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Thomas Snyder, a Partner and Board Member of the firm, co-chairs the firm’s Family/Matrimonial Practice.  Thomas devotes his practice exclusively to family law matters including alimony, child support, custody, parenting time, grandparents’ visitation, equitable distribution and domestic violence cases.

Over the course of his career he has been involved in, and litigated, many landmark cases in the state of New Jersey. Some of the notable cases include an international custody case involving the return of a child from Nigeria and the trial level proceedings of a case in New Jersey Family law in which the court said that the income used to form the basis of the valuation of a closely held business can also be used to calculate alimony depending on the circumstances of the case.

Thomas is an active member of the New Jersey State Bar Association.   He is a member and past chair of the Family Law Executive Committee for the Family Law Section.  He has served on various committees associated with the New Jersey Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the State Bar including serving as a member of the Nominating Committee for the New Jersey State Bar Association for the 2011 Term.  He has also served as the legislative chairperson for the Family Law Section and in that position advocated on behalf of the Bar Association with respect to various Bills pending before the New Jersey State Legislators.  These bills included the State Bar’s efforts to effectuate the implementation of Irreconcilable Differences as a cause of action for divorce in New Jersey.

He has provided testimony on behalf of the New Jersey State Bar Association to both the Senate and Assembly Judiciary Committees in regard to the New Jersey Marriage Equality Act. He has testified before State Legislators on multiple occasions in connection with the proposed modifications to the New Jersey’s Adoption Statute.  He has also testified before the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee in connection with modifications to New Jersey’s Alimony Statute.

As a member of the State Bar, he has also contributed to two of New Jersey State Bar Association’s amicus curiae briefs. The first was for a milestone New Jersey case addressing the issue of same sex couples’ rights to a legally recognized marriage.  The other was for a case which addressed whether or not income from a discretionary trust can be counted for the purpose of alimony and child support.

He is the recipient of the New Jersey State Bar Associations Annual Distinguished Legislative Service Award for 2006.

Thomas has litigated the following reported cases:  Anyanwu v, Anyanwu and Steneken v. Steneken trial level — unreported. He has currently pending before the New Jersey Supreme Court, a case which has been granted Certification in the matter of D.W. v. R.W. v R.W. v. D.B and M.W. which is a case addressing the issue of legal standing to be utilized in a disputed paternity case involving an adult emancipated child, and a presumed father’s claim for child support reimbursement from an alleged biological father.

Thomas has been interviewed on radio and television regarding emerging New Jersey Family Law Issues, including appearing on NJN’s talk show, “Due Process,” as well as providing debate and commentary on radio and talk shows WNYC and WWRL-1600 AM, New York radio.

Thomas lectures frequently on family law matters on behalf of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, and the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE).

He was previously a Law Clerk for the Honorable Peter B. Cooper in Essex County, NJ. Mr. Snyder has participated in the Central Jersey Family Law Inns of Court. He is a member of the Morris County and Union County Bar Associations. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy program and a former member and barrister of the Central New Jersey Inns of Court.

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Honors & Accolades

Thomas has been recognized by the following:

  • The Best Lawyers in America®  (Woodward/White, Inc.), Family Law, 2020–2024
  • Thomson Reuters, Super Lawyers®
    • New Jersey Super Lawyers: 2013–2023
  • “Mentor of the Year,” New Jersey Law Journal, 2019
  • “Annual Distinguished Legislative Service Award”, New Jersey State Bar Association, 2007

Representative Matters

  • International child custody case Anyanwu v. Anyanwu, 339 N.J. Super 278 (App.Div. 2001), involving the return of a child from Nigeria.
  • Complex financial cases, including the trial level proceedings of the landmark case, Steneken v. Steneken, 183 N.J. 290.
  • Contributed to the New Jersey State Bar Association’s amicus curiae brief, submitted in the matter of Lewis v. Harris, 185 N.J. 415, 2006, a landmark New Jersey case, addressing the issue of same sex couples’ right to a legally recognized marriage.

Professional Affiliations

  • New Jersey State Bar Association, member and Secretary of the Family Law Executive Committee, and the former Legislative Chair of the Section
  • New Jersey State Bar Association, Family Law Section, Chair 2010-2011
  • Central Jersey Family Law Inns of Court
  • Morris County and Union County Bar Associations
  • Graduate of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy program

Experience

Classes/Seminars Taught

  • Lewis v. Harris; Civil Unions Update, N.J. Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  • 2007 N.J. Family Law Symposium, N.J. Institute for Continuing Legal Education
  • 2006 Tax Aspects of Divorce, N.J. Institute of Continuing Legal Education
  • International Custody Disputes, N.J. State Bar Association Mid Year Meeting 2006
  • N.J. Case Law Review 40 Top Matrimonial Cases – 2005, N.J. Institute for Continuing Legal Education

Published Works

Amicus Curiae on behalf of NJSBA Lewis v. Harris 188 N.J. 415(2006)

News

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