Allison C. Williams, Esq.
Managing Partner
Experienced New Jersey Family Law Attorney You Can Trust
Allison C. Williams is the Founder and Managing Partner of Williams Law Group, LLC with offices in Parsippany and Short Hills, New Jersey. She practices exclusively in the area of matrimonial and family law, with an emphasis on complex Child Welfare matters, including representation of parents in Child Abuse and Neglect matters, parents in Termination of Parental Rights matters, representation of foster parents, and consultation to matrimonial counsel regarding child abuse investigations and related issues. She has a statewide practice, currently handling matters in 16 counties across the State and in the Office of Administrative Law (OAL).
Ms. Williams has established an extensive career as an international speaker in the field of child welfare law, a national CLE provider to judges, lawyers, paralegals and the legal community, a statewide thought leader appearing in various local and national news media, and a zealous advocate trying cases in every county in New Jersey.
Ms. Williams is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is the first attorney in New Jersey to have become Board-Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy in the field of Family Law. She has served the New Jersey bar in a host of leadership positions, including serving as a member of the New Jersey Board on Attorney Certification (NJBAC) – Matrimonial Committee, a New Jersey Supreme Court committee that determines eligibility of candidates to be certified as a recognized practitioner in the field of matrimonial law; a member of the Family Law Executive Committee (FLEC) of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA), on which committee she lead the Child Abuse Law Subcommittee; and as past president of the Certified Attorneys Section of NJSBA.
She has served as an Editor on the Board of the New Jersey Family Lawyer, a publication of NJSBA distributed to family law judges and attorneys. Ms. Williams lectures frequently for several professional organizations, including the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE), and her articles have appeared in the New Jersey Lawyer, the New Jersey Family Lawyer, and other publications state-wide.
An established thought leader in the field of child welfare law, Ms. Williams has been featured in a book about the Child Welfare System A Kid from the Bronx, by Dr. Norman Weistuch. She has appeared on the Katie Couric show to provide her insights on parents falsely accused of child abuse. She has been interviewed by numerous television, radio and news outlets on precedential child abuse rulings. Her website, www.NewJerseyDYFSdefense.com, formerly a Blog, has been cited by news media for the parental defense position on matters pending before the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Williams served as Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable James A. Farber, J.S.C., in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division – Family Part. Through that experience, Ms. Williams learned the inner workings of the judiciary and has used that knowledge to advance the interests of thousands of families across New Jersey.
Ms. Williams received her B.S., magna cum laude, and her M.S., summa cum laude, from Florida State University. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law. Well respected by her peers, she has been named a Rising Star Attorney by the New Jersey Super Lawyers franchise continuously from 2008 – 2013, a New Jersey Super Lawyer by that organization from 2014 – present; a Top 100 New Jersey Super Lawyer from 2017 – present; and a Top 50 Women Super Lawyer from 2016 – present. For many years, she has been voted by her clients as New Jersey’s Best for Families.
Learn more about how Ms. Williams and her legal team can help you. Contact us and schedule an appointment. Our law firm has two New Jersey office locations – Short Hills and Parsippany.
– Silvia C.
Areas of practice
- Child Abuse and Neglect
- Administrative Appeals of Abuse or Neglect Findings
- Divorce
- Mediation & Arbitration
- Custody & Parenting Time
- Child Support
- Alimony
- Division of Assets & Debts
- Post-Judgment Enforcement/Modification
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Domestic Violence
- Grandparent Visitation
Education
- Juris Doctorate, Syrcuase University School of Law, 2003
- Bachelor of Science, Communications, Florida State University, 1998
- Master of Science, Corporate Communications, Florida State University, 2000
Bar Admissions
- State of New Jersey, 2003
- Federal District of New Jersey, 2003
Bar Memberships
- Member, New Jersey State Bar Association (Family Law Section)
Professional Affiliations
- Supreme Court Committee – Board on Attorney Certification, Matrimonial Certification Committee (2012 – 2022)
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) – NJ Chapter Board of Managers (2017-2020)
- United Way – Women United Steering Committee (July 2018-present)
- NJSBA Family Law Executive Committee (FLEC) (2011 – Present; Chair, DCPP Subcommittee, 2012 – present; Children’s Rights Subcommittee, 2009 – 2014)
- New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA), Certified Attorneys Section (2011 – present; Chair, 2011- 2012)
- NJSBA, Family Law Section (2004 – present)
- New Jersey Family Lawyer, Editor (2007 – 2013)
- NJSBA Child Welfare Law Section (2010 – present)
- Monmouth County Legal Aid Society Trustee (2007 – 2011)
- Monmouth County Bar Association – Chair, Young Lawyers Division (2006-2008)
- Monmouth County Black Lawyers Caucus, Founder (2008 – 2009)
- Monmouth Vicinage Advisory Committee on Minority Concerns (2006 – present)
- Women Lawyers in Monmouth (2005 – present)
- Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey (2007 – present; Treasurer, 2010-2011)
- Middlesex County Bar Association Family Law Section (2005 – present)
- Middlesex County ESP Panelist (January 2010 – present)
- Union County ESP Alternate Panelist (January 2010 – present)
- Union County Family Law Committee (2010 – present)
- Union County Professionalism Committee (2015 – present)
- Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce (WMCC), Women in Business Committee (2005 – 2009)WMCC Management Symposium, Founder and Chair (2007 – 2009)
Scholarly Publications
- Relevancy and Privilege in the Era of Social Media and Electronic Evidence, coauthored with Melissa R. Barrella, Esq. National Business Institute (NBI) Seminar material – June 2017
- The Profile of Divorce: His Snaps, Her Tweets, Their Texts, co-authored with Marisol I. Gonzalez – National Business Institute (NBI) Seminar material – June 2017
- Escaping the Net of Unreliable Experts, co-authored with Marisol I. Gonzalez – National Business Institute (NBI) Seminar material – June 2017
- Handling Child Abuse Allegations in Family Law Cases – PowerPoint presentation – February 2017
- Dealing with Suspicions of Child Abuse by the Other Parent – Huffington Post, November 2015
- Ebook: Battling the Brainwashing: Effective Strategies for dealing with Parental Alienation published November 2015
- Ebook: It’s Not True! Combating False Allegations of Neglect and Abuse – published June 2015
- What Constitutes Corroboration in Child Sexual Abuse Cases? – co-authored with Victoria D. Miranda, Esq. – ICLE Seminar Materials – February 2015
- Evidence in Sexual Abuse Cases: Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome – co-authored with Danielle Cason, Esq. – ICLE Seminar Materials – February 2015
- The Impact of Incarceration on Parental Rights in New Jersey – ICLE Seminar Materials – February 2015
- Play by the Rules… But Which Ones? A Critical Analysis of the Rules that Apply in Child Protection Cases – New Jersey Family Lawyer – June 2013
- How to Gain Access to DYFS Records when Not in a DYFS Case – ICLE Seminar Materials – November 2012
- Habit v. Character: A Distinction with a Difference – ICLE Seminar Materials – August 2012
- Authentication: An Overview – ICLE Seminar Material – August 2012
- Separate And Unequal: Are children of unmarried parents disadvantaged by Summary Procedures in
- Non-Dissolution Actions? – September 2011
- DYFS and Adoption Practice – ICLE Seminar Materials – June 2011
- Here, Say Hearsay! A Critique of Evidence Issues in Title 9 DYFS Cases – October 2010
- Top Ten DYFS Cases to Know – ICLE Seminar Materials – May 2010
- The Scope of Caseworker Testimony in DYFS Proceedings – An Update, ICLE Seminar Materials – May 2010
- The Scope of Caseworker Testimony in DYFS Proceedings, ICLE Seminar Materials, October 2009
- The Impact of Marital Fault on Custody Proceedings, New Jersey Lawyer, August 2009
- I Hate You, Dad! Now, Where’s My Tuition Check? – The Middlesex Advocate, April 2009; New
- Jersey Family Lawyer, August 2010
- David vs. Goliath: Defense Strategies for Litigating the Abuse and Neglect trial Initiated by the
- Division of Youth and Family Services, New Jersey Family Lawyer, November 2008
Speaking Engagements
- Mixing People and Automation: Finding the Sweet Spot – ABA Techshow – March 11, 2021
- Law Firm Growth Summit – Crushing Chaos in Law Firms – February 9-11, 2021
- Child Abuse and Neglect Administrative Investigations – Rutgers Law School Guest Lecture in Family Law – September 23, 2020
- Lawyer Client Intake Habits for Success: Becoming the Bridge between Your Client and Their Success – Lawyer Mastermind – August 17, 2020
- Overview – Child Abuse and Neglect Investigation Law and Policy – Family Law Summer Institute – Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) – July 10, 2020
- Divorce Marketing Group: Dan Couvrette Talks to Allison Williams, the Law Firm Mentor –
- Lawyer Marketing 101 – May 12, 2020
- Crushing Chaos in Law Firms: Systems = Stress Reduction – Massachusetts Law Office
- Management Assistance Program (LOMAP) – April 29, 2020
- International Association of Law and Mental Health (IALMH) – Use of PsychoSexual Evaluations in
- Assertion and Defense of Child Sexual Abuse Allegations – July 26, 2019
- Power of Attorney Show – Niching a Law Practice with Law Firm Mentor – July 1, 2019
- When DCPP Goes to Family Court – Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) – December 1, 2018
- Journey to Success – NYU E-School for Girls (Entrepreneurship) presentation – July 25, 2018
- Trauma-Informed Forensic Evaluation: An Inter-disciplinary Approach – Statewide Summit on
- Forensic Evaluation and Treatment by the New Jersey Coordination Center for Child Abuse
- and Neglect – May 30, 2018
- “Boss, You’re Fired!” – 16th Annual Legal Conference of Society for Human Resource Management
- Pensacola, Florida – May 9, 2018
- Becoming A Law Boss – Maryland School of Law featured faculty presentation – May 26, 2018
- Trends in Psychology in Family Law – Institute of Continuing Legal Education (ICLE) – March 10, 2018
- United Way A.L.I.C.E. (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) Conference – Moderator – January 24, 2018
- “Social Media Evidence” – Middlesex County Bar Association – December 13, 2017
- “Email Evidence in Divorce Litigation” – National Business Institute (NBI) – November 15, 2017
- Legal Commentary on Current Events – Chasing News television appearance – September 29, 2017; October 4, 2017
- “Child Sexual Abuse Cases in Family Court” – Attorney Credits National CLE Recording –
- September 15, 2017
- “Custody Basics” Panel Presentation on Interstate, Intrastate and International Relocation – ICLE –
- August 11, 2017; November 20, 2017
- A Divorce Attorney’s Guide to Social Media, Email & Smartphone Evidence – National Business
- Institute (NBI) Seminar – June 9, 2017
- Come Have a Seat at the Table: Women in Law Panel – May 2, 2017
- Legal Week: Legal Small Firm Forum 2017: Brand Awareness – January 2017
- Handling Child Abuse Investigations – Justice Virginia Long American Inn of Court – April 14, 2016
- Handling Child Abuse Issues in Family Law Cases – Hunterdon County Bar CLE – March 17, 2016
- Handling Child Abuse Issues in Family Law Cases – Hudson County Bar CLE – February 25, 2016
- Handling Sex Abuse Allegations in Family Law Cases – Middlesex County Bar Association –
- October 2015
- National Webinar by Attorney Credits – “Child Abuse and Neglect Defense” – taped April 17, 2015
- “Handling Sex Abuse Allegations in Family Law Cases” – ICLE – February & March 2015
- Prisoner Reentry Pro Bono Symposium – Family Law Panel – DCPP Involvement with Prisoner Populations – February 28, 2014
- “Handling Sex Abuse Allegations in Family Law Cases” – ICLE – February 16, 2015; March 21,
- 2015
- “Nuts & Bolts of Defending DCPP/DYFS Abuse & Neglect Actions” – ICLE – May 19, 2014
- NJSBA Convention Panel – “The Family Law/DCPP Overlap” – May 15, 2013
- “Defending Child Welfare Cases” – ICLE – April 13 & 27, 2013
- “Demystifying the CIC Docket” – Union County Bar Presentation – April 10, 2013
- “Child Welfare Litigation: Parental Defense Perspective” – Barry Croland Inns of Court – February
- 2013
- Combating False Allegations of Child Abuse – The Katie Couric Show – November 2012
- “Hot Tips for Family Lawyers – 2012” – November 12, 2012
- “Evidence for Family Lawyers” – August 13, 2012; October 27, 2012
- “Defending Abuse & Neglect Cases” – December 2011
- “Adoption Practice: A 2011 Update” – September 2011
- “The Other Family Part” – ICLE – December 2010
- NJSBA Convention Panel – Impact of DYFS Findings on Custody Proceedings – May 20, 2010
- “DYFS Defense Strategies: An Essential Primer ” – ICLE – May 8, 2010
- “Trial of a Contested Abuse and Neglect Case” – NJAJ Presentation – November 2009
- “Hot Tips for Family Lawyers – 2009”, Scope of Caseworker Testimony in DYFS Proceedings – October 2009
- Title IX Perspectives: Litigating the DYFS Proceeding, LDEM, March 2009
- “Motion Practice” ATLA-NJ Boardwalk Seminar for Matrimonial Support Staff (2007 – 2008)
- “Divorce in New Jersey: What to Expect When You’re Expecting the Worst,” Alpha Kappa Alpha
- Sorority Financial Awareness Seminar, June 9, 2007
- “Matrimonial File Closing Procedures,” ATLA-NJ Boardwalk Seminar for Matrimonial Support Staff, April 2006
- Brookdale Community College High School Law Symposium – State of the Law: College Contribution Obligations in Family Court (March 2007)
- Moderator/Founder, WMCC Management Symposium (2007-2008)
- Moderator/Chair, ATLA-NJ Meadowlands Seminar for Matrimonial Support Staff (2007)
- Moderator/Co-Chair, ATLA-NJ Boardwalk Seminar for Matrimonial Support Staff (2006 – 2008)
Awards & Recognitions
- New Jersey’s Best for Families – Family Law Legal Representation – 2019, 2018
- NJBIZ Top 50 Women in New Jersey – March 2018
- Stevie Award – Female Entrepreneur of the Year – Silver Award Winner – November 2017
- Law Firm 500 – Ranked #14 of the Top 500 Fastest-Growing Law Firms in the United States – 2017
- Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Family Law Trial Attorney (November 2013)
- Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) (September 2012)
- Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney (March 2010)
- New Jersey Super Lawyer Top 100 in New Jersey – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
- New Jersey Super Lawyer Top 50 Women in New Jersey – 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016
- New Jersey Super Lawyer – New Jersey Super Lawyers Publication –2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014
- Rising Star Attorney – New Jersey Super Lawyers Publication – 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008
- Guardian Ad Litem in DYFS Matters – Appointed in several FN matters (2009-2012)
- ABWL Young Lawyer Change Maker Award – April 2009
- Circle of Excellence Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year Award – June 2008