Biography
Laurence J. Cutler has been involved in virtually every activity in which a New Jersey matrimonial lawyer could be involved over the span of his more than four decades of practice exclusively limited to matrimonial law and related matters.
He has been a chairman of the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He was also a founding fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; a founding diplomat of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers; and a founding affiliate of the Matrimonial Lawyers Alliance, and currently, is it's director. He has been a member of five New Jersey Supreme Court Committees, and is presently a member of the Supreme Court's Committee on Family Law Arbitration. He has been designated by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Matrimonial Attorney. He is also a Master in the New Jersey Family Law Inns of Court.
Mr. Cutler is the 1994 recipient of the prestigious Saul Tishler Award of the Family Law Section for his contributions to the advancement of Family Law in the State of New Jersey, and the 2002 recipient of the coveted Alfred C. Clapp Award of the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education for his outstanding contributions and his ongoing commitment to the advancement of continuing legal education for the New Jersey Bench and Bar.
Mr. Cutler has been included in the prestigious designation of "The Best Lawyers in America*” list by Best Lawyers for many years. He has been selected for inclusion in the New Jersey Super Lawyers* list in the New Jersey Monthly Magazine and Law & Politics Magazine.
Mr. Cutler has written and taught extensively, most notably as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Seton Hall Law School, and as co-author of New Jersey Family Law Practice, a multi-volume treatise used by virtually every family law judge and lawyer in New Jersey.
Mr. Cutler is a court-authorized mediator of family law matters; an arbitrator of family law matters; and a mediator/arbitrator of aviation matters.
Best Lawyers
Statement
Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For more than three decades, Best Lawyers lists have earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public, as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere. Best Lawyers is conferred by Woodward/White, Inc.. No aspect of this has been approved by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Our lists of outstanding attorneys are compiled by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which tens of thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. If the votes for an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those votes in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on our lists.
http://www.bestlawyers.com/About/History.aspx
Methodology
Inclusion in Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer-review. The methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer-review survey is directly related to the quality of its voting pool.
http://www.bestlawyers.com/About/MethodologyBasic.aspx
Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
Statement
For over 90 years, the Bar Register has been a unique guide to the legal community's most eminent professionals. It includes only those select law practices that have earned the highest rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and have been designated by their colleagues as preeminent in their field.
http://www.martindale.com/Products_and_Services/The_Bar_Register_of_Preeminent_Lawyers.aspx No aspect of this has been approved by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Methodology
http://www.martindale.com/Products_and_Services/Peer_Review_Ratings.aspx
NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT COMMITTEES
Civil Practice, 1976-1979
Matrimonial Litigation, 1980-1982
Family Part Practice, 1985-1987, 1999
Co-Chair, Financial Aspects of Divorce Subcommittee, 2001
Chair, Domestic Partnership Subcommittee, 2005
Co-Chair, Dissolution Subcommittee, 2011-2013
Chair, Subcommittee on Family Law Arbitration, 2012-2013
Board of Attorney Certification, 1996-2000
Committee on Family Law Arbitration, 2014
CIVIC POSITIONS
Morris Plains Juvenile Conference, 1973-1982
Morris Plains Library Association, Board of Trustees, 1982-1987
AMERICAN TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
Member, 2001
Family Law Section, 2001-2008
Executive Board (emeritus), 2001-2008
AMERICAN INNS OF COURT
Master, Family Law Inn (New Jersey), 1993-1995, 2006
NEW JERSEY DIVORCE ARBITRATORS ASSOCIATION
Founding Member, 2010
Member, Board of Managers, 2014
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
The Matrimonial Strategist, 2001
Divorce Magazine, 2003-2007
INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS
Founding Fellow, 1986-2009
United States Chapter, 1986-2009
Board of Governors, 1994-1998
MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS ALLIANCE
Founding Affiliate, 1999
Director, 2010
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF FAMILY TRIAL LAWYERS
Founding Diplomat, 1994
Executive Committee, 1994-1998
AFFILIATED LARGE FIRM MATRIMONIAL ATTORNEYS
Member, 2009-2012
MORRIS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Member, 1970
Board of Trustees, 1978-1980
Family Law Committee, 1973-1975, 1980-1992, Chairman, 1987
Advisory Committee on Matrimonial Practice, 1977-1978
Matrimonial Early Settlement Program, 1976-, Chairman, 1976-1981
Divorce Kits Committee, 1977-1978, Chairman, 1977-1978
ESSEX COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Member, 2009
SOMERSET COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Member, 2013
NEW JERSEY STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
Member, 1972
State Positions
Appellate Practice Committee, 1993-1995
Unification of the Bar Committee, 1978-1979
Specialization in the Legal Profession Committee, 1976-1984
Computer-Related Law Committee, 1978-1981
General Counsel Member, 1975-1982
Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Curriculum Committee, 1982-1991
Program Committee, 1982-1983
Unlawful Practice of Law Committee, 1980-1982
Nonrefundable Retainers Committee. 1989
Family Law Section
Chairman, 1977-1978
Vice Chairman, 1976-1977
Secretary, 1975-1976
Executive Committee, 1975-1993, 1996-2000, 2003-2010, 2012
Committee on Rules and Legislation, 1974-1975, Chairman, 1974-1975
Committee on Contingent Fees in Matrimonial Cases, 1974-1975
Board of Early Settlement Program Coordinators, 1981-1982, Chairman, 1981-1982
AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION
Member, 2011
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
Member, 1973
Family Law Section, 1973
Alimony Committee, 1974-1975
Family Law Specialization Committee, 1975-1976
New Jersey Host Committee, 1977-1978
Litigation Section, 1987-1990
Standing Committee on Professional Utilization and Career Development, 1978-1979
American Bar Foundation, 2010
NEW JERSEY ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL MEDIATORS
Member, 2012
TEACHING AND LECTURING
Institute for Continuing Legal Education (New Jersey)
Understanding, Analyzing and Preparing to Prove Financial Factors in
Equitable Distribution Cases, 1978
Matrimonial Motion Practice: Pretrial to Post-Trial, 1979
Attorneys' Fees: Practical, Procedural and Ethical Considerations, 1979
Second Bi-Annual Family Law Symposium, 1982
Third Bi-Annual Family Law Symposium, 1984
Fourth Bi-Annual Family Law Symposium, 1990
Advanced Family Law Workshop, 1987
Skills and Methods, 1987
"Hot Tips" Seminar (with New Jersey AMML), 1989-1992
Family Law Forum (with New Jersey AMML), 1993-1996, 1999
Family Law Institute, Co-Chairman, 1996-2005
Family Law Institute, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Domestic Torts in New Jersey, 1997
New Child Support Guidelines, 1997
Family Law Symposium, 1999
Hot Tips in Family Law, 2009
Family Law Symposium, 2010
Family Law Arbitration, 2010
Arbitrating Family Law Cases, 2010
Family Law 101, 2010
Family Law Symposium, 2013
Evolving Issues in Family Law, 2013
Case Information Statements, 2014 (2 locations)
Matrimonial Math 101, 2014
Seton Hall University, School of Law
Guest Lecturer, 1988-1990
Adjunct Professor of Law, 1992-2002
Administrative Office of the Courts (New Jersey)
New Jersey Family Part Judges Retreat, 1989
New Jersey Judicial College, 1990, 2005
New Jersey Family Part Judges (New Child Support Guidelines), 1997
Essex County Bar Association
Ask the Experts, 2011
Morris County Bar Association
The Five Worst Matrimonial Cases, 1986
Economic Consequences of Divorce, 1993
American Trial Lawyers Association
Boardwalk Seminar (Matrimonial Practice), 1993-1995, 1997, 1999-2003
Winter Family Law Seminar, 2000
Matrimonial Law Alliance
Matrimonial Practice, 2001
Perspectives on Alimony Review, 2012
New York Lawyers Association
New Jersey Family Law for New York Lawyers, 2013
Other Associations and Organizations
Family Law Institute, University of Kentucky
Family Law Practice Ideas to the Year 2000 and Beyond, November, 1997
New Jersey State Bar Association, Non-marital Partnership Agreements, 1992
National Business Institute
Family Law Litigation in New Jersey: "Winning" for Your Client, 1992
Seminars on New Jersey Child Support Guidelines:
Monmouth County Bar Association, September 1997
Union County Bar Association, October 1997
Middlesex County Bar Association, September 1997
American Inns of Court (Family Law, New Jersey), October 1997
Ocean County Bar Association, November 1997
New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, December, 1997
(3 locations)
American Inns of Court
Initial Client Conferences, 2009
Thomson-Reuters
Marketing of a Family Law Practice, 2014
INDEPENDENT PUBLICATIONS
New Jersey Family Law Practice, New Jersey ICLE (co-author with Gary N. Skoloff, Esq.), Five Volumes
4th Edition, 1982
5th Edition, 1984, supplement, 1987
6th Edition, 1990, supplement, 1992
7th Edition, 1994
8th Edition, 1996
9th Edition, 1999
10th Edition, 2001
11th Edition, 2003
12th Edition, 2005
13th Edition, 2007
14th Edition, 2010
15th Edition, 2012
Board of Editors, Matrimonial Strategist, 2002
Frequent Flyer Points: Are they Subject to Equitable Distribution?
XV Matrimonial Strategist 1 (February 1997)
Uncovering Confidential E-Mail: Is it Worth the Effort?
XV Matrimonial Strategist 6 (November 1997)
When Dividing Assets, Don't Forget Your Client's USAA Subscriber's
Savings Account
XVII Matrimonial Strategist 6 (December 1999)
Can You Obtain an Award of Counsel Fees When Suing a Former Client for
Fees Owed?
XVIII Matrimonial Strategist 6 (December 2001)
Reimbursement Alimony: How Much Is That Piece of Paper Worth?
(co-authored with Alison C. Leslie, Esq.)
XXIII Matrimonial Strategist 1 (June, 2005)
State Ruling May Have National Impact: Assessing the Tax Implications of
Post-Judgment Interest Under Price v. Scharff
(co-authored with Joseph M. Freda, Esq.)
XXIV Matrimonial Strategist, 1 (November, 2006)
Marital Fault and Alimony: A Shifting Paradigm?
(co-authored with Kamal S. Ullah, Esq. and Olga Kats-Chalfant, Esq.)
XXIII Matrimonial Strategist 3 (July, 2007)
How 'Bout Those Broncos !
(co-authored with Jeremy L. Janis, Esq.)
XXVI Matrimonial Strategist 1 (June, 2008)
Debt Forgiveness: Watch Out for the Tax Consequences
(co-authored with Erin D. DeGeorge, Esq.)
XXVII Matrimonial Strategist 5 (February, 2009)
When Its Better to be in Bed with the IRS
(co-authored with Erin D. DeGeorge, Esq.)
XXVI Matrimonial Strategist 3 (February, 2010)
Matrimorphology
XXVIII Matrimonial Strategist 1 (August, 2010)
Social Networking- The Future of Evidence in Matrimonial Litigation?
(co-authored with Robert A. Epstein, Esq.)
XXVII Matrimonial Strategist 5 (January, 2011)
Retiring in a Down Economy
(co-authored with Robert A. Epstein, Esq.)
XXVII Matrimonial Strategist (July, 2011)
The Settlement Mindset
(co-authored with Robert A. Epstein, Esq.)
XXVIII Matrimonial Strategist (November, 2011)
Retaining Local Counsel When Dividing Retirement Assets
(co-authored with Robert A. Epstein, Esq.)
XXVIII Matrimonial Strategist (May, 2012)
Custody of Pets
(co-authored with Jeremy J. Sturgeon, Esq.)
XXXI Matrimonial Strategist (October, 2013)
New Jersey Family Lawyer
The Myths of Early Withdrawal
1983 N.J.F.L. 66 (November 1983)
Be Published or Perish
1984 N.J.F.L. 97 (January 1 985)
The Motion for Reconsideration: Phantom of the Legal Opera
1985 N.J.F.L. 113 (February 1986)
Equitable Distribution of Contingencies
(co-author with Elliot H. Gourvitz, Esq.)
1994 N.J.F.L. 172 (September 1994)
Early Withdrawal: The Kriegsman Myth
1997 N.J.F.L. 152 (July/August 1997)
End the Charade: The Time Has Come to Allow Courts to Award
Limited-Duration Alimony
(co-authored with Dina M. Vanides, Esq.)
1998 N.J.L.J. 6 (1998)
Matrimonial Racketeering: The New-Fangled Law Dumfounding
Old-Fangled Lawyers
1998 N.J.F.L. 205 (1998)
Are Unallocated Temporary Support Orders Tax Deductible?
2000 N.J.L.J. 128 (2000)
Then and Now: An Historical Perspective
2005 N.J.F.L. 121 (2005)
Is Life Insurance a Distributable Asset Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23.1
(co-authored with Lisa P. Parker, Esq.)
2013 N.J.F.L. 18 (2013)
New Jersey Family Legal Blog (Fox Rothschild, LLP)
Divorce for the Well-to-Do (September 11, 2009)
Agreement for Cutoff Date in Lieu of Filing for Divorce
(November 2, 2009)
Incorporation of an Agreement into a Judgment of Divorce
(December 29, 2009)
Language of an Agreement Controlling (December 31, 2009)
Collapse of an Employer (February 26, 2010)
Marital Fault: A Factor in Awarding Alimony? (April 5, 2010)
What! No Oral Argument on Motions (July 13, 2010)
Oral Argument, Part II (July 15, 2010)
To Trust or Not (September 22, 2010)
Matrimonial Arbitration is on its Way (January 3, 2011)
Disqualification of a Decision-Maker (February 24, 2011)
Arbitration of Children Issues (February 24, 2011)
Modification of Support Clause: Not Just Simple Boilerplate (May 31, 2011)
Are Mediation Proceedings Really Sacred and Secret? (August 18, 2011)
Other Publications
Equitable Distribution of Contingencies
(co-author with Elliot H. Gourvitz, Esq.)
Fair$hare, Vol. 14, No.8 (August 1994)
Fair$hare, Vol. 14, No.9 (September 1994)
Life Insurance as a Security Vehicle in Dissolution Cases
(co-author with Robert J. Durst, II, Esq.)
12 J.Am. 155 (Summer, 1994)
Celebrity Goodwill: The Nature of the Beast from Horses to Hedge Funds:
Tips on Valuing Businesses
(co-authored with Robin C. Bogan, Esq,)
25 F.L. Advocate 20 (Winter, 2003)
65 and Out Clause: A Limit to the Duration of Alimony
193 N.J.L.J. 349 (August 11, 2008)
Divorce for the Well To-Do
(co-authored with Erin D. DeGeorge, Esq.)
Affluent Magazine (August, 2009)
Thoughts on the Rachel Canning Case
(co-authored with William L. Laufer, Esq.
And Hon. John J. Harper, J.S.C. (ret.)
Jurist, March 19, 2014
REPORTED DECISIONS
Ryan v. Ryan, 246 N.J. Super. 376 (Ch. Div. 1990)
Schwartzman v. Schwartzman, 248 N.J. Super 73 (App. Div. 1991), cert. den. 126 N.J. 341 (1991)
Kuron v. Hamilton, 331 N.J. Super. 561 (App. Div. 2000)
Weishaus v. Weishaus, 180 N.J. 131 (2004)
Johnson v. Bradbury, 435 N.J. Super. 100 (Ch. Div. 2014)
CITED BY NEW JERSEY COURTS
New Jersey Supreme Court
L.M. v. Div. of Med. Asst. & Health Services, 140 N.J. 480, 481 (1995)
Kiken v. Kiken, 149 N.J. 441, 449 (1997)
V.C. v. M.J.B., 163 N.J. 200, 210, n. 2 (2000)
New Jersey Superior Court
Aronson v. Aronson, 245 N.J. Super. 354, 363 (App. Div. 1991)
Aarvig v. Aarvig, 248 N.J. Super. 181, 186 (Ch. Div. 1991)
Rolnick v. Rolnick, 262 N.J. Super. 343, 359 (App. Div. 1993)
Jackson v. Neptune Tp., 15 N.J. Tax 498 (1996)
Finger v. Zenn, 334 N.J. Super. 438, 443 (App. Div. 2000)
Forrestal v. Forrestal, 389 N.J. Super. 1, 5 (App. Div. 2006)
W.T. v. Div. of Medical Assistance and Health Srvs., 391 N.J. Super. 25, 30 (App. Div. 2007)
Gamey v. Gamey, unreported (May, 2007)
Calbi v. Calbi, 396 N.J. Super. 532, 539 (App. Div. 2007)
DeAngelis v. LaCoste, unreported (May, 2008)
Bansal v. Bansal, unreported (October, 2008)
Miller v. Miller, unreported (March, 2009)
Mascuillo v. Mascuillo, unreported (January, 2010)
C.C.P. v. M.A.P., unreported (March, 2011)
Newman v. Newman, unreported (May, 2011)
Eteson v. Eteson, unreported (October 2011)
Turner v. Turner, unreported (August, 2013)
Loch v. Loch, unreported (August, 2013)
Education
- University of Kentucky College of Law, Lexington, Kentucky
- J.D. - 1970
- American University
- B.A. - 1967
Classes & Seminars
- Seton Hall University, School of Law, Guest Lecturer, 1988-1990
- Seton Hall University, School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Law, 1992-2002
Professional Associations
- American Trial Lawyers Association, Member, 2001 to Present
- American Trial Lawyers Association, Executive Board, 2001 to 2008
- New Jersey Divorce Arbitrators Association, Founding Member, 2010 to Present
- New Jersey Divorce Arbitrators Association, Member of the Board of Managers, 2014 to Present
- The Matrimonial Strategist Board, Member, 2001 to Present
- Divorce Magazine Board, Member, 2003 to 2007
Certified Legal Specialties
- Matrimonial Law Attorney, New Jersey Supreme Court
Current Employment Position
- Of Counsel
Practice Areas
- Divorce
- Family Law
- Mediation
- Arbitration
- Appeals
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 1970
- New York, 1986
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1970
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1982
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1974
Honors
- Tishler Award of the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association for outstanding service and leadership in Family Law, 1993
- Alfred C. Clapp Award of the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education for ongoing commitment to the advancement of continuing legal education to the New Jersey Bench and Bar, 2002
- Listed Attorney, The Best Lawyers in America, 1995
- Listed Attorney, Best Lawyers in New Jersey, New Jersey Monthly, 1997