
Allan graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1978 after receiving his B.A. degree summa cum laude from Cornell, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Lambda Phi. In more than 40 years as an attorney, Allan has had extensive trial experience, including successfully trying to conclusion some of the largest equitable distribution cases in New York.
Allan is a past President of the New York Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and served as counsel to the AAML. He is also a member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the New York State Bar Association (Executive Committee of the Family Law Section) and the American Bar Association. He also is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation and served as counsel to the Foundation as well. Allan served as a member of the Matrimonial Commission that was appointed by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye to study matrimonial law reform. The Commission’s findings were reported in February 2006 and were the basis for improving litigation in both Family Court and the Supreme Court. Allan has lectured and written on numerous topics in the area of family law.
Allan has also been appointed on several occasions by the New York State Supreme Court to conduct neutral evaluations of cases in an effort to reach settlement and he has conducted mediations for that purpose at the request of litigants. He has also been appointed to act as discovery master in complex financial cases. Allan and his wife, Debra live in Battery Park City in Manhattan.
1986 - U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
1983 - U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
1979 - New York and U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
1978 - Harvard Law School, J.D., Cum Laude
1975 - Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences, B.A., Summa Cum Laude, Government and Economics, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Lambda Phi
Allan is a past President of the New York Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and served as counsel to the AAML. He is also a member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the New York State Bar Association (Executive Committee of the Family Law Section) and the American Bar Association. He also is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Foundation and served as counsel to the Foundation as well. Allan served as a member of the Matrimonial Commission that was appointed by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye to study matrimonial law reform. The Commission’s findings were reported in February 2006 and were the basis for improving litigation in both Family Court and the Supreme Court. Allan has lectured and written on numerous topics in the area of family law.
Allan has also been appointed on several occasions by the New York State Supreme Court to conduct neutral evaluations of cases in an effort to reach settlement and he has conducted mediations for that purpose at the request of litigants. He has also been appointed to act as discovery master in complex financial cases. Allan and his wife, Debra live in Battery Park City in Manhattan.
“Settlement and Putting the Stip on the Record”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 2005
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Enhanced Earnings and the “Hougie Issue” – Continued Debate & Uneven Application”
Location: The Association of the Bar of the City of New York Citibar, Center for Continuing Legal Education
Date: 2004
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Matrimonial Update: A Discussion of Recent Cases and Current Issues”
Location: Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department
Date: 2004
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
”Cross-Examination: Selected Problems – Some Easy Rules That Are Not So Easy to Apply”
Location: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
Date: 2003
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Matrimonial Law: A Case Law Update”
Location: Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department
Date: 2003
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Matrimonial and Family Law 2003: The Changing Economy and Critical Issues – What You Need to Know: Drafting for Bankruptcy Considerations”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 2003
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“How to Litigate a Child Custody Case”
Location: New York County Lawyers
Date: 2002
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“How to Try a Matrimonial Case to a Jury”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 2001
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Drafting Custody and Visitation Provisions”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Time and Date: [date]
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Matrimonial Case Law Update: A Review of Developing Issues in Matrimonial Law”
Location: Supreme Court Appellate Division First Department
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Practical Skills 2000: “Basic Matrimonial Practice”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 2000
Co-Chair: David Aronson
“The United States Supreme Court’s Troxel Decision and its Impact on Non-Parental Visitation”
Location: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
Date: 2000
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Handling Your First Contested Divorce Case”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1999
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Recognizing Estate Planning and Real Estate Issues in Matrimonial Matters”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1999
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Selected Recurring Issues in Matrimonial Practice: Successfully Handling the Challenges”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1999
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“The Expanding World of the Matrimonial Lawyer: New Cases, New Procedures and New Areas of Law: Discovery”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1999
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Handling A Child Custody Case: Intake to Trial”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Matrimonial and Family Law Update: “Double Dipping” and its Interplay With Valuation, Distribution, Maintenance, and Child Support When a Professional License/Practice is in the Case”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Practical Skills Seminar: Basic Matrimonial Practice”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Presenting Valuation Evidence At Trial and For Appeal”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Show Me the Money: Discovery and Treatment of Hidden Assets”
Location: American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“The ABCs of Drafting Prenuptial Agreements and Other Matrimonial Agreements”
Location: New York State Bar Association
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“Understanding Child Support and Custody: Significant Decisions Under the CSSA”
Location: Practicing Law Institute
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
“The Construction of a Prenuptial Agreement”
Location: Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Date: 1998
Guest Lecturer: David Aronson
Temporary Maintenance Statute in Practice
“Temporary Maintenance Statute in Practice”
Publication: New York Law Journal, Volume 247
Published by: New York State Bar Association
Publication Date: May 2, 2012
Authored By: Allan E. Mayefsky
“When determining what is unjust and inappropriate, courts, tasked with considering 17 factors, have various interpretations. In J.V. v. G.V., 11 the Supreme Court of Nassau County concluded that the presumptive award was unjust and inappropriate and reduced it by one-half, even though the payor husband earned in excess of $500,000. The facts of that case were somewhat unique.”
Determining Whether ‘No-Fault’ Law Allows Trials When Parties Disagree
"Determining Whether 'No-Fault' Law Allows Trials When Parties Disagree"
Publication: New York Law Journal Volume 246 No. 41
Published by: New York State Bar Association
Publication Date: August 29, 2011
Journalist: [name, title]
Authored by Allan E. Mayefsky
“Although rejecting the husband’s arguments that the wife had not pled with enough specificity or that her claim was barred by the statute of limitations, the court carefully examined the substantive issue presented, namely “whether [the wife’s] unilateral statement under oath is irrefutable, as [the wife] suggests, or if [the husband] is to be afforded the same procedural and substantive due process as is available for any other cause of action in our jurisprudence.”
Understanding New York’s O’Brien Decision and its Progeny
"Understanding New York's O'Brien Decision and its Progeny"
Publication Date: 2010
Authored by: Peter R. Stambleck and Allan E. Mayefsky
“Since a person cannot be separated from his or her human capital (i.e. a person’s attainment of knowledge and skill, etc.) the way one can be separated from financial or other tangible assets, and given that human capital is not readily quantifiable, the courts are left in the unenviable position of adjudicating how to account for the attainment of human capital during a marriage.”
Setting Valuation Dates for Marital Property In Global Economic Crisis
"Setting Valuation Dates for Marital Property In Global Economic Crisis"
Publication: New York Law Journal, Volume 242, No. 73.
Published by: New York State Bar Association
Publication Date: October 14, 2009
Author: Allan E. Mayefsky
“After Wegman, trial and appellate courts, perhaps in an effort to create consistency and order, began categorizing assets as either “active” or “passive” and setting valuation dates based on this categorization-most often a date of commencement of the action for “active” assets, whose values are affected by the active participation of the title spouse, and a date of trial for “passive” assets, whose values are affected by outside influences such as inflation or market forces.”