Divorce is Hard.

Don't Make It Harder.
INSTEAD, DIVORCE SMARTER!
"While a smart Judge was teaching me divorce law, a divorced family was showing me the real-life problems with our Family Court system."

Hi. I'm Steven J. Kaplan, Esq.
In 1986, I began my career as a law clerk to a respected New Jersey Family Court judge.
During the week, I learned how divorce is supposed to work.
I learned the law. I learned the rules. I learned how judges decide what is fair.
But At The Same Time...
At the same time, I was spending weekends with my future wife and her young children, watching the real-world effects of a divorce that had already been "resolved".
Two Totally Different Perspectives On The Same Issues
One experience taught me how divorce laws are supposed to work.
The other taught me how divorce laws can be imperfect in the "real world".
And I observed something disturbing: what a judge orders in court is not always enforced.
The lessons I learned from Judge Graves, and from becoming part of a divorced family, never left me.
Throughout my career, I found myself explaining the same important concepts to client after client.
How custody really works.
How support issues are really decided.
How children often experience divorce differently than adults.
How decisions that seem small today can affect a family years later.
What Our Clients Say:
"Steve Kaplan represented me in a grueling two year divorce. A trained attorney myself, I give Steve the highest marks."
F.M., Esq.
"As a psychotherapist, I have quite a few clients who have been represented by Steve Kaplan, and have found him to be honest, direct, approachable, and focused."
M.M.S., LCSW
"From the time of the initial consultation through to the end, I felt like I had a big brother in my corner that you did not want to mess with, who had an answer to any and every situation that might arise."
B.N.
"I was in such a difficult situation with little to no hope of ever recovering when I was blessed with finding Steve Kaplan. This man is truly a miracle worker and directs a team of professionals like an orchestra conductor."
L.W.
"He is the most knowledgeable family law attorney I know. He has helped each of my clients obtain extremely favorable results.."
V.M., Esq.
"As a physician in the community, I have benefited greatly from Steve's expertise"
S.S., MD
"In addition to his caring demeanor, his knowledge of the law is unmatched."
K.L., Esq.
"He is the consummate professional that you can trust with the most complicated, emotional process you can possible go through. I have recommended him to others and will continue to do so. Hire him, he's the best!"
J.R.
"Hands down, the best divorce attorney in New Jersey."
D.H.
"He is a very honest man and I believe his honesty is known throughout the Monmouth/Ocean county court system which gives him credibility with both judges and his peers."
A.A.
"Steve Kaplan is without question one of the most caring, knowledgeable and patient Divorce Lawyers."
D.Z.
"I’m glad that I listened to him then, and now 8 years later I’m still glad that I listened to him."
J.F.
"One of New Jersey's best family law attorneys."
J.T.
"Steve Kaplan has earned his place as one of the best lawyers in New Jersey through his knowledge, wisdom, dedication and many long years of experience."
H.S.
"His passion is to provide reliable information for people struggling with divorce issues who need regular support with their legal questions."
M.W.
"He fought hard for what he believed was in my best interest, and Thank God he did. With his help, I was able to rebuild my life. I survived because of Mr.Kaplan's services and highly recommend him."
K.S.
"He is relatable, kind, and straight forward."
C.Z.
"I can't say enough about how well Mr Kaplan treated me and the exceptional service I received by him and his firm."
M.C.
"I want to personally thank you for everything you have done for me. You are a true professional. A miracle happened in my life when I met you."
MJ
"If you want an attorney with straightforward integrity, conscientious with your money, and gives extremely honest viewpoints based on his 30 plus years of experience, Steve is the attorney for you."
B.P.
"Steve Kaplan is the only family law attorney I will ever refer anyone to see. He helped me through a difficult divorce with issues including child custody, child support and division of property about 10 years ago and has been available and easily reachable for any concerns I’ve had over the years since."
C.L.
"Steve advised me and worked with me each step of the way, always knowing the specific details of my case. He made me feel like we were working together as a team to get to a positive end result."
L.G.
"The absolute best experience with this team. Working with Steven was one of the best decisions I made during my process. Everyone, and I mean everyone at this firm was so pleasant to work with."
F.J.
"...He proved to be very compassionate and I want to thank him and Valerie for their professionalism throughout the process. Highly Recommend."
C.C.
"He goes the extra mile to make sure that he has all the important information needed to assist the client and reach the best results. I was very satisfied and highly recommend Steve."
P.J.
"Steven takes the time to personally understand your case. He is definitely a great lawyer, who works for his clients , and it's never driven by money, you come first...this is a rare trait in this world today."
P.S.
"Steve is an excellent attorney and is always looking for new and innovative ways to better serve his clients. Easy to work with and draws on his extensive knowledge and experience to get great results."
K.M.
"Steven J. Kaplan took what was literally a spiraling out of control legal situation due to a conflict between two other attorneys....he locked it down and wrapped it up with a mutually agreeable bow for two formerly warring ex-spouses who share a minor child. He makes miracles happen."
P.Y.
"Steve is a fantastic divorce lawyer who deeply cares about his clients. Exactly who you'd want by your side in a difficult time."
R.M., Esq.
"I found him to be a compassionate, caring professional with a good grasp of the details at a time when I was drowning in a lot of difficult feelings. I have concluded the dissolution of my marriage, and have the strength to carry on, and I give him and his firm a lot of credit for that."
P.O.
"Steve is a stellar individual and professional. From the outset, Steve handles cases with a strategic and realistic approach. Most importantly, he does this with enormous compassion and genuine concern. Steve masterfully tackles difficult, contentious family dynamics, in order to preserve sanity, finances and heartache. In every interaction, the common theme that pervades is one of practicality and cooperation. Steve takes matters related to well the being of children seriously. As a physician in the community, caring for adults and children alike, I have benefited greatly from Steve's expertise. I recommend Steve without hesitation to anyone searching for representation and/or regarding all family/divorce related matters."
S.S., M.D. (2018)
SO...
So years ago, I began creating educational materials to help people better understand divorce.
First, I started writing articles about what I saw as a conflict between "divorce theory", as seen in Court, and the "real world" of divorce families.
It began in the 1990's as magazine articles.
Then in the beginning of the 2000's, blog posts.
Then around 2015, these blog posts evolved into my "Daily Dose of NJ Divorce" emails.
Over time, those materials evolved further into my Divorce Smarter course.
I Can Teach You How to DIVORCE SMARTER!
For nearly four decades now, I've helped New Jersey men and women make better decisions by understanding both divorce THEORY and DIVORCE IN THE REAL WORLD.
I help my clients by negotiating settlements that try to anticipate and resolve in advance potential real-world consequences as much as possible.
That's the perspective I bring to every client I represent and every lesson I teach.
WHY I CREATED DIVORCE SMARTER
Today, Divorce Smarter is a free New Jersey divorce course designed to help people understand the divorce process before they make decisions that may affect them and their families for years to come.
Whether you ultimately hire me, hire another lawyer, or simply want to become better informed, my goal is simple:
To help you make smarter divorce decisions.