our attorneys
Ira E. Garr
“What I like best about my job is making a difference for my clients who are often in difficult situations.”
Ira is widely regarded as one of the most trusted courtroom strategists for complex, high-stakes divorce cases. Recognized by both peers and judges, he is considered among the top matrimonial attorneys in New York. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and has maintained Martindale-Hubbell’s highest “AV Preeminent” rating for over thirty years, reflecting excellence in both legal ability and ethical standards. Since 2006, Ira has also been featured in the New York Times Magazine and New York Magazine “Super Lawyers” lists, recognizing him as one of the top attorneys in the New York metropolitan area.
Ira entered private practice in 1978 as a commercial litigator. In 1985, he founded his own firm, shifting his focus primarily to family law. Since then, he has been a frequent lecturer for Bar Association and Continuing Legal Education programs, sharing his expertise with fellow practitioners. Ira has also served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at St. John’s Law School, where he taught trial advocacy.
Currently, Ira focuses on high-net-worth cases often involving complex issues such as valuation of businesses, analyzing trust and discovery of hidden assets. He earns high marks for credibility with the judges and has received uniformly enthusiastic reviews from his peers and clients.
While Ira has extensive experience as both a trial and appellate lawyer, he believes that matrimonial matters are best resolved through thoughtful negotiation and agreement. As he explains:
“An agreement is limited only by the creativity of the parties and their counsel. A court, by contrast, is bound by the dictates of the Domestic Relations Law and cannot craft outcomes with the same level of detail and precision that fair-minded attorneys negotiating in good faith can achieve.”
Ira is frequently retained by other matrimonial attorneys to serve as trial or appellate counsel in complex cases. He is also regularly called upon by colleagues and judges to mediate or help resolve matters that have reached a stalemate, guiding parties toward effective settlement.