THERESA A LYONS

FOUNDER, LYONS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

THOUGHT

Leader

AN INNOVATOR OF INDUSTRY
“MY ROLE IS CLEAR: TO BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE, A GUARDIAN OF JUSTICE, AND A HARBINGER OF A FUTURE WHERE LAW MEETS EMPATHY AND WHERE JUSTICE INTERTWINES WITH COMPASSION. “
INNOVATE New Jersey

As Featured In:

INNOVATE® New Jersey

INNOVATE New Jersey

As Featured In:

INNOVATE® New Jersey

A LEGACY IN THE MAKING
Our clients are the heartbeat of our existence. They remind us why we chose this path. They are the reason we fight, innovate, and care. We carry their battles as if they were our own because, in truth, they are.

The discipline of law falls under humanities. Too many lawyers forget that. Employers forget to place humans at the center. Societies sometimes forget that, too. Every social ill on this planet would be cured if every human could try to either create a job for someone else or check in on a neighbor.

Bucking the System
We’ve heard all the lawyer jokes, stereotypes, and memes. Sadly, most of them are true. Everybody hates a lawyer until someone needs us. We’re bucking the system at Lyons & Associates, P.C.

Too many people presume that wealth and compassion are at odds – and they’re not. We don’t just represent; we stand beside every client, from billionaires to the homeless, treating them with the dignity they deserve, all while litigating like warriors.

I became a lawyer by mistake. While at Rutgers University studying for an M.A. in Social Work, I came across a class named ‘Law and Social Work,’ a dual degree in law and social work. I was one of the first graduates in the state. My journey didn’t stop there. The soul of social work with the impact of legal prowess? Yes, please.

Equality and Compassion
We’re changing the system. I live and breathe two things: making the law respectable and championing equality. Lawyers overthink, while social workers feel too much. In between lies the perfect medium.

Equality is our battle cry. We championed diversity long before it became a hashtag or a trend. Twenty years ago, my firm threw down the gauntlet: we’re more than just lawyers – we’re revolutionaries in suits or sweatpants, if we choose. We set the bar high with unlimited paid time off for lawyers a decade ago, well before the world embraced such progressive ideas. Our workspace is a sanctuary, equipped with candy in every room and toys in the waiting area. The essence of social work isn’t just in what we do; it’s ingrained in who we are.

BUILDING THE FUTURE
The next step: I’m building a future that transcends my personal ambitions. I’m building Lyons & Associates into a legacy firm – the first such by a woman in New Jersey. It’s about paving the way for the next generation of legal mavericks, ensuring they have a platform to excel, and continue this legacy. My role is clear: to be a catalyst for change, a guardian of justice, and a harbinger of a future where law meets empathy and where justice intertwines with compassion. Commendable or crazy, either way, I’m doing it.

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