When entering law school, Jessica Budrock did not know exactly what type of law she wanted to practice, but after what was supposed to be a two-month internship, she found that family law was the perfect fit, and it turned into a lifelong passion.
Looking back now, Budrock could not be more grateful for the experience she received while working for the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association, and the ensuing trajectory that it created for her career. That’s when she fell in love with family law, and today she focuses Budrock Law Firm, LLC, on all aspects of the specialty, including divorce, custody disputes, domestic violence advocacy, child support, parenting time disputes, premarital agreements and more.
“I realized it was a great fit for me,” she says. “I loved how quickly you could get results for clients. Whereas other types of law might take years to get in front of a judge, family law is different. It is an incredibly rewarding practice because I can see the impact and difference I am able to make as to how people live their lives. Helping clients resolve their disputes through negotiations is a main component of the practice area and I am always grateful that clients place their trust in me.”
A native of New Jersey who long aspired to be an attorney, Budrock graduated from Drexel University in three years and went on to receive her Juris Doctorate from New England Law | Boston. While beginning her law career in New York, she eventually returned to her home state and focused exclusively on family law, a practice area that allows her to utilize her breadth of knowledge in topics such as real estate, business valuations, life insurance, wills and estates, etc.
In addition to being a well-rounded lawyer, she also has to serve as a trusted confidante for her clients, who are often at the lowest point of their lives. There’s a balancing act between showing compassion and providing zealous advocacy. “You have to wear different hats depending on the day,” she says. “Managing the emotional aspects of the case is sometimes just as important as the legal arguments. Whether I am counseling clients on a divorce matter, custody dispute or otherwise, I try to approach each case with what that specific client needs at the time, and every case is different.
“If you ask any of my clients, the one thing I think they’ll say is that I’m straightforward. I tell everybody, I want you to have realistic expectations, because if you go into court expecting something that’s not going to happen, you’re not going to be happy at the end. Family law cases can be very intimidating for clients, and I believe it is my job to give as much information as I can so they know what to expect.”
While Budrock’s firm is located in Atlantic County, she works in every county of South Jersey, including Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem and Cape May. Technological advancements, including e-filing and the use of Zoom for either client meetings or court proceedings, have only made it easier for her to cover so much ground.
No matter where a case takes her, clients can count on Budrock to both give them vigorous representation and be willing to see it through to its conclusion.
“I had a really great mentor who told me, ‘Prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, and settle it before it gets there.’ I do that to this day,” she says. “The vast majority of cases settle, but I have quite a bit of experience with hotly contested cases that do end up going to trial. Whether it’s a divorce matter, post judgment, domestic violence and/or custody dispute, if I go to trial in that matter, I have prepared the case from the beginning. I want to make sure that I know the facts of the matter better than anyone else in the courtroom and to be as prepared as possible to advocate on behalf of my client.”
Budrock is just as committed to community service: She gives her time to a number of charitable efforts through the Atlantic County Bar Association, Burlington County Bar Association, the Thomas S. Forkin Family Law American Inns of Court, ALS Foundation, and volunteers as a matrimonial early settlement panelist, a courthouse program that aims to mediate divorce cases and lead to peaceful resolutions.
As for her flourishing practice, she expects it to continue to grow and move “onward and upward,” and she relishes the chance to help people through the challenging family law disputes they face.
“Family law is such a rewarding type of law to practice,” she says. “I founded Budrock Law Firm, LLC because I wanted to provide truly client-centered advocacy. I really love that I am able to focus my practice on taking the cases that I think are a good fit between me as well as the client, because it is a personal relationship, and you get very close through the process.”
Budrock Law Firm, LLC
Egg Harbor Township
(609) 681-5244
BudrockLaw.com
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Published and copyrighted in South Jersey Magazine, Volume 21, Issue 9 (December 2024)
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