About Us
I’m Tony Pietrafesa. I founded Families in Transition when my own marriage ended. I wanted to give Capital Region
couples another way to face divorce. I believe our integrated mediation and divorce planning
technique is a way that is fair, neutral, self-directed and forward-looking. Let me help you
make your life easier.
Educated at Colgate University and trained at the Syracuse University College of Law, I am admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New York. I represented individuals and small businesses for 15 years before entering State service in 1995. For the Attorney General I prosecuted Medicaid frauds – including the largest white collar crime in Onondaga County history-and defended the State in a score of trials and administrative proceedings. Since 1999 I have counseled two State agencies, each with a focus on families.
I received mediation training from the Center for Family and Divorce Mediation in New York City, with subsequent training from the Negotiation Strategy Institute and the Institute of Divorce Financial Analysts. Currently, I hold memberships in the New York State Council for Divorce Mediation, the Association of Divorce Financial Planners, and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
While my focus is mediating your issues with an eye towards resolution, I can offer legal services, under a separate legal retainer agreement, to complete your divorce without either of you stepping into court. And if you are being hounded by collection agencies, ask about our FDCPA/FCRA services . We can help.
Let me use my 25 years of professional experience to help your family in this time of crisis. Call us at 218-0851 for a 15 minute phone consultation. I’ll speak to each of you about what we can offer, and explore if mediation is right for you, and if Families in Transition is the right mediator for you.