In the complex world of high-net-worth divorce, where substantial assets, complex business interests, and public reputations hang in the balance, Frederic J. Siegel stands as one of the nation’s most respected matrimonial attorneys. As managing partner of Siegel, Colin & Kaufman, P.C., a boutique matrimonial law firm in posh Fairfield County, Connecticut, Siegel has built a remarkable 43-year career representing CEOs, hedge fund managers, private equity principals, celebrities, and other high-profile clients through life’s most challenging transitions. He is known for being a client first lawyer that cares about children and the privacy of the people he represents.
Specialization in High-Net-Worth Matters
Siegel devotes his practice exclusively to family and matrimonial law, with particular expertise in substantial asset divorce cases and pre-nuptial agreements. This specialization has given Siegel unparalleled experience navigating the unique challenges that arise when significant wealth, complex business structures, and public profiles intersect with family law.
His approach to these sophisticated cases requires understanding business valuations, tax implications, trust structures, stock options, executive compensation packages, and the myriad financial instruments that characterize substantial estates. Whether dividing multi-million dollar real estate portfolios, valuing closely-held businesses, or structuring alimony arrangements for ultra-high-net-worth individuals, Siegel brings both technical expertise and strategic insight to every case.
A Philosophy Centered on Settlement
Despite his formidable litigation skills, Siegel’s preferred approach emphasizes settlement over warfare. This philosophy reflects both wisdom gained over more than four decades of practice and genuine concern for his clients’ long-term well-being. Siegel understands that divorce, especially high-profile divorce, can consume lives and damage families if not handled thoughtfully. He also believes that for couples with children, they need a relatively amicable resolution to insure their mental health and futures. Siegel has seen the damage caused to children where their parents had an acrimonious divorce.
His client-focused approach emphasizes reaching agreements that allow both parties to move forward with dignity, preserve family relationships where children are involved, and avoid the public spectacle and emotional toll of protracted litigation. This practical wisdom—particularly valuable when children are involved—has made him the attorney of choice for clients who value discretion, strategic thinking, and solutions that work in the real world.
Impeccable Credentials
Siegel’s credentials represent the highest achievements possible in matrimonial law. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), where he served on the National Board of Governors and is Past President of the Connecticut Chapter. He also serves as President-Elect of the USA Chapter of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL). The respect his matrimonial peers throughout the world and within the United States have for him is evident from the leadership roles he has been asked to undertake. He does have an international aspect to his practice (IAFL) and has a great network for lawyers throughout the world who will work with him when required. Additionally, the AAML has certified him as a divorce mediator.
His professional recognition includes being named one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the United States by Worth Magazine, designation as a Super Lawyer for consecutive years since 2011, and inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (30th edition) for Family Law in Stamford. He holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell—the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards—and a perfect 10.0 rating from AVVO.
Sought-After Expert and Consultant
Siegel’s reputation extends far beyond Connecticut and New York. Lawyers throughout the United States routinely seek him as an expert witness regarding the viability of pre-nuptial agreements and his experience with international divorce matters. When attorneys themselves need an expert, they turn to Siegel—a testament to how his peers view his expertise. His international connections through the IAFL have created relationships with top family lawyers around the world. He regularly attends IAFL meetings worldwide where leading practitioners discuss pre-marital agreements, tax issues, custody matters, and other complex family law topics. This global network provides immense benefit to clients whose cases involve international assets, foreign spouses, or cross-border custody issues.
Media Recognition and Thought Leadership
Siegel’s expertise has made him a sought-after commentator for national media outlets including CNN, Good Morning America, CBS, Inside Edition, The Wall Street Journal, and Town and Country Magazine. This media presence reflects both his knowledge and his ability to explain complex legal concepts clearly. Beyond his practice, Siegel has contributed significantly to advancing matrimonial law through teaching and scholarship. He served four years on the adjunct legal faculty at Cardozo School of Law and has authored “How to Handle the Substantial Asset Divorce Case” for the American Journal of Family Law. Recent presentations include speaking on “Celebrity and High Net Worth Divorce” at Case Western University Law School and “The Role Mediation & Forensic Accounting Can Play in Your Divorce Case” at The Delamar Hotel in Connecticut.
Expertise in Pre-Nuptial and Post-Nuptial Agreements
Siegel has vast experience drafting and negotiating pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements—documents requiring exceptional skill to create agreements that are both legally enforceable and fair to both parties. His expertise is so recognized that attorneys nationwide seek him as an expert witness regarding the viability of such agreements. For high-net-worth individuals contemplating marriage, Siegel’s creative approach and deep understanding of enforceability provides invaluable protection and peace of mind.
Mediation
Consistent with his philosophy favoring settlement, Siegel is certified as a divorce mediator by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. His mediation work with complex, high-net-worth matters requires not just facilitation skills but deep understanding of sophisticated financial issues and the emotional intelligence to help parties find common ground even in contentious situations.
A Creative, Strategic Approach
What truly distinguishes Siegel is his creative approach to problem-solving. High-net-worth divorces rarely fit standard templates—each case involves unique asset structures, business interests, tax considerations, and family dynamics. Siegel’s 43 years of experience have equipped him with an extensive toolkit of strategies and solutions adapted to each client’s specific circumstances. Whether structuring settlements that minimize tax consequences, crafting custody arrangements that accommodate executive travel schedules, or developing creative solutions to divide illiquid assets, Siegel approaches each challenge with both legal expertise and practical wisdom.
The Siegel Advantage
For individuals facing divorce with substantial assets at stake—CEOs worried about business valuations, hedge fund managers with complex compensation structures, private equity principals with carried interest concerns, or public figures requiring discretion—Frederic J. Siegel offers an unmatched combination of expertise, wisdom, and strategic thinking. His preference for settlement reflects not weakness but strength—the confidence that comes from knowing he can achieve better outcomes through strategic negotiation than through litigation. When litigation is necessary, his credentials ensure formidable advocacy. But his first instinct is always to ask: what solution serves our client’s long-term interests best?
This wise, practical, client-focused approach—combined with his impeccable credentials, peer recognition, international connections, and creative problem-solving abilities—makes Siegel the matrimonial attorney that sophisticated clients turn to when the stakes are highest.
Learn more about Frederic J. Siegel’s matrimonial law practice: Visit his profile on the Haute Lawyer Network.
