Attorney Arthur Ettinger: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Became An Attorney

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Young newbie lawyers often do what they are told, often without asking why. When I was a young attorney, I remember often being hesitant on asking questions, as I thought asking questions would seem that I don’t understand the project. The reality is it is okay to ask questions. As the chair of a department of lawyers, I would much rather young lawyers ask me questions before they start the project than spend all their time doing the project the wrong way, without asking a single question.

As a part of my series about “5 things I wish someone told me when I first became an attorney” I had the pleasure of interviewing Arthur Ettinger.

Arthur D. Ettinger is widely known as one of the most effective divorce lawyers and family law attorneys in the New York Metropolitan area. For nearly 25 years, he has obtained favorable outcomes in some of the most complex and high-profile family law matters. Mr. Ettinger is a partner and chair of the Matrimonial & Family Law practice group in Greenspoon Marder’s New York office.

Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit more. What is the “backstory” that brought you to this particular career path in Law?

Throughout law school and shortly after I graduated, I worked with my father, who was also a matrimonial attorney in Manhattan. I thought I hated family law at the time. Within a few months of me graduating, my father had a massive heart attack and decided to retire. I took an associate attorney position at a prominent banking firm that, represents all the major financial institutions. I lasted a year there because I quickly realized that I enjoyed family law and missed the work I was doing helping individuals and making a difference in people’s lives. After a year, I went back to family law and have been practicing matrimonial and family law ever…