Family Law

• Divorce
  Nicole Helmer Simon is a partner in our family law, custody, and divorce law firm and was born in Massena, New York. Ms. Simon graduated from Le Moyne College with a B.S. degree in 2000, and from Albany Law School with a Juris Doctor degree in 2003 with a concentration in family and elder law. A trusted family law, custody, and divorce associate, Ms. Simon is admitted to the New York State Bar. Ms. Simon served on the Special Events Committee for the American Cancer Society's Hope Club, formerly known as Gilda's Club. Ms. Simon is a past member of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce Women's Business Council, where she served as co-chair of the "Women of Excellence" Committee from 2006 through 2008 and as co-chair of the Women’s Business Council’s membership committee from 2008 to 2009. Ms. Simon is a graduate of the Leadership Tech Valley Class of 2008, which is a joint initiative between the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Schenectady Chamber of Commerce, and served on the steering committee for the Leadership Tech Valley Program from 2008 to 2012. She is the recipient of The Legal Project’s 2010 Brigid Nolan Memorial Award for pro bono service to victims of Domestic Violence. Ms. Simon was appointed to the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association Family Law Section in 2014. She is a co-chair of the Family Law Section's social media committee and also serves as a Family Law Section delegate to the New York State Bar Association's House of Delegates. In 2017, Ms. Simon was appointed as a member of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Law, Youth and Citizenship. Ms. Simon is also a member of the Schenectady County Bar Association where she serves on the Matrimonial Committee. Ms. Simon is also a member of the Capital District Women's Bar Association, where she previously served on the Board of Directors and is Chair of the Caregiver's Committee.
• Child Support
  At Gordon, Tepper & DeCoursey, LLP in Glenville, NY, we can assist with every legal aspect of child support so you can focus on your family.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  Familial legal matters like filing for divorce and arranging custody and visitation agreements can be overwhelming to face on your own.
• Adoption
  In January 2016, Ms. Rutkey was appointed by the Hon. Karen K. Peters, then Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Department, to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Civil Appeals Settlement Program (CASP) of the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. In 2020, Ms. Rutkey was appointed by the the Hon. Elizabeth Garry, current Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, to serve on the New York State Continuing Legal Education ("CLE") Board for a term expiring September 30, 2023. In addition to handling divorce, family law, custody, support matters, trials and appeals, Ms. Rutkey also represents both biological and adoptive parents in New York adoptions, interstate adoptions and international adoptions.
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
  A prenuptial agreement is a powerful tool that can help protect you and your spouse should you ever decide to divorce.
• Guardianship
• Spousal Support
  The spousal support lawyers at Gordon, Tepper & DeCoursey, LLP, in Glenville, New York, can help you negotiate a fair alimony agreement.
• Legal Separation
  If you and your partner are contemplating divorce, filing for legal separation may be the best way to protect your family during this time.
• Child Abuse
  A guardian takes on the legal responsibilities of caring for a child who is not biologically his or hers. To become a guardian, an individual must prove that certain circumstances exist which prevent the child's biological parents from providing adequate care (e.g., child abuse/neglect, drug addiction, mental illness). Unlike adoption, the biological parents retain some of their legal parental rights, although the guardian is typically considered the primary caretaker and decision maker.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  New York law offers several types of protection for individuals who are threatened or endangered by a member of their family or household. This includes a former or current spouse, someone with whom the petitioner has a child, or someone with whom he or she shares an intimate relationship. One of these options is obtaining an order of protection, which can be granted in either Family or Supreme Court. Courts which handle criminal matters can also award orders of protection. The order of protection can be used in situations involving aggravated harassment, physical, sexual, emotional, and mental harassment, assault, attempted assault, menacing, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, stalking, criminal mischief, sexual misconduct, and sexual abuse. If you or your children feel threatened by another member of your family or household, or by someone with whom you have had an intimate relationship, please contact our practice.
• Traffic Violations
  In addition to providing skillful legal representation in matrimonial and family law cases, Gordon, Tepper & DeCoursey, LLP, also represents clients in several other practice areas. Our legal team has a wealth of knowledge regarding wills, estates, trusts, matrimonial appeals, Family Court appeals, real estate closings, and traffic tickets. Contact our attorneys for a consultation at our Albany-area office, serving Schenectady, Saratoga, Glenville, the Capital District, and surrounding New York areas. We pledge to be straightforward, dependable, and compassionate.
• Assault

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Disputes
  As a recognized family law attorney, Mr. Tepper has held many professional memberships and lectured on many aspects of divorce, custody, family, and matrimonial law for many organizations, including the Business Law Institute and the New York State Senate.
• Intellectual Property
  Elliot J. Vanier is an associate in our family law, custody, and divorce law firm and was born in Malone, New York. Mr. Vanier graduated from St. Lawrence University with a Bachelor’s degree in 2017, and from Syracuse University School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 2020. During law school, Mr. Vanier had a concentration in family law and litigation and was an active member of the Family Law Society, Intellectual Property Law Society and the Syrian Accountability Project.

Immigration Law

• Citizenship and Naturalization

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  The value of each spouse's separate property includes money, real estate, businesses, and other assets acquired prior to marriage, as well as inheritances, gifts, and personal injury awards.
• Medical Malpractice
  Mr. Vanier began practicing law in Malone, New York. Before joining Gordon, Tepper & DeCoursey, LLP, Mr. Vanier practiced in personal injury, medical malpractice, as well as family law litigation at the law firm Poissant, Nichols, Grue, Vanier & Babbie, P.C. He joined our firm in 2022 to dedicate his practice primarily to family law, custody, and divorce matters, serving the Albany, Schenectady, Capital District and Saratoga region.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Adults over the age of 18, especially those who own property and/or have children, should draft a will and consider how they'd like their affairs to be carried out after they die. Lawyers are an essential resource during the estate planning process. The goal of our attorneys is to protect the estates which our clients have worked hard to build. By listening carefully to our clients, and relying on our knowledge of the complex laws governing estates, we ensure that our clients' wills are legally viable documents that accurately reflect their wishes.
• Wills
  Estate planning encompasses wills, trusts, living wills, health care proxies, and powers of attorney. A will is a legal document which distributes a person's assets after that person dies in accordance with his or her wishes. A will normally distributes only assets that are solely in the person's name at his or her time of death. Jointly owned or possessed assets, as well as life insurance proceeds, retirement accounts, or pensions will normally pass to the designated beneficiary, or to the joint owner of the asset.
• Power of Attorney