Laurie Wasserman

That won't happen to me, I said. I am not of that race, nationality, or ethnicity, and so I did not speak out. That won’t happen to me, I said, I don’t practice that religion, and so I did not speak out. That won’t happen to me, I said, I’m not of that sexual orientation, and so I did not speak out. ...That won’t happen to me, I said, I’m not part of that income bracket, and so I did not speak out. That won’t happen to me, I said, I don’t have that disability, and so I did not speak out. That won’t happen to me, I said, until it was physically in my face, had me backed into a corner, and was spewing utter vitriol at me. That won't happen to me, I said, he'd never lay a hand on me, until one day the physical aggression caused me physical pain and injury. That won’t happen to me, I said, until thirteen months ago, when I found myself on the phone with a domestic violence hotline. That won’t happen to me, I said, until thirteen months ago, when I found myself hurriedly packing a bag and fleeing my home, and boarding an aircraft out of state, because I feared for my life and safety. Fifty years ago, when my mother and her family escaped their war-torn country with nothing but the clothes on their backs and one bag per person due to religious persecution, I never imagined that one day, fifty years into the future, that I too would one day find myself following in her footsteps, quite literally. I never imagined that I would one day find myself fleeing my home with nothing but the clothes on my back and one small carry-on bag, and boarding a same-day aircraft bound for 1,000+ miles away, because I too feared for my life and safety. Thirteen months ago, when I found myself on the phone with a local domestic violence agency in my state, I never imagined that the proverbial door would get slammed in my face, on the basis that I earned too much money to qualify for any help or support. Since I was born and raised abroad, and with my own family still living halfway around the world, it was in that moment that I truly realized, and that it genuinely sunk in, that I was going to be completely and entirely alone in the process of escaping the cycle of violence. In 1848, divorce was practically unheard of. Most states had fault-based divorce laws outlining the requirements and criteria permitting divorce: lunacy, adultery, desertion, or cruelty. This meant that couples could only pursue divorce IF they could prove, in a court of law, that one or the other had committed one of these offenses. However, given the laws (or lack thereof) governing women's rights and freedoms at the time, divorce was far more complex for women, as they remained at risk of being unable to regain their last names, unable to retain property acquired prior to their marriage, or unable to obtain custody of their children. These fault-based grounds are in stark contrast to the no-fault system that exists across most states today. Today, after decades of tireless advocacy, and thanks to incredible attorneys like Laurie Wasserman and Virginia Yeoman, people are no longer required to remain shackled to their spouses, and have the freedom to escape the cycle of violence. Thanks to the fabulous support of Laurie and Virginia, I've not only been able to survive, but I am slowly on my way to thriving again. The words "happiness" and "divorce" are the last two words you'd expect to see in the same sentence, but that is exactly what Virginia and Laurie have facilitated for me. For anyone considering engaging the services of Laurie Wasserman and her team, from the bottom of my heart, I wholeheartedly recommend them and their entire office. They'll not only save your life, but they will also help re-unlock your door to freedom, health, independence, and joy again.

Since my divorce three years ago, my ex has used his knowledge of the law to bully, threaten and coerce me to agree to modifications that were not in the best interest of our children, Since I do not have a law degree and make a fraction of what he makes, I felt I couldn't fight back or stand up to h...im...until I finally had had enough. I retained Laurie Wasserman, and I immediately felt empowered, protected and relieved that she was in my corner. She recognized who I was dealing with right away, and knew how to deal with him. She was always responsive. She was also cognizant of my financial situation and advised me of my options with that in mind. She was fast, efficient and very savvy. If you are dealing with a difficult ex who is intimidating you, she is the one to hire!

My wife and I had an absolutely wonderful experience with Laurie and her team. We hired her to defend a contentious and stressful lawsuit regarding school issues for my wife's children. Laurie answered every question we had, including honestly telling us when she didn't know how something would turn ...out. She helped walk us through gathering discovery materials -- including suggesting a program that would more easily allow my wife to search her own cellphone to produce text messages in response to discovery questions -- and the preparation of answers to interrogatories and draft direct and cross examination questions. In court on the day of trial, she was organized, incredibly on her game, authoritative and brilliant, revealing over and over the expert litigator that she is. The outcome was better than we could have hoped. Given the stress of the situation, my wife and I certainly hope we don't ever have to go through anything like that again. But if we do, we know who we'll call. Thank you, Laurie. Our family is incredibly grateful for your hard work, kindness, thoughtfulness and brilliance at your job.

Ms. Wasserman was thoughtful, considerate and a consummate professional in helping me navigate a difficult situation and time in my life. She was hired to represent me and my family and the things that mattered most to me were prioritized and thankfully were not impacted any more than they already ha...d been. A decade on, the efforts undertaken are clearly paying dividends. Thank you very much for your guidance and support!!