Initial meeting to discuss custody, divorce, or other family law issues, providing clear legal advice and strategy tailored to your situation.
Legal advocacy in court for custody cases, focusing on children's best interests, including grandparent rights and sole/physical custody matters.
Comprehensive support for divorce proceedings, from filing to settlement or trial, with honest guidance on legal rights and outcomes.
Expert representation in family court, including trial preparation, evidence presentation, and cross-examination to achieve favorable results.
Assistance with drafting and reviewing legal documents, such as agreements and petitions, to ensure accuracy and compliance with NYS law.

Compassionate Legal Advocacy for Family Matters in Syracuse
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Rory Gilhooley is a dedicated family law attorney based in Syracuse, NY, specializing in custody, divorce, and grandparent rights cases. With a 4.9/5 rating from 28 reviews, he is known for his honest, responsive, and strategic approach, always prioritizing the best interests of children and families. Clients praise his courtroom expertise, thorough preparation, and supportive guidance through stressful legal processes. Whether navigating complex custody battles or seeking amicable resolutions, Rory provides clear, steady representation to help clients move forward with confidence.
Responsive communication and guidance throughout your case, including answering questions, providing updates, and offering emotional support.
We hired Rory for a very emotional grandparent custody case, and I honestly can’t say enough good things about him. This process is incredibly stressful, but he stayed calm, steady, and clear the whole time. He really knows NYS family law and always kept the focus on what mattered most — the child’s best interests. He was prepared, responsive, and straightforward with us, which we truly appreciated. In the end, we were able to reach an amicable compromise in hopes that everyone can heal and move forward, and I genuinely believe Rory’s balanced and practical approach helped make that possible. We’re very grateful for his guidance and would absolutely recommend him.
Intelligent, hardworking, and honest. His preparation, insight, and analytical understanding of my case was incredible. While his candor, knowledge, and dedication were superb, his presentation in court was the X-Factor Another attorney I met in passing described him as a, “bulldog.” I concur with his assessment. On both direct and cross, he is laser focused, quick, and efficient. Not a moment wasted with the minutiae. Prior to a court proceeding, he quoted the legal aphorism, “You can’t win a case on cross-examination, but you can certainly lose it,” right before delivering a devastating cross that would rival Mike Tyson. If his work on my case and the praise by another attorney weren’t enough to convince me of Rory’s expertise, it seemed commonly understood by the court, the AFC, and opposing council that Rory was working a lot of cases. In a business where your caseload directly correlates with your expertise, it became obvious that I was not the only one who knew Rory was an amazing attorney. Yet, despite his high demand, his dedication to my case was never found lacking. Excellence, in all aspects, is his gold standard. I write this prior to receiving the judgement of my current case. I mention this because, while I am confident Rory’s work will yield success, even a less than lustrous outcome would in no way depreciate the quality of representation I received.
Look no further for a lawyer who will truly have your back… Rory will believe in you and fight for you. He listens to your concerns and he is honest with you. The whole process of divorce be difficult to comprehend for those who are not familiar with the legal system, but Rory explains it all and answers any questions you have going into it. You feel confident going into court each and every time because Rory takes the time to thoroughly prepare you. I had a mountain of evidence and Rory took time to go through it all and present it in court at the appropriate times. At the mid-point of my testimony in trial, I was awarded sole legal and physical custody of my children. This was the outcome that I knew was the best for my children and Rory supported me the whole way through. Rory continues to be the best advocate for what is right. I have recommended Rory to many others and will continue to do so. He is an excellent attorney and I am so thankful that I had him on my side.
We can't thank Rory enough for everything he did for us during our Custody Case. From day one he made us Feel Heard and Supported. He truely cared about our situation and always kept our Granddaughters best interest in mind. Rory is Honest, Easy to Talk to, and Always explained things so we would understand. Anytime we had a question or concern he got back to us right away, even on Sunday!!! No question or Email went unanswered. His attention to detail and his courtroom confidence made us feel supported and protected throughout a very stressful time. Because of his hard work and dedication our case turned out exactly as we hoped for. We are so grateful for Rory and would Highly Recommend him to anyone going through a tough custody battle, you'll be in great hands!!!
Rory is a fantastic family court lawyer. He represented me for my 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th family court proceedings in Onondaga County. His sage advice saved my daughter and me. Rory knew how to navigate the insanity of the court system and he was able to help me ensure that my daughter's rights were well represented. Funny twist is that he was recommended to me after my previous attorney said I needed a new path. My other attorney had Rory as opposing counsel and enjoyed how he handled the case. How often does that type of reference happen! I've recommended him to at least two other people.
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