Up until two months ago, Capell Vishnick Llp, a Lake Success law firm, focused on areas including estates, elder law, real estate, taxation, matrimonial and family law. Then, spearheaded by partner Joseph Milizio, the firm began offering legal counsel and representation on issues with specific relevance to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

"I am gay," says Milizio, 49, who made his own sexual orientation known to his partners about a year ago. "I saw an absolute need within the marketplace" for these services. His firm is one of the latest to enter this expanding area.

And his partners agreed, he says, seeing it as a natural fit with the estate planning work they've been doing all along.

So far, Milizio has set up powers of attorney and health-care proxies for a gay couple concerned that someday they would not be able to make health and business decisions for each other. And he's assisted with setting up an insurance plan and trust for a lesbian couple who worried that if one should die, the other would not be financially able to remain in their home. He said other issues of interest to the clientele include domestic partner agreements, living wills, employment law/ discrimination and separation mediation.

"People are extremely relieved," says Milizio of East Northport, "to hear they do have the ability to work with an attorney who is familiar and comfortable with the gay and lesbian community - and who is aware of the various issues that need to be addressed." He expects those client needs to take 30 percent of his time.

Capell Vishnick also started supporting Out in Front, a business networking group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community, started in May by Bridgette Nicolini, president of Reach For It Media in Farmingdale. (That group is holding a networking workshop Jan. 16 that will include a discussion of "to come out or not to come out" with business colleagues. Visit outinfrontli.org).

The firm also is lending financial support to Partners in Pride, a new business advertising and networking program that is creating a gay-, lesbian-, bisexual-, transgender-friendly business directory.