Shelley G. Prebenda, Esq., Of Counsel, to Mark & Galusha, LLC.   primarily concentrates her practice in Family Law and Ethics matters.  Ms. Prebenda is a longstanding member of the New Jersey Bar Association and a recent member of the Somerset County Bar Association, Family Law Section. She is a certified divorce mediator and a member of the New Jersey Collaborative Law Group. Ms. Prebenda also handles pro bono cases for the Partners for Women and Justice, a legal services organization in Essex County that provides representation to low-income, domestic violence victims.  Ms. Prebenda appreciates her affiliation with Mark & Galusha, LLC, a high-caliber firm in the office suite where Ms. Prebenda’s office is located.

Ms. Prebenda earned her Juris Doctor from Wayne State University Law School in Detroit, Michigan in 1986, where she earned academic honors. After completing her coursework, Ms. Prebenda interned in Federal District Court, also in Detroit. She passed the bar exams in the States of Michigan (1987), Pennsylvania (1995), and New Jersey (1995). Ms. Prebenda obtained her Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Family Law Practitioner

Shelley G. Prebenda, Esq. is an experienced family law attorney with expertise in matters of divorce, child support, custody & visitation, alimony, domestic violence, and other family law issues. Ms. Prebenda skillfully divides and allocates marital property in highly contested divorce matters throughout New Jersey.  Ms. Prebenda is also a certified divorce mediator and a member of the New Jersey Collaborative Law Group.
Ms. Prebenda is a strong advocate for clients from all walks of life. She enjoys interfacing with clients of diverse social, economic, and racial backgrounds.  Ms. Prebenda is also adept at assessing key issues and concerns that impact her clients, and committed to fighting for and protecting their legal rights.  When bitter conflict and intense emotion surface, Ms. Prebenda exhibits marked professionalism in her dealings with all aspects and personalities in a given case. She is also deeply caring and compassionate in the context of these difficult proceedings.
 
Collaborative Divorce and Conventional Litigated Divorce

As a certified collaborative family lawyer, Ms. Prebenda encourages clients to use this interdisciplinary approach to divorce when both parties can benefit from the advantages offered by this innovative divorce process.  The advantages of a collaborative divorce typically include reduced stress and conflict, collaborative focus on issue resolution rather than the escalation of competing demands, lower legal fees, increased engagement in the divorce process by the parties, general empowerment of the individual parties, and less court intervention in the process and outcome of the case.

Collaborative divorce is a smart alternative to traditional, litigated divorce in certain cases.  When the divorce or other family-centered concern is not well suited to the collaborative process, Ms. Prebenda is a strong client advocate, a formidable opponent, and highly skilled at navigating the traditional litigation process in Superior Court.

Ms. Prebenda carefully explains the various options for proceeding through a divorce action during the initial client consultation. Bring any questions you may have to that preliminary interview.
Children in Family matters

Ms. Prebenda places significant emphasis on children in the context of divorce and other family matters. The profound effects of divorce and family conflict on children are well documented. In her practice, Ms. Prebenda highlights the needs and interests of children throughout the legal process, including devising creative solutions for minimizing stress and hardship for children of the parties involved in litigation.  In the context of divorce, Ms. Prebenda is careful to ensure that key elements of any divorce settlement, including custody and visitation, incorporate plans for maintaining the stability, safety, and wellbeing of the children involved.
Ethics

Integrity and accountability are key elements in Ms. Prebenda’s law practice.  Responding to client concerns and inquiries, returning client phone calls, and making the most of each and every hour spent on a given case are top priorities when Ms. Prebenda commits to represent a client.  She strives to treat each client with dignity and respect.

Other Areas of Law

Ms. Prebenda's practice also includes municipal and juvenile matters. She has handled criminal, bankruptcy, and probate cases as well.
Prior years

While raising her six children, Ms. Prebenda put her law practice on hold and became a strong advocate for children.  She served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Morris County children, a Court Volunteer in family court, and she and her husband became foster parents for five years in Pennsylvania before relocating to New Jersey in 1996.  During those five years, Ms. Prebenda served as Executive Secretary for the county foster parent organization, and the Prebendas gave shelter, guidance, and love to fifteen different foster children. 

Other

Ms. Prebenda is fluent in French and speaks conversational Spanish.  She plays the viola in the New Jersey Intergenerational Orchestra (NJIO), along with her son (age 12) on cello.  Ms. Prebenda enjoys competing in area triathlons, and she spent many summers coaching competitive swimming.