Grunfeld v. Grunfeld

*419OPINION OF THE COURT

Judith J. Gische, J.

You can never step into the same river twice. (Native American Proverb.)

In the seminal cases of O’Brien v O’Brien (66 NY2d 576 [1985]) and McSparron v McSparron (87 NY2d 275 [1995]) the New York State Court of Appeals held that to the extent a professional license is acquired during marriage, it is an asset subject to equitable distribution.1 The valuation of such asset involves converting projected earnings derived from that license into a present day dollar value. When the court awards spousal maintenance in a case involving a professional license, a…