Here’s What Some Past Clients Say
“Hi Helene, Thank you for everything. We had the privilege of working with Helene Bernstein during a very dark emotional time. We were very overwhelmed when we received a summons for court with only a few weeks to respond. Helene quickly met with us and made us feel comfortable and secure in her ability to find a path in the chaos to keep our family safe. As our case evolved, it was further validated that Helene was extremely knowledgable, responsive, attuned, and able to meet us where we were at the whole way. She allowed us to feel a sense of relief by helping us to make very informed decisions. She was available to discuss our options at every step of the way and we could not have gotten through the past few months without her. As a result of working with Helene, we feel more at peace and our children have a brighter future.”
“Helene is a wonderful attorney. She is knowledgeable friendly and helpful. Divorce is an overwhelming time and she treated me with respect, answered all my questions promptly, and I felt comfortable for the duration of the entire process. I truly appreciated her advice especially since her work consistently showed that she was advising me based on what was best for my situation. Though she is kind and considerate make no mistake that she cuts through the nonsense, while keeping you focused on the important decisions necessary to reach a favorable result. I was scrambling, overwhelmed and nervous prior to working with Helene. She offered many options to help me navigate through a difficult divorce mediation with my soon to be ex-spouse. Helene is solution oriented, diligent, and on point.”
“I hired Helene Bernstein to help me collect past child support owed by my ex-husband in Brooklyn Family Court. We were 100% successful, and not only was I able to collect the arrears through my ex’s two pensions and Social Security, but I was also able to get my husband to pay my legal fees and expenses. Ms. Bernstein was relentless, and she even had my ex put in jail when he refused to comply with his court-ordered obligations. My attorney was hardworking, always returned my calls and was a good and kind person. I strongly recommend Helene Bernstein, as she knows how to get the job done!” – NG
“I have worked with Helene Bernstein for three years. She represented me in both custody and support issues. She represented me well, and I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking competent counsel. If you’re reading this, then you already know how tough and frustrating these issues can be. Helene not only offered committed and excellent council, she provided guidance and honest communication. She was always clear in explaining my options, paths forward and the likelihood of success.
The family court system is an impossible maze to navigate alone and Helene not only knows it well but helped in making me feel comfortable in it. Helene is also mediation focused and will try hard to keep you out of court if possible. In my case, mediation failed but not for lack of trying. Court was successful because Helene was focused on the two-track system. Track one mediation; track two court preparation. Because of her tireless work, I am able to have a positive and substantial relationship with my child, and I have orders and systems in place to protect that relationship.
Helene Bernstein is smart, committed, dependable and reasonable. She never took steps without making sure I fully understood and agreed to them. She was always honest with me and let me know if what I was looking for was unattainable. If you are committed to making life better for yourself and your family, Helene is the person for the job. I cannot recommend her enough and my family is forever better because of her.” – CD
“After our initial consultation, Helene immediately jumped into action and, in a few weeks’ time, she and her assistant made more progress in my case than my prior attorney did in two and a half years! They rescued me from a less-than-enthusiastic attorney and, with professionalism and a personal touch, guided me through the most difficult situation I’ve ever faced. At a time when I was feeling hopeless, alone and put-upon by the judge, my attorney and opposing counsel, Helene’s knowledge, perseverance and thoroughness provided me with a sense of confidence and some semblance of fairness. Helene and Sam are top-rated legal professionals who have maintained their human compassion, which for me, made all the difference in the world. They let me know through their actions and interaction with me that they remembered that this business of theirs is my life – and this part of it was in good hands.”
“During my divorce proceedings, my attorney recommended that my husband and I try mediation. Since we had attended a parenting education course via Family Kind [familykind.org/], I used their services to obtain a mediator and they provided us with Helene Bernstein. I was a bit skeptical, being new to the entire process and idea that mediation would work for a difficult time in both of our lives. However, Helene and Sam Cambraia [her paralegal and mediator] took away all of the fears, stress and anxiety.
Helene is an excellent active listener. Her ability to get both parties to understand each other’s points of view in a safe, nonjudgmental space was impressive and extremely helpful. Mini homework exercises she made us do created a better relationship where my husband and I are much better at co-parenting. We both refer back to Helene’s problem-solving solutions when a hiccup in communication arises. I would absolutely recommend Helene Bernstein as a mediator and attorney. She’s very knowledgeable in her field, genuine, authentic and makes you feel at ease – qualities that are hard to find in professionals in her field when you’re going through such a difficult time in your life.”
“I was one of the lucky ones whose divorce was relatively easy, with no sticking points to speak of. That does not mean that you don’t need an astute attorney to handle all matters relating to a divorce, including pension issues, retirement accounts and the selling and distribution of property. Helene Bernstein guided me every step of the way in an even and professional manner. Her expertise was apparent from the first interview to the final signoff. I would recommend her highly and without hesitation.”
“I have met Helene Bernstein during my research to find children services attorney. I am a day care owner and I was dealing with my very unpleasant experience having a case with ACS for child abuse. During the time I was making my decision about hiring an attorney, I have met quite a few of them. Also, I have done my research online. I really like Helene’s professional approach to asking questions about my case. Also, she gave me a lot of details on how we are going to work together on this – all the procedures, etc. I was very impressed how fast she handled this case. She has acted strongly to defend my rights and get quick answers about my case. Her communication with me was always on a very high level! She has always answered all my questions returning my phone calls, emails and giving me all the updates. At the end, she represented me and won my case. We have won this together because I had a great lawyer! I was defending myself and the good name of my business, Helene, as my attorney, was very supportive and very professional, defending my rights as her client. I recommend her service very highly! Thank you again, Helene!”
“We had the pleasure of working with Helene Bernstein and Sam Cambraia. We have never met either in person and most likely never will, but our lives crossed over a very unique case that occurred 30-plus years ago in a state that is 1,100 miles from New York. As the defendants, we sought representation from our local law firms but were told that they could not represent us in a case that was initiated in New York even if the original case was in our state. That left us to find legal representation in New York, a state that we never resided in.
There are thousands of lawyers in New York and we had no idea where to start. In the meantime, the court expected us to submit documents within days and our court date was in two weeks. On the first court date, we were on our own and were told that the court had not received any of our documents. As a result, the court was ready to rule thinking that we had defaulted, but we were given a continuance. My wife started making follow-up calls to lawyers in New York, and we found and chose Helene to defend us. For the first time, we felt a sense of relief. We are extremely fortunate to have found such a knowledgeable, ethical, kind and caring professional who made sure that everything was always ready and in order. We entrusted her with our lives and she treated us with respect. I hesitate to think what would have happened had we not found Helene. She has positively impacted our lives, and for that, we will be forever grateful.”
“Helene lead me through the bureaucratic complexities of an ACS Court Case in which I was the nonrespondent father, and the subsequent filing of a Petition for Custody. Her experience in this realm was consistently evident. All contingencies were accounted for and all details were addressed. Equally important was the fact that Helene and her assistant, Sam, are genuinely kind people who care about the lives of all those involved in the proceedings. In my case, a settlement was reached and sole custody was awarded to me. I have Helene to thank for that. I don’t think I could have asked for better counsel.”
“I had the pleasure of working with Helene with regard to my custody and child support case. She guided me through the process in such a positive way, always reminding me to stay focused on what was important, not to get sucked into the minutiae; never hesitate to tell me if I was being unreasonable or losing sight of the important issues.
Her many years of working in the courts and her knowledge of the law made me secure in the knowledge that she knew what was the best course of action in order to garner the outcome I desired. Helene was everything I needed in what was a personal and exhausting time; she was always greeted with a smile by fellow lawyers in the court, making it apparent she is known and respected amongst her colleagues. I would highly recommend Helene to anyone who needs a firm hand, a reassuring voice and a guiding light!”
“Helene didn’t only ‘handle’ my case, she treated me with respect, listened and promptly answered all my questions, and made me comfortable. She paid attention not only to the facts but the emotional aspect of the difficult situation I was facing as well. I recommend Helene to everyone who is looking for an attorney who truly cares about her clients.”
“Just a note to say, thank you for your help in resolving this situation that has plagued me for years. I appreciate all your efforts and hope. This is finally a bad dream that will come to an end. And a special thank you to Sam, who really stayed on top of everything. She is a gem.”
“Helene helped me through my divorce from my spouse of 18 years. We tried mediation, but there were too many complicating factors. I had consulted several attorneys, but none seemed to understand, nor seemed interested in the nuances of my situation. Others might have, but had stringent financial terms that were beyond my capability. Helene was the only one who really took the time to ask relevant questions and get at the heart of what mattered: a simple and fair settlement that was in the best interests of our young child. And her payment terms were thoughtful and fair.
Above all, Helene was invested in my case and was with me every step of the way. She and her team were incredibly sensitive to my needs. They took the time to explain the various scenarios and procedures, and helped me make informed decisions that ultimately led to the best possible outcome to what was otherwise a painful and heart-wrenching experience. I am grateful to her and her team for working with such integrity, professionalism and thoughtful consideration.”
