Joanna R. Adu

Ms. Adu currently Chairs the Trusts, Estates and Finance Practice Group at Lyons & Associates, where her practice is devoted to all aspects of wills, trusts and estates, guardianships, and business law, including business formation, litigation, and ongoing consultation. As part of the firm’s financial practice, Ms. Adu also represents clients in addressing Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs). She is admitted to practice in the State of New Jersey and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.

Prior to joining Lyons & Associates, P.C., Ms. Adu served as an appellate law clerk for the Honorable Susan L. Reisner, P.J.A.D. (ret.). In her clerkship, she worked on various legal appeals including civil litigation, mass tort litigation, land use, criminal law and various family law matters. Ms. Adu obtained her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Washington and graduated with honors from the Seattle University School of Law in 2016.

Ms. Adu regularly serves as a speaker and panelist for professional presentations and attorney Continuing Legal Education seminars on a variety of legal topics which in the past have included: financial elder abuse, child support, ethics, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), among others. She has also published articles on a variety of topics including estate planning considerations for LGBTQ+ clients and posthumous lawsuits against Jeffrey Epstein’s estate.

In her personal life, Ms. Adu is the parent of a child with special needs. As a special needs parent, she has an innate understanding of the issues and concerns of special needs families, including providing for their future care through special need trusts and guardianships.
Ms. Adu is also committed to serving the community at large, particularly the disability community, and currently serves as a Director for SERV Connect, which is a subsidiary of SERV Behavioral Health Systems, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides an array of services, supports and housing for individuals with developmental disabilities, mental illness and substance abuse issues across the State of New Jersey. Prior to her current appointment, Ms. Adu served as a Director for SERV Achievement Centers for two years and as a member of SERV’s Young Professionals’ Group.

Ms. Adu’s commitment to the legal community includes serving on the New Jersey Association of Justice Matrimonial Law Committee, as well as membership in the American Bar Association, National Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association, Garden State Bar Association, and Association of Black Women Lawyers.

Ms. Adu’s accolades include selection as a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star for family law in 2020 and 2021, and for estate planning and probate law in 2022.