Atty. Deborah E. Lans

Atty. Deborah E. Lans

Deborah Lans has divided her practice between complex commercial and marital litigation for more than 40 years. She was a founding partner of Morrison Cohen LLP in 1984 and was the head of its Commercial Litigation Department for 15 years.

New York New York 51 yrs experience 51 year
Call (332) 529-7282 Book Appointment

Profile Summary

About Deborah E. Lans at a glance

Deborah E. Lans is a Partner based in New York, New York, practicing at Cohen Clair Lans Greifer & Simpson LLP. They have 51+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1975. Their practice focuses on contracts, family law, business, litigation, and adr. Admitted to practice in U.S. District Court,Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Cir (1975), New York (1975), U.S. Supreme Court (1983), and U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit (1985). Educated at Boston University (J.D., 1974) and Smith College (A.B., 1971). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of American Bar Association. Serands clients in New York, NY and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Verified attorney profile · Updated June 2026

About

  • Deborah Lans has divided her practice between complex commercial and marital litigation for more than 40 years
  • She was a founding partner of Morrison Cohen LLP in 1984 and was the head of its Commercial Litigation Department for 15 years
  • In 2000, she left to serve as the Executive Director of Mentoring USA, a non-profit organization founded by Matilda Raffa Cuomo to provide one-to-one mentoring for at-risk youth
  • In 2003, she co-founded Cohen Lans LLP, now Cohen Clair Lans Greifer & Simpson LLP, where she continues to concentrate on the mediation, arbitration, trial, and appellate litigation of sophisticated business and family matters
  • Martindale Hubbell has consistently rated Ms. Lans AV Preeminent, the highest possible rating reflecting the opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary, in both legal ability and ethical standards
  • She has served on or chaired the New York Supreme Court Departmental Disciplinary Committee
  • the Executive, Judiciary, Bioethical Issues, and Young Lawyers Committees, and the Council on Judicial Administration of the City Bar (formerly, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York), among others
  • She is also a member of the American Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association
  • Ms. Lans is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Columbia Memorial Health, a hospital and health care system serving Columbia and Greene Counties in upstate New York
  • She serves as a trustee of the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, which serves Columbia, Berkshire, Litchfield, and Dutchess counties
  • She chairs the Planning Board of Austerlitz, New York and served for nearly a decade as Treasurer of PS 21, an arts organization dedicated to bringing cutting-edge dance, theater, and musical performances to Columbia County as well as arts education to children
  • Ms. Lans served for three years as Chair and six years as a Trustee of Columbia Land Conservancy, a land trust active in preserving the rural and agricultural character of Columbia County, New York
  • She was a member (and vice-chair) of the Board of Literacy, Inc., a New York City non-profit that employs grass-roots tactics to enhance early literacy, and she also has served on the Claims Committee of Terrafirma RRG, a risk retention group providing conservation defense insurance to more than four hundred land trusts throughout the country
  • Ms. Lans is currently a contributor to The Columbia Paper and previously contributed a monthly column, together with former New York State First Lady Matilda Raffa Cuomo, to Education Week
  • She has served as faculty for CLE classes, authored chapters that appear in Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts and Successful Partnering (both West publications), and published numerous articles on legal topics in professional journals
  • A profile of Ms. Lans appears in Nancy Carson’s Believing in Ourselves: A Celebration of Women, a book about 38 women who have distinguished themselves in a variety of fields and give back in ways that help to build a healthy world
  • Her profile also appears in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in American Law
  • Ms. Lans has been consistently listed in Best Lawyers in America and New York Super Lawyers as a business and matrimonial litigator

Practice Areas Explained

Deborah E. Lans's Areas of Practice

Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Deborah E. Lans handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.

Contracts

Deborah E. Lans is one of 76,762 contracts attorneys indexed nationally. Browse contracts attorneys in New York →

Family Law

Family law attorneys handle divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, prenups, and protective orders. Find verified family lawyers near you.

Deborah E. Lans is one of 187,066 family law attorneys indexed nationally. Browse family law attorneys in New York →

Business & Corporate Law

Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.

Deborah E. Lans is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in New York →

Civil Litigation

Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.

Deborah E. Lans is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in New York →

Mediation & Arbitration

Mediators and arbitrators for civil, commercial, family, and employment dispute resolution.

Deborah E. Lans is one of 73,906 adr attorneys indexed nationally. Browse adr attorneys in New York →

Jurisdictional Context

Why local counsel matters in New York

Practicing law in New York. Legal matters in New York are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in New York are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate New York state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in New York brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in New York courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.

Looking for additional New York attorneys? Browse all attorneys in New York or all attorneys in New York.

Frequently Asked

Common questions about Deborah E. Lans

Where is Deborah E. Lans's law office located?
Deborah E. Lans's law practice is located in New York, New York. The firm is Cohen Clair Lans Greifer & Simpson LLP. You can contact the office directly through this profile page.
What practice areas does Deborah E. Lans handle?
Deborah E. Lans focuses on contracts, family law, business, litigation, adr. Each practice area listed reflects experience handling cases of that type in New York.
How long has Deborah E. Lans practiced law?
Deborah E. Lans has 51+ years of legal experience and has been licensed since 1975.
Where did Deborah E. Lans go to law school?
Deborah E. Lans earned their education at (J.D., 1974); (A.B., 1971).
How can I contact Deborah E. Lans for a consultation?
You can contact Deborah E. Lans directly through this profile page. Click "Ask the Attorney" to submit a question, or "Schedule a Consultation" to book a meeting. Most claimed-profile attorneys respond within one business day.
What awards or recognition has Deborah E. Lans received?
Deborah E. Lans's notable recognition includes: AV Preeminent.

Education

J.D.
Boston University
- 1974
A.B.
Smith College
- 1971

Awards

AV Preeminent

Bar Admissions

U.S. District Court,Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Cir
Admitted: 1975
New York
Admitted: 1975
U.S. Supreme Court
Admitted: 1983
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Admitted: 1985
U.S. Tax Court
Admitted: 1986

Reviews

5.0
1 Review
5 0
4 0
3 0
2 0
1 0
These reviews belong to platform users; they do not constitute advertisement or promotion for the attorney. Opinions are published for informational purposes only.

No reviews yet.