When Sandra Fava, a partner with Fox Rothschild LLP in Morristown, first thought about becoming a lawyer, she wanted to practice corporate law, just like her favorite character on the television show, Ally McBeal. “I was going to be an international corporate lawyer because I can speak a few languages and I really wanted to travel.”
Her mindset started to change when her older sister went through a divorce. “I come from a very traditional Italian family and I’m first generation here in the U.S.,” she says. “One of my siblings went through a terrible divorce and it really made an impact on me. My family had never really been through anything like that.”
A few other events also channeled her interest away from corporate law. “In law school, I was accepted into the Family Law Clinic at Seton Hall, and the great thing about doing a clinic is that you really get hands-on experience. You’re able to interface with clients and you get to be in court with a licensed attorney who is the professor running the course.”
During her time in the clinic, Sandra became involved in an international child abduction case. “It was really interesting and I liked doing it, so I took another course, and then the next summer, I decided I was going to intern part-time for a family court judge.”
At the end of that internship, the judge, who was the presiding family court judge in Morris County, asked her to come back after graduation and become his law clerk.
“I did and it snowballed from there,” she says. “The more I did, the more positive feedback I would get. People would say things such as ‘You’re so empathetic,’ and ‘You understand the issues.’”
Marc Gross and Sandra Fava
Sandra says people generally come to her in what will most likely be one of the worst times of their lives. “You work with a family, with a client, and you’re able to see them transition. It really is a rewarding and personal experience. After nearly 20 years, some of these clients have become friends. I’ve watched their kids grow up.”
Being a family attorney, she says, really fits her personality. “I like to get to know people, and I really try to live my life with integrity.”
Patricia Fox and Sandra Fava
Another thing her clients really appreciate is the resources and content she makes available on the Fox Rothschild website. “I have a podcast that’s now on season three,” says Sandra. “There are episodes where it’s just me talking, and others where I have guests like forensic accountants and therapists. People can read or listen, and some cases watch, at their own convenience, and it’s all coming from me. It’s things that I’ve created with people that I’ve worked with that I trust.”
These podcasts, called Life After Love Gone Wrong, were developed from the many conversations she has had with clients over the years. “I wanted to explain things in ways that isn’t overwhelming.”
Today, she is thankful that she is doing something she loves. “I did the hard work and it really did get me to where I wanted to be,” she says. “I feel very fortunate.”
Sandra is also thankful for her family’s support, both in her professional and personal life. “During the pandemic, I had a bout with breast cancer. My mom came and fed me because that’s how Italians do things. I have a great family system with my husband and my kids, my parents and great friends. My kids are the light of my life. I really do feel very blessed.”
Fox Rothschild, LLP
49 Market Street,
Morristown, NJ
973-992-4800 / FoxRothschild.com
