Bio
Attorney Christian Aaron Pickney, Esq. is the founder of the boutique matrimonial and family law practice, Pickney Law Firm.
Since 1996, Mr. Pickney has provided professional, exceptional representation to his clients on Long Island and in New York City. His clients receive the highest level of dedicated representation and attention to detail.
Pickney Law Firm represents individuals in all aspects of matrimonial and family law, including equitable distribution of assets, child custody, spousal support, child support, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, and cases involving relocation of children’s residence by the custodial parent.
Although he is an experienced and respected trial lawyer, Mr. Pickney is proud of his reputation of creatively approaching negotiations to obtain settlements for his clients when possible. He recognizes that efficiently representing his clients means that disputes should be resolved through negotiation whenever possible.
When necessary, Mr. Pickney successfully litigates matters involving child custody, business valuations, separate property claims, maintenance, and child support. Mr. Pickney is recognized by his peers as a formidable trial attorney.
He recognizes that each case is unique and often so is the approach necessary to achieve the desired result. Mr. Pickney is often called upon by professionals – including attorneys, physicians, executives, journalists, and professional athletes – in matrimonial and family law matters. He has handled matters involving members of the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
Mr. Pickney has represented members of some of New York’s most prominent families. At Pickney Law Firm our clients’ privacy is respected and their confidentiality protected.
He is well-known for his success in representing high net worth individuals in complex cases. His cases have involved the preservation of assets in trusts, including family trusts and trusts created with marital assets.
He has the experience and the skills to handle sophisticated financial analysis involving large corporations, complex taxation issues including income from domestic international sales corporations, capital gains issues, and 1031 exchanges in the sale of real estate.
Mr. Pickney has litigated cases involving the valuation and equitable distribution of businesses valued in excess of 100 million dollars, as well as clients with substantial national and international real estate holdings valued in excess of 150 million dollars.
Mr. Pickney has litigated complex custody cases, cases involving international custody disputes, and the prosecution and defense of child residency relocation cases, both domestic and foreign.
Mr. Pickney has litigated in the State and Federal Courts of the State of New York. He has argued cases before the New York State Appellate Division and the Federal Court of Appeals, Second Circuit. Mr. Pickney’s cases have been reported in the New York Law Journal, the Wall Street Journal, and in the New York State and Federal case reporters.
Mr. Pickney serves as a Part 137 Arbitrator for the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Nassau County, and was selected for inclusion in the 2017 to 2024 editions of New York Super Lawyers®
Education
- J.D. - Touro Law School, 1995
- B.A. - Hofstra University, 1992
Practice Areas
- Matrimonial Law
- Family Law
Admissions
- Supreme Court of the State of New York, 1996
- United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1998
- United States District Court, Eastern District (NY), 1996
- United States District Court, Southern District (NY), 1996
Past & Present Memberships & Certifications
- Nassau County Bar Association
- Nassau County Matrimonial Law Committee
- New York State Bar Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
- Arbitrator - Nassau County Supreme Court – Fee Dispute Panel
- EAC of L.I. - Mediator
- New York Family Law Inn of Court
Cases/Lectures and Published Articles
- Taylor v. Taylor, 926 NYS2d 347 (Supreme Court, Westchester, 2011)
- Schoppman v. Plainedge UFSD, 297 AD2d 338 (2d Dep’t, 2002)
- Bannon v. Auerbach, 785 NYS 2d 650 (Supreme Court, Suffolk County, 2004)
- 1800 Postcards, Inc. v. AD Die Cutting Inc., 958 NYS2d 62 (Supreme Court, New York County, 2010)
- Matter of PAA v. MR, 924 NYS2d 240 (Family Court, Nassau County, 2011)
- Epstein v. City of New York, 250 AD2d 547 (1st Dep’t, 1998)
- Martinez v. NYCHA, 250 AD 2d 686 (2nd Dep’t, 1998)
- M. Langer v. T. Langer, 63 Misc. 3d 1208(A) (Supreme Court, Nassau County, 2019), NYLJ, May 20, 2019.
- Tralisa R. v. Max S., 145 AD 3d 727 (Appellate Division, Second Dep't, 2016)
- The Wall Street Journal: "Why Postnuptial Agreements Are On the Rise". March 10, 2016
- Lecture: Hofstra University School of Law, Private Wealth & Taxation Institute, "The Intersection Between Divorce and Trusts & Estates". June 6, 2019
Take Your First Step
Put Over 45 Years Of Combined Experience To Work For You
"*" indicates required fields