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Joseph Trotti

Partner
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Testimonials

  • “Dear Mr. Trotti, thank you for all the extraordinary work you have done. This has been a very long and painful situation for our family, and it has been very comforting to know and witness how hard ...”

    - P. & V.
  • “Mr. Trotti and his staff made me feel confident that no detail of my case was overlooked. His dedication and hard work put my mind at ease. It was evident that Mr. Trotti commands the respect not only ...”

    - A.
  • “Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP has worked diligently on behalf of causes and ideals which uphold the principles of human decency and brotherhood, and through the years has demonstrated a selfless ...”

    - Laura Curran, County Executive of Nassau County
  • “We are tremendously grateful to collaborate with a firm so dedicated to issues of social justice.”

    - William Tramontano, Interim President, Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY)
  • “I had the pleasure of having both Mr. Trotti and Mr. McGovern handle legal services for me and they did so with great knowledge, a comforting manner and ease. They were friendly, professional and ...”

    - De'bra S
  • “Excellent legal services and attorneys. I have had the pleasure of dealing with the real estate practice, the family institute practice, and the wills trust and estate practice. Also staff is very ...”

    - Vivian R.
  • “I retained Joseph Trotti 5 years ago to handle my divorce. This was a long, drawn out, and ugly divorce. Joe held my hand through losing my house to foreclosure, because my ex kept my mortgage ...”

    - Joy R.
  • “I was fortunate enough to work with Mr. Joe Trotti in my divorce case. After having fired two other divorce lawyers, Mr. Trotti successfully and quickly resolved all the outstanding financial problems ...”

    - Maria D.
  • “I fortunately met Joe Trotti at an unfortunate time. Joe is extremely knowledgeable of the law, well prepared, always responsive and is a highly skilled trial attorney. And just as important, Joe ...”

    - Pamela S.

Partner Joseph Trotti is the head of Vishnick McGovern Milizio LLP’s Matrimonial and Family Law practice and founding partner of the VMM Family InstituteSM. He heads VMM's Litigation Department and is a key member of the firm’s Surrogacy, Adoption, and Assisted Reproduction and LGBTQ Representation practices.

Mr. Trotti created the VMM Family Institute to foster effective communication and cooperation in matrimonial and family law matters. Recognizing that emotional and various other issues cannot be addressed by the legal system, he has pioneered the use of Collaborative Law principles, an approach used in corporate dispute resolution, in domestic cases.

His practice empowers families to make informed decisions regarding their future while avoiding the steep legal fees associated with courtroom battles, and more importantly—the accompanying emotional harm.

For his pioneering work, the New York Law Journal named him a “2019 Trailblazer,” one of a handful of attorneys statewide selected for the prestigious recognition. He was also named the “2019 Top Lawyer of Long Island” in the Family Law category by theLI Herald and a 2020 Super Lawyers "Top Rated Family Law Attorney."

Mr. Trotti possesses over 35 years of trial experience in custody, divorce, and support matters, including several landmark cases. He has carved out a reputation as an innovative litigator and compassionate counsel, with a strong record of successful judgments and settlements for his clients.

His work also includes estate and commercial real estate litigation, involving will challenges, trust mismanagement, guardianship contests, and other estate plan disputes.

Mr. Trotti additionally has extensive experience representing LGBTQ individuals in matters unique to the community, including marriage and domestic partnership, divorce and separation, and adoption and custody. He is the executive producer of Left Out in America: Legislating Life, Love and LGBT, which won “Best Directorial Debut of a Documentary” in the 2011 New York International Film Festival.

Recognized as both a practitioner and a thought leader, Mr. Trotti has been widely published in authoritative legal publications and mainstream press, including the American Bar Association Journal, New York Law Journal, Best Lawyers: The Family Law Issue, Attorney At Law Magazine, Newsweek, and AM New York.

Mr. Trotti is the partner-in-charge overseeing the firm’s marketing and business development initiatives, working closely with the department’s director and all attorneys. He is heavily involved in pro bono and nonprofit community work, with a strong passion for public school reform.

AREAS OF PRACTICE

LGBTQ Representation

Matrimonial and Family Law

Surrogacy, Adoption, and Assisted Reproduction

VMM Family InstituteSM

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New York, 1984
  • New York Supreme Court, 1984
  • New York Family Court
  • New York Surrogate’s Court
  • Kings County Supreme Court
  • Kings County Family Court
  • Kings County Surrogate’s Court
  • Queens County Supreme Court
  • Queens County Family Court
  • Queens County Surrogate’s Court
  • Nassau County Supreme Court
  • Nassau County Family Court
  • Nassau County Surrogate’s Court
  • Nassau County District Court
  • Suffolk County Supreme Court
  • Suffolk County Family Court
  • Suffolk County Surrogate’s Court, 1996

EDUCATION

  • J.D., St. John's School of Law, 1983
  • B.A., Political Science, Queens College, City University of New York, 1980

MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS

  • New York State Bar Association; Family Law Section
  • Queens County Bar Association; Family Law Committee
  • Nassau County Bar Association; Matrimonial Law Committee, LGBTQ Committee
  • Suffolk County Bar Association; Pro Bono Committee
  • Latino Lawyers Bar Association
  • Columbian Lawyers Association of Nassau County
  • Queens County Women’s Bar Association
  • New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants
  • Long Island City Partnership

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

  • Avvo, 5-star reviewed member
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Collaborative Family Law, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Family Law, 2024
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Family Law Mediation, 2022 – Present
  • Super Lawyers "Top Rated Family Law Attorney," 2020 – Present
  • New York Law Journal “2019 Trailblazer”
  • LI Herald “Top Lawyer of Long Island” Family Law, 2019 – Present
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Family Law Mediation, 2022 – Present (practice)
  • New York Law Journal “New York’s Top Rated LGBTQ Representation Lawyers 2020” (practice)
  • LI Herald “2019 Top Lawyers of Long Island,” Civil Rights (LGBTQ Representation practice)
  • LI Herald “2019 Top Lawyers of Long Island,” Pro Bono (LGBTQ Representation practice)
  • Nominee, LI Herald “2021 Top Lawyer of Long Island,” Divorce/Mediation
  • New York International Film Festival 2011 “Best Directorial Debut of a Documentary” (executive producer, Left Out in America: Legislating Life, Love and LGBT)

PRO BONO & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Nassau County Supreme Court Matrimonial Pro Bono Panel
  • Nassau County LGBTQ Committee
  • Queens County Supreme Court Pro Bono Panel
  • Suffolk County Matrimonial Committee Pro Bono Panel
  • Legal Outreach Attorney Mentoring Program
  • Board of directors and legal chair, Forest Hills Gardens
  • Co-chair, Forest Hills Youth Activities Association
  • New York Families for Autistic Children
  • Multiple Sclerosis Fundraising Committee
  • Child Abuse Prevention Services Fundraising Committee
  • CUNY Pridefest 2019, sponsor
  • Queens College, GLASA (Gay Lesbian and Straight Alliance) club, sponsor
  • Queens College, City University of New York, volunteer speaker
  • Former president of the board, Community Education Council

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