Elaine M. Colavito

Elaine M. Colavito is a partner with the firm of SAHN WARD BRAFF KOBLENZ PLLC, who concentrates her practice in matrimonial and family law, civil litigation, immigration, and Trust and Estate planning matters.

Ms. Colavito is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association and the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association; for the latter group, she is immediate past President. She previously served as President (2018-2019), President-Elect (2017-2018), Vice President (2015-2017), Treasurer (2013-2015) and on its Board of Directors (2012-2013). She currently writes a monthly column for The Suffolk Lawyer, a publication of the Suffolk County Bar Association, entitled “Bench Briefs.” Ms. Colavito is also the author of an article entitled “Social Networking Sites and the Right to Privacy: Kathleen Romano v. Steelcase and Educational Institutional Cooperative Services, Inc., Index No.: 2233/06,” for the Winter 2011 edition of the Medicine and Law Committee Newsletter, a publication of the American Bar Association.

In 2013, she received the Nassau County Women’s Bar Association’s Bessie Ray Geffner, Esq. Memorial Award for her demonstrated interest in improving the justice system, professionalism of the bar and service to the community at large.

In 2014, she presented “I Want A Divorce! How to Advise Your Clients in Matrimonial Proceedings” before the New York State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section at the NYSBA’s “Bridging The Gap” program. Ms. Colavito discussed child support under the New York State Domestic Relations Law.

She is recognized as a 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” in the area of Family Law, and is among the 2015 and 2018 Super Lawyers “Top Women Lawyers in New York.”

In 2017, Ms. Colavito was named a Trailblazer in Divorce and Trusts and Estates by The New York Law Journal. This award honors the movers and shakers in the legal industry who have made an impact in the Divorce, Trusts and Estates sector through new types of strategies or innovative court cases. In 2017 and 2018, she received two awards from Long Island Business News: the Top 50 Women Award, which recognizes Long Island’s top women professionals for business acumen, mentoring and community involvement; and the Leadership in Law award, which recognizes all of the following qualities — dedication, hard work, skill, tenacity and excellence — and is dedicated to those individuals whose leadership, both in the legal profession and in the community, has had a positive impact on Long Island. In addition, Ms. Colavito was named in 2018 and 2019 to the Maurice A Deane School of Law at Hofstra University’s Outstanding Women in the Law Award.

Ms. Colavito graduated in the top 6% of her class from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center (J.D., magna cum laude) and holds an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook (B.A., summa cum laude). She is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.