Practice areas: Family Law, Appellate
Licensed in New Jersey since: 2015
Education: Seton Hall University School of Law
Selected to Rising Stars: 2021 - 2026 No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Please visit the Super Lawyers Selection Process for a detailed description of the Super Lawyers selection methodology.
Berse Law, LLC
217 Elmer StWestfield, NJ 07090 Phone: 908-643-7044 Email: Samuel J. Berse Visit website
Sam practices all aspects of family law and he counsels his clients with a real-world approach which helps set them up for success. He resolves cases outside of court whenever possible and will zealously advocate in court when necessary.
Sam graduated cum laude from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 2015, and thereafter completed two one-year clerkships: in 2015-16 for the Honorable Lisa M. Vignuolo, J.S.C. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, Family Part; and in 2016-17 for former-presiding Appellate Division Judge Marie P. Simonelli, P.J.A.D. (then-J.A.D.).
Sam is the Union County Representative of the New Jersey State Bar Association Young Lawyer's Division Executive Committee as well as the Co-Chair of the NJSBA YLD Seminars Committee. He is also the Union County Coordinator for the New Jersey State Bar Foundation’s annual Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition.
Published cases include Amzler v. Amzler, 463 N.J. Super. 187 (App. Div. 2020), where he successfully overturned an erroneous family court ruling and clarified a provision of the alimony statute; and C.N. v. S.R., 463 N.J. Super. 213 (Ch. Div. 2020), where the court held that, in the absence of a writing, partition of a residence remains an equitable remedy among unmarried, cohabitating intimates engaged in a joint venture.
Publications include "Bankruptcy and Divorce: Exceptions to Dischargeability" in the New Jersey Family Lawyer Magazine February 2020 edition, “Bankruptcy and Divorce: Getting Counsel Fees Added to Probation Arrears” in the March 2020 edition, and "Bankruptcy and Divorce: The Complexities of Collecting Counsel Fees (or any Judgment) through Wage Execution" in the January 2022 edition.
Beyond the law, Sam holds a Master of Biomedical Sciences from the Rutgers Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (legacy-RWJ GSBS) and is a certified EMT-B.
First Admitted: 2015, New Jersey
Professional Webpage: https://berselaw.com/samuel-j-berse.html
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- C.N. v. S.R. 463 N.J. Super. 213 (Ch. Div. 2020)
- Amzler v. Amzler, 463 N.J. Super. 187 (App. Div. 2020)
Honors
- Samuel J. Berse was the recipient of the New Jersey State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division 2021 Professional Achievement Award, which honors a young lawyer who achieved significant professional accomplishments during the past year. Sam, an associate at Berse Law, LLC, has made notable achievements as a family law practitioner. On April 2, 2020, Sam prevailed in the published Appellate Division opinion of Amzler v Amzler, 463 N.J. Super. 187 (App. Div. 2020). In this case, following the former husband’s retirement before reaching full retirement age, his ex-wife moved to enforce her former husband’s alimony obligation pursuant to parties’ matrimonial settlement agreement. The former husband cross-moved for modification or termination of his alimony obligation and the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Middlesex County, granted former husband’s cross-motion. The former wife appealed with Sam’s representation. The Appellate Division reverse and remanded in her favor. The decision clarified the application of the 2014 amendments to the alimony statute, N.J.S.A. 2A:34-23(j), in connection with a request to terminate an alimony obligation based upon early retirement. Few cases have yielded a reported judicial opinion interpreting the amended statute and Amzler was the first opinion to address a crucial statutory ambiguity. It is a true triumph for Sam – a voting member of the Executive Committee and Union County Representative of the NJSBA Young Lawyers Division – to secure this binding precedent. It is worth noting that courts seldom publish reported family law decisions. The lack of precedential guidance forces practitioners to consistently interpret, invent, and imagine the appropriate application of governing law. Great skill and care are employed to craft legally sound arguments on behalf of clients. Given the inherent ingenuity needed to elicit binding case law, any matters resulting in reported decisions are celebrated by the family law bar and the bar at large. Sam’s success continued thereafter. On June 9, 2020, he prevailed in the published Family Part opinion of C.N. v S.R., 463 N.J. Super. 213 (Ch. Div. 2020) wherein the trial court held, in a question of first impression, that despite the absence of a writing, partition of a residence remains an equitable remedy among unmarried, cohabiting intimates engaged in a joint venture. In other words, the former boyfriend engaged in joint venture with the former girlfriend who together shared a minor child and purchased a residence and was later entitled to partition after their split. It is a rare feat for any attorney to produce two reported decisions in one year – let alone a Young Lawyer. In this regard, Sam exemplifies the standards for the “Professional Achievement Award” including demonstrating excellence in a particular practice area of law, attaining significant or law-changing decisions, and publications. His dedicated professionalism and integrity are truly noteworthy., Professional Achievement Award, New Jersey State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, 2021
Office location for Samuel J. Berse
217 Elmer St
Westfield, NJ 07090
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2021 - 2026