On March 2022 Lunch and Learn Event: Insights on Getting In or Out of Marriage, Relax Teams invited Marissa Del Mauro to share her knowledge and expertise in the area of Family and Matrimonial Law
Family and Matrimonial Law is not just about divorce
Presentation by Marissa Del Mauro
When going through tumultuous times like divorce, people can experience different emotions like what others described as storms in the sea. When that happens, it’s good to know there’s a good family law attorney that will help you get through it and carry on through any sort of difficult times like a “lighthouse in the storm”.
Marissa is a Certified Matrimonial Law Attorney in the state of New Jersey which means she’s been designated by the state’s Supreme Court as an expert in the area of Family and Matrimonial Law. She is a partner at Lions and Associates based in Somerville and in Morristown, New Jersey.
Family Law Attorney in New Jersey
The firm's motto is your “lighthouse in the storm” because they believe that they can meet clients where they are and carry them through any sort of difficult times that they are experiencing. For the March 2022 Lunch and Learn “Getting In and Out of Marriage,” Marissa talked about what she hopes can resonate with a lot of people when talking about marriage getting in and out, prenuptial agreements, and divorce.
Marissa shares that even though they are divorce attorneys, they encourage spouses to exhaust all options before actually filing for divorce as far as reconciliation is concerned.
Whether it's through counseling or meeting with your pastor, that's certainly something that they encourage because they don't want to break up an intact marriage that should remain intact. She mentioned that they also do adoptions on their firm and that it's one of the only happy things she gets to do sometimes, Marissa said in jest.
Stepparent Adoption
Marissa has done a lot of stepparent options and adult adoptions and just recently, she met with a woman who wanted to re-adopt her daughter that was adopted internationally and have her American birth certificate. It is something that people don't necessarily think about when they hear a family law attorney but it is something that Marissa’s team does.
Divorce Attorney in NJ
For the initial intake, Marissa would just let them talk and hear them out. When she meets with someone initially, she observes if they are bursting at the seams to talk or are a little bit more reticent. She uses her perception skills to get an idea of how they're coming into the appointment and getting the basic facts like: how long are they married, do they have children, how old are they, what are their immediate concerns? A lot of times it is purely just information gathering and providing advice. Some people are ready to pull the trigger, some are not.
It's common for them to have a consultation and see them on one day and then come back six months to a year later and it’s normal. They let the consult take it from there whether they want to come back if they have additional questions or whenever they're ready. They certainly make the space for the clients to come back.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Recommended Readings:
- How to Have a Healthy Divorce
- 3 Things To Know Before Getting Married
- Where to Get Legal Help When You Can't Afford a Lawyer