A Client-First Philosophy
In matters of family law, Kathleen P. Stockton, Esquire takes a personalized approach to advocate for her clients’ best interests.
In the nearly three decades that Kathleen P. Stockton has spent in the legal world, she’s been fortunate to experience many aspects of the profession, helping her become the well-rounded and highly respected family law attorney that she is today.
Stockton began her career immediately following high school as a legal secretary, working full time during the day while attending classes as a psychology major at Rutgers University-Camden at night.
“I always had a lot of energy, always had a lot of drive. And I did really well academically,” she says.
After completing college, Stockton entered law school, also at Rutgers-Camden, marrying her husband and fellow attorney Christopher R. Stockton Esq. during her first year there.
For the first time, law school allowed her to focus fully on her studies without the added responsibility of work, even as she balanced life as a wife and stepmother. Just one month into her second year, she became a mother, welcoming the first of three children.
“I go to law school, and it’s the first time I’m not working full time and going to school full time. And so I found law school easy to handle, because I was always just so busy morning through night.” Stockton recalls.
From September of 1997 through August of 1998, Stockton clerked for retired New Jersey Superior Court Judge Lee B. Laskin, before moving on to work as a family law attorney for Archer & Greiner in January of 1999.
During her time at the firm, Stockton became a Certified Matrimonial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, which put her in rare company as one of less than 150 attorneys statewide to receive the honor.
“It’s a significant accomplishment, and something I’m very proud of. I think that shows the experience I have, and also the commitment that I have to remain worthy of being a certified matrimonial attorney. I stand out. That’s one of the things that makes me stand out,” says Stockton.
She remained with Archer & Greiner for 20 years, before deciding to leave and start her own firm, Stockton Family Law, LLC.
“I just got to a point where you feel like you don’t have decision-making power with clients and with your overall practice and goals. And I was just ready to do my own thing and be 100% in charge. It was a big leap, it’s a scary thing to do,” says Stockton of the move.
Though she is the firm’s sole attorney, Stockton works tirelessly to be involved and available to clients, offering a personalized approach that clients appreciate. And because she is so well-versed in all areas of family law, she is able to seamlessly handle any number of client needs such as divorce proceedings, child custody and child support disputes, domestic violence cases, premarital agreements and stepparent adoption matters.
As a solutions-minded and forward-thinking lawyer, Stockton builds a relationship with her clients, making sure to address all of their concerns to help find the best resolution while also working to manage their expectations.
“I want to keep them realistic, but also optimistic,” Stockton says.
Stockton, a self-described optimist, tries to help people get past the emotional toll that can arise when dealing with sensitive and difficult family matters.
“I always say that even in the most painful situations, I believe there is a path forward. My goal is to help people find the positive outcome that isn’t always visible at first,” says Stockton.
It’s also important that clients feel safe with Stockton, no matter their circumstances or past actions, as knowing all of the information from the start of working on a case is important so as to not be surprised by evidence that appears later.
Operating with a mix of professionalism and compassion, she encourages honesty from her clients, even if in some cases that means holding them to account for their own behavior when they were not at their best.
“I want people never to feel shame and know that their past doesn’t always define who they are in the future,” she says. … “But if I have a client who has engaged in inappropriate behavior, I’ll also call them out on it. I don’t give them excuses. … All you can do to prove it is to do better. No one’s going to just believe your words; you have to show it with your actions.”
As she’s seen almost everything during the course of her legal career, Stockton knows firsthand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to family law. And thanks to her personalized and dedicated approach, she has gained tremendous credibility with her clients and colleagues alike.
“I’m an advocate. Down to the wire, I will advocate for my clients and work tirelessly to get them the best results,” Stockton affirms.
