Attorney Michele D’Onofrio has been practicing law since 1991. She practices exclusively in the area of family law. She is a trained mediator and a collaboratively trained practitioner. Ms. D’Onofrio lectures and presents at the New Jersey State Bar Association as well as the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
*Super Lawyers: No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Information on the selection process can be found here.
Areas of Practice
- Litigation
- Mediation
- Collaborative Divorce
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 1991
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1991
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2007
Education
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law - Newark, New Jersey
Juris Doctor – May, 1991 - Caldwell University, Caldwell, New Jersey
B.A., Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude – 1986 - Jersey Shore Collaborative Law Group
Collaborative Law Training – 2008 - New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education
Divorce Mediation Training – 2007
Published Works
- The Enforcement of Agreements Reached in Mediation Post-Harrington, New Jersey Family Lawyer, 2012
- MacKinnon v. MacKinnon, 191 N.J. 240, International Relocation, 2007
Speaking Engagements
- Hot Tips In Family Law Seminar Speaker, 2012 & 2013, NJ ICLE
- Jurisdiction in Custody and Divorce, NJ ICLE, 2010
- International Relocation, Somerset County Bar Association, 2007
- Legal Consequences of Underage Drinking, Watchung Hills Regional High School, 2006
- DWI Laws of New Jersey, Lions Club, 2003
- The Impact of Breast Cancer on Professional Women, Television Show, 2002
Honors & Awards
- 2017 Professional Lawyer of the Year, Somerset County
- Client Distinction Award from Martindale-Hubble
- Chosen as Super Lawyer by NJ Monthly Magazine, 2014 – 2018
- Chosen as Top Attorneys in New Jersey, NJ Monthly Magazine, 2014
- Publisher’s Front Page Award, Best Family Law Attorney, 2012, Italian Tribune
- Award for Outstanding Volunteer Efforts to Assist Hurricane Floyd Victims, 2000
- Who’s Who Among American Law Students, 1988 & 1989
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Somerset County Bar Association, President, 2017 – 2018
- NJSBA: Family Law Executive Committee
- Somerset County Bar Association, Co-Chair, Family Law Committee
- Somerset County Bar Association, Chair, Law Day, 2010 and 2011
- Central New Jersey Family Law Inns of Court, Co-Chair, Steering Committee, 2007 to 2014
- Somerset County Bar Association, Co-Chair Diversity Committee, 2007
- Somerset County Bar Association, Co-Chair, Municipal Courts Committee, 2005
- Family Law Inns of Court, Central New Jersey, Barrister, 1998
- Early Settlement Panel, Somerset County, Panelist, 1997 – Present
- William J. Brennan Inns of Court, Civil Litigation, Graduate, 1995
- Somerset County Bar Association, Judge, Mock Trial Competition
- NJSBA, Children’s Rights Law Committee, Former Member
- New Jersey Collaborative Law Group, Member
- Vicinage 13 Women’s Bar Association, Secretary
- Court-Approved Mediator for Economic and Parenting Time Mediation
- Warren Township Middle School, Attorney Coach, Mock Trial Competition
- Association for the Advancement of Collaborative Practice, Member
Past Employment Positions
- Flanzbaum & Cohen, LLC, Of Counsel, 2007 – September 30, 2011
- Municipal Prosecutor, Warren Township, New Jersey, 2002 – 2007
- DiFrancesco, Bateman, Coley, et al, P.C., Chair of Matrimonial Department, 2001 – 2007
- Alternate Prosecutor in the towns of Bernards, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Peapack-Gladstone, Raritan, Somerville, and Watchung
- Municipal Public Defender, Warren Township, New Jersey, 1998 – 2001
- Private Practice, 1991 – 2001
Pro Bono Activities
- Volunteer Attorney, Women’s Resource Center, Somerset County
- Volunteer Attorney, Mass Disaster Quick Response Team of the American Red Cross
- Volunteer, Somerset County Early Settlement Panel
- Volunteer, Somerset County Custody & Parenting Mediator
Fraternities/Sororities
