It takes a good attorney to earn her client’s praise. But to earn praise from the opposing party? That takes a highly skilled attorney like Lydia A. Milone, one of the founding partners of BodnarMilone, LLP, a White Plains practice of family and matrimonial law.
After one divorce case wrapped up, “the spouse of my client wrote me, saying, ‘I was prepared to dislike you, but you always treated me with respect. You restored my faith in people,’” Milone shares.
In addition to a keen knowledge of the law, Milone attributes her success in handling hundreds of cases over her 30-year career to emotional intelligence. “Whether it’s a money issue or a child-related issue, psychodynamics plays a huge part,” she says.
Despite a heavy caseload, Milone maintains many professional involvements: she’s a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and in the past, chaired her local Westchester County Bar Family Law section. She was named by her peers as Lawyer of the Year 2020 for matrimonial law, an honor bestowed by Best Lawyers magazine.
Two years ago, Milone helped oversee a merger that doubled the size of BodnarMilone, and she continues to help train entry-level associates who join the firm. She’ll also always take a call from any colleague seeking an opinion on a procedural, substantive, or strategy question.
She is highly sought after, thanks to her savvy and impeccable ethics. “The only currency one has in life is their reputation,” she says. “That’s really how I live.”
