Our dear friend, mentor and co-founding partner, Barry I. Croland, passed away March 25, 2008. First and foremost, Barry was a dedicated, committed and loving family man and friend. Barry was equally committed to the practice of law. His well-earned reputation for integrity and excellence, as well as his infectious sense of humor and humility, left an indelible mark on the profession and his colleagues at the firm and the bar.

Barry began his practice in 1961, following his graduation from Rutgers School of Law – Newark. Upon graduation, he served as a law clerk for the late Honorable Morris Pashman. From there, Barry went into private practice, handling all types of matters both before the trial courts and appellate courts at the federal and state levels, where he developed the skills which would ultimately help him evolve into one of the State’s premier matrimonial attorneys.

During his career, Barry served as a member of several Supreme Court committees, was a frequent lecturer and author, was the Senior Editor of the New Jersey Family Lawyer and the co-founder of the New Jersey Family Law Inns of Court having served as Master-President of that organization. For over 25 years, Barry focused his practice in matrimonial and family law. His knowledge, goodwill and ability to handle the most complicated matters earned Barry a reputation as one of the top matrimonial attorneys in the United States. Such honors included selection to Best Lawyers in America since 1983 and selection as a New Jersey Super Lawyer each year since the inception of such honor, including selection as a Top 100 Attorney in 2005.

In addition to these recurring recognitions, Barry was the recipient of the Saul Tischler Award in 1992 for his significant contributions to the advancement of Family Law in New Jersey and the recipient of the Bergen County Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. Barry was also a Diplomate in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers since 1993, an exclusive organization for which membership is limited to 100 Family Law practitioners in the United States. Barry was also selected by the American Bar Foundation to be a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation - an honor limited to one-third of one percent of all lawyers in each state – and was selected by the New Jersey Supreme Court to be one of five lawyer-members of a Special Supreme Court Committee tasked with creating a new Family Part of New Jersey Superior Court. In honor of Barry’s memory and in recognition of Barry’s impact on the professional community and his dedication to the Family Law practice, the Family Law Inns of Court was formally renamed the “Barry I. Croland Family Law Inns of Court” in 2008.

Barry’s dedication, commitment, skill and generosity will continue to serve as an inspiration to the firm’s attorneys and staff.