Richard A. Hanft, Esq. is Of Counsel to the firm. He focuses his practice in the areas of municipal law as well as family and matrimonial law.

Richard brings over 35 years of experience with him to Tully Rinckey PLLC. A graduate of the University of Rochester and Albany Law School, Richard practiced in Troy, NY with his mentor, the late Harry O. Lee, Esq. for over 30 years before joining Tully Rinckey PLLC.

Richard has extensive experience in the area of municipal law and has served as counsel to several government entities, including two years as the Corporation Counsel to the City of Troy from 1992 through 1994. Richard has also served as the Town Attorney of the Town of Nassau, Counsel to both the Majority and the Minority of the Rensselaer County Legislature, Counsel to the Rensselaer County Sewer District, and Counsel to the Town of North Greenbush Sewer District.

In addition to his municipal law practice, Richard focuses on family and matrimonial law. As a certified law guardian, he represents children separately from either parent in matters of custody and divorce.

Richard is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court and the Federal District Court of the Northern District of New York. His admission to practice before the United States Supreme Court stems from a landmark victory in one of Richard’s cases. The decision in this particular case, Avitzer v. Avitzer, led the New York State Legislature to enact Domestic Relations Law Section 253, enabling a civil matrimonial litigant to cooperate in a future religious divorce.

Richard has held numerous positions within the legal community. He was appointed as a member of the Character and Fitness Committee of the Appellate Division, Third Department, in 1986 and has continuously served on the committee for the past 22 years. Richard has also been a member of the Committee on Legislation of the Family Law Section of the New York State Bar Association since 1986. Richard is presently a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Rensselaer County Bar Association, of which he previously served as President.

In addition to his work within the legal community, Richard has been very involved in education and community activism throughout the years. In 1977, Governor Hugh L. Carey appointed Richard as a member of the Council of the State University of New York at Albany. Richard was reappointed twice to this Council post by Governor Mario M. Cuomo. Richard completed his Council service to SUNYA in 2002 when the University recognized Richard as the longest serving member of the Council in the history of the University. During his twenty-five year tenure, Richard undertook vital leadership assignments including Chair of a Presidential Search Committee and participation in the University’s Division I athletic quest.

He has also served the community in various capacities as a member of the Board of Directors of the Troy Public Library, a member and an officer of the Board of Directors of the Brunswick Soccer Club, and as President of the Tamarac High School Booster Club. Richard is the proud father of three adult children and grandfather to a seven-month-old little girl.