Lisa M. Shapson

I am passionate about helping clients resolve their family law issues as quickly and painlessly as possible. If you need or someone you know needs help with adoption, custody, divorce, name change, protection from abuse or support issues in either Philadelphia or surrounding Pennsylvania counties – or Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties in New Jersey – I’m here either as an advocate, mediation coach, collaborative lawyer or parenting coordinator. I have been honored as a Pennsylvania Best Lawyer® and Super Lawyer® and named to the First Judicial District’s Pro Bono Roll of Honor for exemplary pro bono work.

Villanova University School of Law
Villanova, PA
J.D. 2000

Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA
B.S. in Business Administration 1997

United States Supreme Court

Pennsylvania

New Jersey

Parenting Coordinator
(Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware and Philadelphia Counties)

Pro Bono Counsel

BKW Family Law LLC/Berner Klaw & Watson LLP/Berner & Klaw
Philadelphia, PA 2007-Present

• Partner. Practice includes all aspects of family law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, including divorce, alimony, custody, child support, domestic violence and domestic tort claims, as well as divorce and custody mediation. Lisa is also a trained mediator, collaborative attorney and parenting coordinator, and is available as an arbitrator.

Stark & Stark, P.C.
Lawrenceville, NJ 2001-2007

• Practiced family law solely in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Maintained own client caseload while assisting supervisor attorneys on larger, higher conflict divorce cases. Responsibilities included initial consultations, advising, pleading preparation, motion preparation and oral argument regarding enforcement of litigant’s rights, pendente lite matters, alimony modification/termination and custody and visitation; prepared for and responsible for settlement conferences, drafting/finalizing settlement agreements, trial preparation, preparing and representing clients in motions, trials, domestic violence matters, and municipal matters which stemmed from domestic violence incidences.

Raffaele & Puppio, LLP
Media, PA 2000-2001

• Practiced family law predominantly, with some civil and criminal experience. Maintained own client caseload for over fifty clients from the initial consultation through the divorce. Responsibilities included preparing and representing clients in protection from abuse, custody, support and equitable distribution conferences and hearings.

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association (current)

• Co-Chair, Collaborative Law Committee (current)

Member, New Jersey State Bar Association, Family Law Section (current)

Member, Philadelphia Bar Association, Family Law Section (current)

• Co-Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee (current)
• Co-Chair, Mentoring Committee
• Co-Chair, Equitable Distribution Committee

Member, Chester County Bar Association (current)

Member, Bucks County Bar Association (current)

Member, American Bar Association, Family Law Section

Introductory Interdisciplinary Collaborative Training
International Academy of Collaborative Professionals

Parenting Coordination Process and Domestic Violence Training
Pennsylvania Bar Institute

Divorce & Custody Mediator Training
Good Shepherd Mediation Program

Qualified Medical Child Support Order (QMCSO):  What is it and Do I Need One? (moderator)
Philadelphia Bar Association, Family Law Section

Anatomy of a Prenuptial Agreement (co-presenter)
Philadelphia Bar Association, Family Law Section

New Social Security Rules Regarding Divorcing Spouses (co-presenter)
Philadelphia Bar Association, Family Law Section

Your First Divorce Case–General Practitioners’ Update (panel)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education

Seventh Annual Family Law Institute (panel)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education

What PA Lawyers Need to Know About New Jersey Family Law Practice (panel)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education

Philadelphia County Domestic Relations Practice-Divorce Process (co-presenter)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education

A Conversation with Susan Rieger, author of The Divorce Papers (panel)
Dual Presentation: The Thomas S. Forkin Family Law and The Nicholas Cipriani American Inns of Court

Slicing Up the Pie:  Property Distribution in Pennsylvania-Alimony Section (co-presenter)
Pennsylvania Bar Institute Continuing Legal Education

The Home-field Advantage
Cover Story, The Pennsylvania Lawyer, September/October 2021

Back to Normal:  Getting Divorced After Quarantine
Collaborative Law Professionals of Southeastern PA Blog, July 2021

Full House? Why Wait? Mediate!
Berner Klaw & Watson LLP Blog, May 2020

Family Lawyers:  It’s a Good Time for a Case Management Self-Health Check
Pennsylvania Law Weekly, April 2020
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), April 2020

It Should Be PC to Use a PC
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), November 2016

Common Sense Rules for Parents During Custody Disputes
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), August 2016

Huss v. Weaver
Berner Klaw & Watson LLP Blog, June 2016

Great Expectations:  Tips for a Healthy Family Law Practice
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), March 2016

Some Stepparents Have to Pay Child Support in Pennsylvania
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), February 2016

Tips to Improve Your Law Practice Next Year
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), December 2015

Divorce:  Time to Change How the Game Is Played
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), November 2015

Untying the Knots in Clients’ Lives
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), October 2015

How to Settle a Custody Case at the Outset
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), August 2015

Should ‘Lost Cause’ Payor Really Have Custody of Child
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), July 2015

Paternity and Parentage in Same-Sex Marriages
Lisa Shapson, Jennifer Dumin
The Legal Intelligencer (Family Law Supplement), July 2015

The Cost of Converting ‘I Do’ to ‘I Don’t’
New Jersey Law Journal (online) June 2015
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), June 2015

Validity of Common-Law Marriages
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), May 2015

Changing Custody Schedules With the Seasons
Connecticut Law Tribune (online), May 2015

Modifying Custody Schedules for Child’s Changing Needs
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), April 2015

Dealing with Unrepresented Parties in Family Law Cases
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), February 2015

Modern Technology Can Hinder Effective Communication
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), January 2015

What Would Your Divorce Epitaph Say?
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), November 2014

Alimony Is Alive and Well in New Jersey
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), October 2014

Avoiding Surprises at Trial:  Preparing Your Client to Testify
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), September 2014

Requiring Divorced Parents to Pay for Children’s Post-secondary Education
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), August 2014

Marriage Equality Finally Arrives in Pennsylvania
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), June 2014

Is Your Summer Parenting Schedule Ready for Summer Vacation?
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), May 2014

Getting Referrals and Sustaining a Family Law Practice
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), March 2014

After the Love Is Gone:  Settling Divorce Cases
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), February 2014

Defining Marriage in 2013
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), October 2013

Parenting:  A Journey Without a GPS or Owner’s Manual
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), August 2013

Disclosure of Child Abuse and Attorney-Client Privilege
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), July 2013

How to Rein in Emotional Clients
Law Journal Newsletters-The Matrimonial Strategist (online), June 2013

How to Set Rules and Rein in Emotional Clients
New Jersey Law Journal (online), April 2013

Setting Rules and Reining in Emotional Clients
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), March 2013

What Does ‘Proceeding’ Really Mean?
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), May 2013

We Can Do Better:  Staying Professional as a Family Lawyer
The Legal Intelligencer (online Family Law column), March 2013

Valuations Challenging in Divorce
Philadelphia Bar Reporter (June 2011)

Greater Philadelphia Law Firm Leaders … 2023
Philadelphia Business Journal

President, Pennsylvania Alliance of Collaborative Practitioners (PACP) (current)

Member, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (current)

Member, Collaborative Law Professionals of Southeastern Pennsylvania (current)

Vice-President, South Jersey Collaborative Divorce Professionals (current)

Co-Chair, ADR Committee of the Family Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association (current)

Member, Philadelphia Bar Association (current)

Member, Philadelphia Bar Association, Family Law Section (current)

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association (current)

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Family Law Section (current)

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Collaborative Law Committee (current)

Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association, ADR Committee (current)

Executive Committee Member, The Nicholas Cipriani American Inn of Court (current)

Co-Chair, Programming Committee, The Nicholas Cipriani American Inn of Court (current)

Arbitrator, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (current)

Parents Association, Parents Council Member, Merion Mercy Academy (current)

Co-Chair, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Collaborative Law Committee 2021-2024

Board Member and Past President (2017-2019), St. Mary Interparochial School Home & School Association

Member, The Thomas S. Forkin Family Law American Inn of Court (NJ)

Secretary, Board of Parents Anonymous of New Jersey

Best Lawyers in America 2027* (Collaborative Law & Mediation)
Best Lawyers®

Best Lawyers in America 2021-2027* (Family Law)
Best Lawyers®

Best Law Firms 2017-2025 (BKW Family Law, f/k/a Berner Klaw & Watson)
Philadelphia – Family Law & Family Law Mediation – Metropolitan Tier 1
U.S. News & World Report-Best Lawyers®

PA Super Lawyer: 2013-2026**
PA Super Lawyer: Rising Stars Edition 2010
Super Lawyers®, part of Thomson Reuters

Law Firms List (BKW Family Law)
2025, 2026
Philadelphia Business Journal

Top Women-Owned Businesses 2013-2024 (BKW Family Law, f/k/a Berner Klaw & Watson)
Philadelphia Business Journal

Top Law Firms by Pro Bono Hours 2016-2017; 2021 (Berner Klaw & Watson);
2023, 2024, 2025 (BKW Family Law)
Philadelphia Business Journal

Bar Star 2022
Most Non-CLE Programming as Co-Chair of the Family Law Section ADR Committee
Philadelphia Bar Association

Pro Bono Publico Award 2018
Court of Common Pleas – Family Division, Domestic Relations
First Judicial District of PA

Pro Bono Roll of Honor 2009-2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018-2019 (exemplary pro bono work) First Judicial District of Pennsylvania

NOTE: No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

*Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer review publication in the legal profession, partnering with U.S. News & World Report, the leading rankings publication in the U.S., to rank lawyers and law firms in the United States.

**Chosen by nominations from PA Lawyers, research of periodicals, databases and interviews. All nominees’ background and experience are researched as well.