animal (“pet”) custody disputes, and cohabitation agreements. She has extensive experience representing clients in both Supreme and Family Court. As part of her practice, Attorney Lorraine Silverman also serves as an Attorney for Children. Attorney Lorraine Silverman was selected as a Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers Magazine for 2016 – Present.

In addition to her private practice, Attorney Lorraine Silverman serves on a number of Committees, Boards, and participates in other volunteer civic activities throughout the community. For example, Attorney Lorraine Silverman was appointed to the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Children & the Law (https://nysba.org/committees/committee-on-children-and-the-law/) where she has served as the Committee Chair from June of 2019 to June 2024, and where she continues to date as Co-Chair along with Linda Kostin, the Director of the 4th Department Attorneys for Children. In 2021, Attorney Silverman was appointed to the New York State Bar Association’s Committee to Review Judicial Nominations (https://nysba.org/committees/committee-to-review-judicial-nominations/), where she continues to serve to the present. She was also appointed to the Albany County Bar Association’s (https://albanycountybar.org/) Board of Directors where she currently serves as Vice President, as Chair of its Pro Bono Committee, and as a Member of its Racial Justice Committee. Attorney Lorraine Silverman serves as a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Family Law Section, and as a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Family Law Section’s Committee on Domestic Violence. Finally, Attorney Lorraine Silverman provides free and reduced fee legal assistance to victims of domestic violence through The Legal Project’s Pro Bono and Reduced Fee Attorney Panel (www.legalproject.org). Copps DiPaola Silverman, PLLC hosts a free legal clinic once per month through The Legal Project on various family law topics, and our Attorneys volunteer multiple times per month at the Albany County Bar Association’s Family Court Virtual Help Center to provide free legal advice to litigants in need.

Attorney Lorraine Silverman has also lectured for Certified Legal Education (CLE) programs sponsored by the Appellate Division Third Judicial Department’s Office of Attorneys for Children, the New York State Bar Association, the Albany County Bar Association, the Empire Justice Center, and The Legal Project. Attorney Lorraine Silverman has also provided educational trainings for the community on various topics related to New York divorce and family law.

Attorney Lorraine Silverman also serves her community politically. In 2018, she was elected by the Albany County Democratic Committee to serve on the Executive Board as Treasurer, she served as a Bethlehem Democratic Committee Person from 2017 to February 2022. In 2018, she served as Treasurer for a successful Democratic New York State Supreme Court Judicial Candidate. She served as Chair of the Albany County Democratic Committee’s 2018 Law Committee, and as Co-Chair of the 2021 Law Committee. She also served as Secretary for the 2018 and 2021 New York Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party. She also served as Secretary for the 2018 and 2021, and as Chairperson for the 2023 New York Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party.

Attorney Lorraine Silverman graduated cum laude from Ithaca College. She then went on to receive her J.D. degree with a concentration in family and elder law from Albany Law School, where she received the Martin H. Belsky Graduation Prize for Commitment to Public Interest.

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New York State Bar Association: Member of Committee to Review Judicial Nominations

New York State Bar Association: Co-Chair of the Committee on Children & the Law

New York State Bar Association: Member of Family Law Section

Albany County Bar Association: Vice-President of the Board of Directors

Albany County Bar Association: Chair of the Pro Bono Committee

Albany County Bar Association: Member of the Racial Justice Committee

Ithaca College

Albany Law School

Matter of Jennifer VV v. Lawrence WW: http://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/Decisions/2020/527508.pdf. Partial Decision by the Appellate Division following the 11-day trial conducted by Attorneys Silverman and Leder admonishing the Attorney for the Child for failing to appropriately advocate for the Child’s wishes at the appellate level.  Attorneys Silverman and Attorney Leder were trial counsel.  Attorney Williams was appellate counsel.

Jennifer VV v. Lawrence WW: http://decisions.courts.state.ny.us/ad3/Decisions/2020/528257.pdf. The Appellate Division, Third Department issued a decision affirming the lower court Judge’s rejection of the Support Magistrate’s attempt to blindly deviate from the child support standards act.  This 7-page decision adopted numerous findings and arguments argued by Trial Counsel Attorney Leder in this Support Proceeding, and Appellate Counsel Attorney Joe Williams.  It demonstrates the importance of the comprehensive legal services that we are able to provide to our clients.

Successfully obtained five (5) year Order of Protection on behalf of client and continued advocacy following conclusion of civil matters.

Successful in multiple cases in obtaining Orders of Protection of various length on behalf of clients.

Successful in obtaining extension of active family court order of protection, in accordance with statute, for “good cause” shown.

Following multiple days of trial, successfully obtained primary custody for a Client, allowing Client to register the Children in school district.

Following very lengthy and contentious litigation, successfully negotiated a child support and spousal maintenance award that was above the guidelines amount.

Following a multi-day trial, successfully retained primary custody of Child for Client, refuting allegations of parental alienation.

Successfully avoided trial through motion practice, oral arguments, and litigation tactics and successfully refuted sexual abuse allegations and parental alienation claims, permitting client to retain custody of Children.

Successfully resolved divorce and custody matter for Client with a three-parent adoption, terminating rights of opposing party (by agreement).

Successfully negotiated the division of real and personal property for unmarried client following breakup of relationship (partition action).

Successfully negotiated and drafted comprehensive custodial schedule for client to co-own and co-parent a dog following a breakup.

Drafted and finalized a comprehensive premarital (prenuptial) agreement which involved a high-end business, assets, artwork, and jewelry.

Report of the Blue-Ribbon Commission on Forensic Custody Evaluations, December 2021,

Silverman, Lorraine R., New York Law Journal, July 29, 2019, pg. S5: Matrimonial Law.

Silverman, Lorraine R., New York Law Journal, June 28, 2019: Who Gets Custody of the Dog?

Capital Region Chamber/Women’s Business Counsel: “Financial Wellness: In and Out of a Crisis” (March 2021)

Society of Financial Professionals: Planning for Divorce (May 2019)

Albany Law School (Guest Lecturer): Expert Witnesses (April 2019)

New York State Bar Association: Representing a Client in Family Offense Proceedings (April 2019)

Albany County Bar Association: The “Nuts & Bolts” of Running a Law Firm (March 2019).

New York State Bar Association (Partnership Conference): Spousal Maintenance Guidelines – Litigating Under the New Statute (June 2018)

New York State Bar Association: Intro to Matrimonial Law / Practical Skills – Discovery (October 2017)

Appellate Division Third Judicial Department’s Office of Attorneys for Children: Children’s Law Update (April 2017)

Various other programs for The Legal Project, Empire Justice Center, and other community organizations

Ms. Silverman has also lectured for Certified Legal Education (CLE) programs sponsored by the Appellate Division Third Judicial Department’s Office of Attorneys for Children, New York State Bar Association, Albany County Bar Association, Empire Justice Center, and The Legal Project. Ms. Silverman has also provided educational trainings for the community on various topics related to matrimonial and family law.

Advocacy Award (for work on the NYS Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission to Examine Forensic Reports issued in Child Custody Cases), YWCA of NENY, 2022

Fellow of the New York State Bar Association, 2021 – Present

Empire State Counsel Award Recipient, for recognition of the outstanding contribution of performing free services to low income individuals, 2020 – Present.

Selected as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers Magazine for 2016-Present

Martin H. Belsky Award for Commitment to Public Interest
Selected to a two-year post graduate clinical fellowship position with Albany Law School where she worked exclusively in the field of family law with the co-author of the treatise of N.Y. Law of Domestic Violence.

NYS Governor’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Forensic Custody Evaluations, Appointed Member of Commission

New York State Bar Association

Co-Chair – Committee on Children & the Law
Member – Family Law Section
Member – Family Law Section’s Domestic Violence Committee
Member – Committee to Review Judicial Nominations

Albany County Bar Association

Vice President – Board of Directors
Chair – Pro Bono Committee
Family Court Help Center Volunteer
Member – Racial Justice Committee

Albany County Democratic Committee

Member – Albany County Democratic Committee
Co-Chair – Albany County Democratic Committee’s Law Committee

Member – New Scotland Democratic Committee

Chairperson – New York Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party (2023)

Delegate – New York State Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party (2021)
Delegate – New York State Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party (2021)

Former Member – Bethlehem Democratic Committee
Secretary – New York Third Judicial District Convention of the Democratic Party (2018)
Treasurer – Successful Democratic New York State Supreme Court Judicial Candidate (2018)