If you’re reading this, you’re probably not just looking for a divorce lawyer.

You’re trying to figure out what to do next without making a mistake that could cost you financially, emotionally, or with your children.

That’s exactly the problem I help people solve.

Why I Do This Work

I didn’t come to divorce law by accident.

Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, I watched something change.

Families that once seemed stable started breaking apart. Friends’ parents got divorced. Emotions ran high. Things got messy.

As a kid, I didn’t understand it, but I could see the impact.

Later, I lived it.

I built my own family with a woman who had already gone through a divorce and had two young children. I saw firsthand what divorce actually looks like, not in a courtroom, but in real life.

The confusion.

The tension.

The long-term effects on children.

That experience changed how I see every case.

A Moment I Never Forgot

Early in that relationship, I met her young son for the first time.

He was about two and a half years old.

When he walked into the house, he didn’t run to his mother. He didn’t smile. He didn’t even look at me.

He just looked around.

At the walls.
At the stairs.
At the ceiling.

Like he was trying to figure out where he was.

This was his home.

But it didn’t feel like home anymore.

He had just come from his father’s house. Different rules. Different routines. Different expectations.

And now he was back again.

All within a couple of days.

The look on his face wasn’t anger.

It was confusion.

He couldn't seem to understand it all.

That moment stayed with me.

What That Taught Me

Not long after, I began working as a judicial law clerk for a New Jersey divorce court judge.

That’s where I learned how divorce is supposed to work.

At the same time, I was living in a blended family.

That’s where I learned how divorce actually works in the real world.

Those two things are not the same.

My Approach

I’ve been practicing divorce law in New Jersey for over 35 years.

I’ve handled thousands of cases.

And what I’ve learned is this.

Most people don’t get hurt in divorce because of the law.

They get hurt because they make decisions too early, before they understand the consequences.

They make bad decisions.

Signing something too quickly.
Taking a position that feels right but backfires.
Letting emotion drive strategy.

My job is to help you avoid that.

To slow things down just enough so you can think clearly, act strategically, and protect what matters most.

What I Help Clients Do

I don’t approach divorce as something to win.

I help clients:

Protect their financial future
Maintain strong relationships with their children
Avoid unnecessary conflict and legal fees
Reach fair outcomes that hold up over time

Sometimes that requires being aggressive.

More often, it requires being precise.

There is a difference, and it matters.

Who I Work Best With

Most of my clients are thoughtful, successful people who:

Have a lot to lose if things go wrong
Want to stay in control of the process
Are willing to learn before they act
Care about getting it right, not just getting it over with

If that sounds like you, you’re in the right place.

The Reality of Divorce

The divorce system is not perfect.

Judges are human.
Lawyers vary widely in skill and judgment.
Court orders are not always easy to enforce.

Knowing how divorce is supposed to work is important.

But knowing how it actually plays out in real life is what protects you.

That’s the perspective I bring to every case.

Why I Created My Free Course

Over the years, I noticed something.

The clients who did best were not the ones with the strongest cases.

They were the ones who understood the process before making key decisions.

That’s why I created my free course, Divorce Smarter.

It walks you through how divorce actually works in New Jersey, step by step, so you can avoid the mistakes I see every day.

No pressure. No obligation.

Just clear, practical guidance.

If You Want to Speak With Me

Most people start with the course.

If, after that, you feel like you want to talk, we can schedule a brief call to see if it makes sense to work together.

Start Here

Learn before you act.

If you’re facing a divorce in New Jersey, the smartest first step is understanding how the process really works.

Start my free divorce course here.

Quick Background

Practicing New Jersey divorce law since 1987
Former law clerk to a New Jersey divorce court judge
Former Co-Chair of the Divorce Department at a Monmouth County law firm
Founder of Kaplan Divorce Law in 1997
Former Chairman of the Monmouth County Early Settlement Panel
Certified mediator