For more than four decades Stephen W. Schlissel has been regarded as one of the leading matrimonial attorneys on Long Island - and in the nation. Tough, creative and with a wry, sharp wit, Schlissel is known for his broad legal skills and for his business leadership, having built one of the largest and most successful matrimonial practices on Long Island.

None of this is terribly surprising, considering his roots: The son of a judge, he attended the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business as an undergraduate, and later Harvard Law School, from which he graduated cum laude.

Early on he joined now Federal Judge Jack Weinstein, who was County Attorney. Schlissel also worked for Bernard Meyer, another legend of the New York bar - and later, the New York bench. It was such mentors that groomed Schlissel for professional leadership.

In the 1980s, recognizing the devastating emotional impact of divorce on parents and children, Schlissel co-founded Parent Education and Custody Effectiveness (PEACE), which continues to educate divorcing parents. In 2000 his friend and one-time rival Michael Ostrow joined Schlissel at a firm now composed of ten attorneys, including name partner Elena Karabatos.

The firm, with seven attorneys (Mr. Ostrow is now retired), today handles the region’s most complex and challenging cases. The firm is known for having among the most talented young lawyers in the region. “We all bounce strategies off each other every day, and our clients benefit from that.”

A Nassau County native, Schlissel is a resident of Manhasset. He is married to his wife Joan for more than 50 years, has three daughters and sons-in-law, and seven grandchildren.