Eleanor B. Alter is a highly regarded family law attorney at Alter Wolff Foley & Stutman LLP, recognized as one of the leading practitioners in the nation. She has represented high-profile clients, including business owners, attorneys, and their spouses, and has served as an expert witness on New York law while collaborating with attorneys in other jurisdictions and arguing appeals in various New York State courts.
Before co-founding her current firm, Eleanor was a partner at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP for nineteen years, where she led the family and matrimonial law group. Her previous experience includes being a partner at Rosenman & Colin LLP for fifteen years and at Marshall, Bratter, Greene, Allison & Tucker LLP for eight years. She began her legal career in 1965 in the Office of the General Counsel for the New York State Insurance Department.
Eleanor graduated from Columbia Law School with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) in 1964 after entering Harvard Law School in 1961. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from the University of Michigan, obtained in 1960.
A frequent lecturer on family law topics both nationally and internationally, Eleanor served as an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law and held fellowships and visiting professor positions at the University of Chicago Law School. She was also a member of the Board of Editors for the New York Law Journal and has published articles in various legal journals.
She is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Law Institute and the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Eleanor served as a trustee and chairman of the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection of the State of New York at the invitation of the New York State Court of Appeals.
The daughter of Hon. Charles David Breitel and Jeanne (Hollander) Breitel, Eleanor has two sons, Richard Zabel and David Zabel. She resides in New York City with her husband, Dr. Allan Lans. An avid reader, she enjoys mysteries, biographies, and books on historic events, and loves to cook for family and friends, especially at her mountain home in Haines Falls, NY.
