Trial attorneys for your divorce, domestic violence, child custody, relocation, parenting time, residential real estate and municipal court needs. A Black woman led and owned law firm practicing statewide which means we will go to every county in New Jersey. We are a Family Law focused interdisciplinary boutique law firm. What does that mean? Boutique means that your attorney is a partner who has 30 plus year experience in the practice of law, Lori was admitted in January of 1991 and Lesley was admitted in 1992. That explains boutique but what does "family law focused interdisciplinary" mean? We handle matters that are substantively related to the family law matter we are handling for clients at the time or when they arise. We are not a general practice law firm, but we do handle more than just family law which is our focus.
So, let's say you came to us originally for a divorce [family law], then you needed to sell your current post divorce home [ we handle real estate closings] so you can still use our firm [interdisciplinary]. As part of your divorce, a domestic violence TRO matter is also filed. We will represent you at the Final Restraining Order hearing and if you have a professional license [Teacher, Doctor, Lawyer, Nure, Dentist, Architect, Engineer, etc] we will also represent you before the State Board. {Interdisciplinary}
Next you find that a parent has Alzheimer and now you need to file for guardianship [we handle adult and juvenile Guardianship cases too].
Next your child who is set to go to college needs financial help from the other parent you divorced with our help years ago [ we handle college contribution cases]. You have a friend who wants to adopt a child [we handle adoption cases] so you can refer us.
Next your sweet 16 year old gets into a juvenile matter because he or she was joyriding in a neighbor's car with the neighbor's kid and each without a drivers license [we handle juvenile criminal and the companion municipal court case].
Finally your twenty something child rents a condo on a two-year lease, but the then girlfriend/boyfriend filed domestic violence charges and obtains TRO lodged against your twenty something [ we represent men and women in domestic violence, plaintiff/victim or defendant/alleged aggressor] and their now TRO inspired-ex has locked your twenty something out of the condo and has sued your twenty something to pay the lease for the balance of the time left [we handle that civil suit too based on the relationship with the domestic violence case]. Isn't it amazing to see what is related to Family Law.
How We Got Started
Our Firm was started in 2001 by Lesley Renee Adams who focused on Family Law. Adams and Caughman, LLC, Attorneys at Law is the successor firm to that practice, using the same physical address, phone and fax numbers, email addresses and domain name. Lori Caughman joined the firm as Of Counsel in July of 2021, she and Lesley met at the Essex County Prosecutor's Office back in the 90's as they began their respective careers. Lori has worked in Corporate Legal Departments, Insurance Defense, Municipal Law Department and in Private Practice at several firms. She and Lesley have stayed friends and now together they bring their brand of Experience, Compassion and Zealous advocacy along with the quality of service unmatched by any other Family Law focused interdisciplinary boutique law firm.
Areas where our legal careers coincide are that we were both: county level assistant prosecutors, municipal prosecutors, municipal public defenders, parental representation attorneys in DCP&P cases.
New Jersey Counties where we have practiced: Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren.
We look forward to handling cases in Cumberland and Salem Counties.