There is a scene in the classic domestic violence movie “The Burning Bed” where Farrah Fawcettt decides that she has had enough abuse from her monster of a husband, and takes matters into her own hands.

“This haunted me,” said Attorney Jeralyn Lawrence, who, when she saw the movie, had no idea that domestic violence was such an epidemic in this country.

This laid the groundwork for what would become a lifelong career supporting the victims of domestic violence in their legal journey to help them disassociate from their abusive partners.

Another early influence was growing up as a daughter of a New Jersey detective.

“Because of my dad, I always knew that I wanted to be a lawyer,” she said.

Lawrence is the Managing Member and Founder of Lawrence Law, a boutique firm with offices in Watchung and Red Bank, New Jersey devoted exclusively to the practice of matrimonial and family law. She is a trained collaborative lawyer, divorce mediator, and arbitrator.

She represents clients with matrimonial and family law needs, including divorce litigation, mediation and arbitration, custody and parenting time issues, alimony and child support, separation and property settlement agreements, adoption and guardianship advice, domestic partnership matters under the Domestic Partnership Act, domestic violence and sexual abuse, and palimony.

She handles matters ranging from the simple and straightforward to the complex, involving significant income and assets, including representation of celebrities, professional athletes and high-profile individuals. She takes great pride and care in helping her clients through difficult personal matters.

Through Collaborative law, Jeralyn assists and guides clients who are committed to resolving their matter without court intervention through the divorce process.

She says that the benefit of a Collaborative divorce is that it is cost-effective, open, and allows a transparent and confidential exchange of financial documents.

“A Collaborative divorce has a team approach, rather than a one-sided, emotionally draining dynamic,” she said. Unlike appearing before a judge in a courtroom, the Collaborative process is a “kinder, gentler” way to divorce, she said.

In cases of domestic violence, she said, special care must be taken by a Collaboratively-trained attorney to ensure that intimidation and bullying does not continue in the divorce proceedings.

“An attorney needs to be particularly mindful of domestic violence in a Collaborative divorce case and make sure there is equal bargaining power,” she said. “The main concern is that abuse can continue through the process further harming the victim.”

Lawrence has an affinity for working with spouses who want to get past the mentality of “sucking it up and living with the verbal or physical abuse.”

“I lived it through my own divorce, and I can relate. I know all about the cycle of domestic violence, and just what it takes to get out,” she said.

Domestic violence does not discriminate, she said, it can happen in “black,white,rich, and poor homes.”

She is passionate about helping affect changes in law through legislation. She was instrumental in helping to lobby and enacting the New Jersey Collaborative Law statute of 2014.

She earned her bachelor’s degree from Kean College and her law degree from Seton Hall, where she graduated second in her class. She started her career in 1996 at the largest law firm in Somerset County, New Jersey, and worked her way through the ranks, from new associate, to partnership, to Chair of the firm’s Matrimonial & Family Law Department and a Member of the firm’s Management and Compensation Committees.

In 2019, she fulfilled one of her greatest aspirations, and opened her own law practice dedicated to divorce and guiding clients through the issues related to family law.

When she is not practicing law, she enjoys sports, particularly coaching basketball for her daughters, and enjoys the beach. She lives in Watchung with her husband and three children.

Her Mantra:  “A Collaborative divorce has a team approach, rather than a one-sided, emotionally draining dynamic,” she said. Unlike appearing before a judge in a courtroom, Collaborative is a “kinder, gentler” way to divorce.  

The Details:

• Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney.

• Admitted to Somerset County roster of Mediators for Economic Aspects of Family Law Cases and of Custody and Parenting Time Cases for Memberships.

• Vice President of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA).

• President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers New Jersey Chapter, and is certified by the Academy as a Family Law Arbitrator.

• Serves on the NJ Supreme Court Matrimonial Certification Committee that oversees the statewide matrimonial attorney certification process.

• Serves on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey.

• Serves as a speaker and panelist at divorce and family law programs and seminars.

• Attorney Volunteer, Safe+Sound Somerset.

• Volunteer, New Jersey State Bar Military Legal Assistance Program, providing pro bono legal assistance to New Jersey residents who have served overseas or active duty in the armed forces after September 11, 2001.

• She is a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy.

• Member of the Central New Jersey Inns of Court.

Associations & Awards

Selected by the Women’s Political Caucus of New Jersey to receive their Carol Murphy Award.

Received the 2014 New Jersey Professional Lawyer of the Year Award from the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law.

Honored by NJBiz as one of New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business.

Selected as a Kean University Distinguished Alumna.

Honored as an Outstanding Woman in Somerset County by the Somerset County Commission On the Status Of Women.

Received the NJSBA’s Young Lawyers Division’s Professional Achievement Award.

Received three Annual Legislative Recognition awards from the NJSBA.

Awarded for her amicus curiae work on behalf of the bar by the NJSBA.

Named a 2019 New Jersey Legal Trailblazer by the New Jersey Law Journal, and is one of the New Jersey Super Lawyers in the Family Law section.

Named to Top 100 New Jersey Super Lawyers.

Name of the Top 50 Female New Jersey Super Lawyers.

The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys named her one of the “10 Best” Attorneys for the State of New Jersey.

Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the Family Law, Family Law Arbitration, and Family Law Mediation sections.

Named the Best Lawyers 2020 Family Law Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year,”

Named the Best Lawyers 2018 Family Law “Lawyer of the Year,”

Named the 2016 Family Law Mediation “Lawyer of the Year” in the Woodbridge New Jersey, Metro Area.

New Jersey Family has also named her as one of “New Jersey’s Best Lawyers for Families”.

Selected by her peers as one of New Jersey’s Top 10 matrimonial lawyers under the age of 40.

Recognized by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of 40 accomplished and promising attorneys in the State of New Jersey under the age of 40.