Giving at the Office: How Hedayati Law’s Charity Matches Its Mission

Al Hedayati, managing attorney at Hedayati Law Group, P.C., typically represents one of the spouses in divorces, in addition to handling other family law cases. As he sees it, though, there is often a third party in the process whose interests should be considered by everybody involved: children.

Divorce, he said, can be difficult not only for the couple, but also for children. While that has a big impact on how he represents his client in a divorce case, the Hedayati Law Group, with offices in Melville, Southampton and Manhattan, all year long and in particular during the holiday season donates to children’s charities.

The idea is that children are not only key to many divorces, but that the firm wants to continue its attention to them in its giving.

“We deal with people all the time, with families. We know the toll that sometimes takes with kids,” Al Hedayati said. “That’s why we give mostly to children’s foundations.”

Many companies have a charitable component, doing good work or supporting good causes that, at the same time, do good and build good will. But companies often seek to manage ways to match their charitable acts so they are in synch with a larger mission.

For Hedayati, whose firm focuses on divorce and family law including custody, parenting schedules, Orders of Protection and other aspects or family law, that means working on behalf of the client, but also focusing on the interests of any children.

“They’re all geared toward children,” he said of charities the firm supports. “We always try to take an approach that benefits and is in the best interest of the children.”

Hedayati devotes time and effort to working on behalf of children in many ways from coaching through CYO to teaching language and culture to children in his community. He also supports organizations like Pink Tie, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Nassau County Bar Association’s We Care Fund, and Every Child’s Dream.

He and the law firm also offer free seminars that at once put the word out about the firm, and provide assistance. The law firm on December 12, 2023 hosted a free seminar titled “Navigating the Holidays During Turbulent Times” with Rev. Jimmy Smiley. At that event, Hedayati donated clothing and toys for children in need.

On January 23, 2024, the firm hosted another free seminar titled “7 Steps to Protect Your Money in a Divorce” with Melissa Murphy Pavone.

“A focus on children means realizing that our client’s wishes regarding children also must be consistent with the children’s interest,” Hedayati continued.

If a spouse wants custody, for instance, he said he wants to be sure that the spouse truly has the time and interest to carry that out. “

If a father wants custody, I want to know if the father can have custody or simply does not want to pay child support,” he said. “I tell my clients all the time, even though I’m representing you, I’m still looking out for your kids.”

He also advises that as the non-custodial parent, the children can enjoy a better time with the person if the schedule is not forced on them.

He said it’s possible not to violate his ethical obligation to represent his client and still look out for the children’s interest. A spouse who is constantly working long hours, especially outside of the home, may not have the time for custody.

“When you say you want custody, it entails many responsibilities,” he said. “That has nothing to do with the other parent.”

When children are asked to divide their time between both parents, Hedayati said he and his firm will try to schedule that “toward the children’s best interest, and the clients appreciate this approach.”

That doesn’t mean arranging things so a teenager can party with friends and avoid a parent who disciplines them for bad behavior. “That’s not necessarily what I mean when I say we’re geared to the child’s needs,” he said.

In addition to handling the mechanics of a divorce, he and his firm get involved in people’s lives in other ways. “A lot of them use us as therapists,” Hedayati said. “A lot of attorneys in this field should probably have a background in therapy, as well.”

He said it can take a long time to see the outcome and impact of a divorce on children. Spouses and attorneys can seek to alienate children from one spouse, putting a wedge between children and parents.

“You may not see the outcome of what happens for years,” Hedayati said. “You can have a six-year-old kid. By the time they realize what transpired in their parents’ divorce, they’ll be 20.”

Divorces can divide families, not simply spouses, leaving two halves not talking to each other, which leaves children as victims.

“That will leave a void for those children,” he said.

Regarding how Hedayati handles those who may not be able to afford representation, he said, “In divorce law if one spouse makes more money than the other, the more monied spouse pays counsel fees of less monied spouse.”

“We will make an application against the husband, generally, to pay some of our fees if any,” he continued. “That’s up to the judge if he grants it or not.”

Hedayati said many members of his family are doctors, although he went into law. He initially studied at Stony Brook University and then transferred to Hofstra University, graduating with a bachelor’s in business administration in banking and finance.

He worked at J.P. Morgan before graduating from law school in 2006 from Western State University College of Law and then worked at a large, New York City-based corporate law firm in mergers and acquisitions.

“I realized how much more I liked working with people,” he said. “As much as it is extremely emotionally tolling, I like interacting with people as opposed to sitting in a room with 150 attorneys dealing with matters of companies.”

Hedayati started his own practice 15 years ago, celebrating their 15th anniversary on February 9, 2024.

“I needed to feel fulfilled,” he said. “I took on family law. I felt I’m helping people. My approach is different with clients. Sometimes very brutally honest. You want to give them real advice.”

He said he saw how difficult it was for one of his close relatives go to through a divorce, the toll it took and the turmoil it caused. “I realized everyone I’m giving advice to, what they’re going through,” Hedayati said. “It now gives me great pleasure to give members of the community my time and legal advice, especially to those dealing with such emotionally tolling issues as divorce, custody and other family law matters. I finally feel fulfilled in the work I was meant to do!”

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