Parsippany, NJ — Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group of New Jersey has recently expanded its leadership team and is pleased to announce four new Partners at the firm. New Partners are Francine M. Aster, Dianna C. Cavaliere, Corrine E. Cooke and Christopher L. Garibian.
“Our Partners embody everything that distinguishes our firm: creativity, resourcefulness, excellence in the practice of family and matrimonial law, and most of all, unwavering dedication to helping our clients succeed. Fran, Dianna, Corrine and Chris truly represent the best of the best of New Jersey family law,” said Bari Z. Weinberger, founder and managing Partner at Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group.
Each of the firm’s new Partners bring with them years of legal achievement.
Partner Francine Aster is a highly accomplished and trusted family law attorney with extensive experience guiding clients. Ms. Aster’s passion for family law is driven by her deep desire to help people in need. As she describes, “Helping people is just my nature; it’s what I am meant to do. Being a family lawyer is what I love as it allows me to help my clients find solutions to their problems.”
Throughout her career, Ms. Aster has been a leader in the New Jersey family law community. She has been honored to serve as Chair of the Essex County Bar Association (ECBA) for fifteen years, and sits on the New Jersey State Bar Association Family Law Executive Committee (FLEC). Ms. Aster has served as a Trustee of ECBA and was ultimately elected ECBA President. She is also proud to be a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Ethics Committee, where she served on District VC (West Essex) for two terms. She is currently in her second consecutive four-year term.
Ms. Aster has additionally acted as a guardian ad litem (GAL) and parenting coordinator for the courts and served and continues to serve as a volunteer attorney with the Matrimonial Early Settlement Panels (ESP) in both Essex and Morris counties. She is also a longtime volunteer with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, CLE presenter, and Blue Ribbon Panelist. She is excited to bring her extensive family law mastery and skill to Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group as Partner. “The added legal perspective I have gained from these roles benefits my clients and are resources that I am happy to share with my colleagues” she said.
Ms. Aster is a recipient of the Essex County Bar Association Family Law Attorney Achievement Award. She is a member of the Essex County Bar Association, Morris County Bar Association, Hispanic Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association, and Master of the Barry I. Croland Family Inns of Court. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Court of New Jersey and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Aster is also a Qualified Family Law Mediator.
Ms. Aster earned her Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law and also holds a bachelor degree in psychology from Seton Hall University. She practices out of the firm’s Parsippany office.
Partner Dianna C. Cavaliere is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a matrimonial law attorney, a distinction earned by fewer than 2% of attorneys statewide. Ms. Cavaliere joined Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group in 2012, drawn to the firm’s mission of compassionate legal care. “Divorce and other family law issues can be overwhelming to the clients who are experiencing these issues, but our firm takes a client-centered approach to their problems, rather than a cookie cutter ‘by the book’ approach. Each case is addressed based on the individual needs of the client.”
Over the years, Ms. Cavaliere has been a driving force behind the firm’s growth and reputation as a trusted leader in family law. She has been honored with numerous awards, including Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion awards and SuperLawyers – Rising Star recognitions. Her commitment to family law is renewed each day through her work with her clients. “There is nothing more important than helping clients move on to a new chapter of their lives so they can be at peace and have a healthy new beginning for themselves and their children.”
As Partner, Ms Cavaliere’s plans include continuing to raise the bar for excellence in client care. “The strength of our firm is our compassionate and honest approach to safeguarding our clients and solving their problems at a time when they are most vulnerable and really need to have someone in their corner. I am here to support our team’s important role in helping our clients successfully move on to their next chapter in life.”
Ms. Cavaliere received her Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law. She is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Morris County Bar Association, and Robert L. Clifford, Family Law Inns of Court. She practices out of the firm’s Parsippany office.
Corrine Cooke is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney. She is also a trained collaborative law attorney and Qualified Family Law Mediator.
Ms. Cooke joined Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group inspired by the people and culture of the firm. “I instantly felt the firm’s compassion and care and was immediately drawn to the family-like environment.”
As Partner, Ms. Cooke brings an unwavering commitment to helping and guiding people as they experience difficult times in life. “Family law is one of the few areas of the law that gives you the ability to have an immediate impact on the daily lives of your clients,” she explains. Some of her best moments as an attorney have come from knowing that she helps her clients reach a better place in life. “I love helping my clients find solutions that work best for their particular issue/situation and ensuring that all of my clients are heard, protected, and feel a sense of compassion for what they are going through.”
Ms. Cooke has been recognized as a Super Lawyer – Rising star and listed among the American Institute of Family Law’s 10 Best Client Satisfaction and Top 10 Attorneys Under 40. She is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, Mercer County Bar Association, Burlington County Bar Association, New Jersey Association for Justice, South Jersey Collaborative Divorce Professionals, and the Mid-Jersey Collaborative Law Alliance.
Ms. Cooke received her Juris Doctorate from Villanova University School of Law. Immediately following law school, she served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Michael J. Haas, J.S.C. in the Burlington County Family Part. Ms. Cooke practices out of the firm’s Mount Laurel office.
Partner Chris Garibian is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney. Throughout his esteemed career, Mr. Garibian has been motivated by a core commitment to “help humans.” He was drawn to Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group due to the firm’s shared mission. As Mr. Garibian noted, “Seeing Bari Weinberger’s pride and passion for being a great attorney and the wonderful and powerful firm model to facilitate clients and help humans…I knew this is where I want to be.”
As Partner, he brings to the firm his vast experience and boundless dedication to protecting his clients’ rights in their family law matters and “effectuating positive change” in his clients’ lives. Mr. Garibian’s legal expertise enables him to provide his clients with creative solutions and resolve even the most multi-layered of family law matters. As one colleague described Mr. Garibian, “Chris is hands-on, caring and resolute when it comes to his client’s needs.”
Mr. Garibian has served as a Morris County Bar Foundation Trustee. He has also volunteered for over two decades with the Jersey Battered Women’s Services providing pro bono services for obtaining restraining orders.
As Partner, Mr. Garibian will continue to provide trusted guidance to his clients as he delivers the highest excellence in legal care. “I have a real passion to fight for and help humans in difficult situations,” he affirmed.
Mr. Garibian is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, Morris County Bar Association, and New Jersey Association of Justice. He is also a Qualified Rule 1:40 Mediator. Mr. Garibian graduated with his J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School and holds a B.A. from Rutgers University. He practices out of the firm’s Parsippany office.
“Our new Partners are each staggeringly talented and have so much to offer our clients and firm. It is a true pleasure and honor to now have these stellar lawyers on our leadership team, and by my side,” said Bari Z. Weinberger, the firm’s founder and managing partner.