Lynn Norcia, Esq.
“I cannot change the world and all of the injustices that exist, but I can change the world for one person at a time.”
Lynn Norcia, Of Counsel with Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, P.C., stands as a shining beacon of compassion and justice for children and families. Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) is incredibly fortunate to count Lynn among our family of volunteers, and what better way to kick off a new year than to recognize her as our January 2024 Volunteer of the Month.
Lynn's journey with VLJ began in 2018, and since then, she has volunteered nearly 45 hours, providing much-needed pro bono legal help valued at over $13,400. While Lynn's introduction to VLJ remains a mystery, likely the result of a serendipitous email that made its way to her inbox, her desire to give back was always clear, and her altruistic spirit has seen her volunteer with VLJ’s Divorce Program and South Ward Promise Neighborhood Program. Lynn’s firm, Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, believes that giving back to the community is an important part of its role as a leading law firm in Essex County and has been very supportive of her volunteer work.
A graduate of Ramapo College of New Jersey and Rutgers Law-Camden, Lynn began her legal career first by clerking for the Honorable Stephen Skillman, J.S.C. followed by over 30 years of dedicated service to the State of New Jersey, including tenures at the Office of the Attorney General, where she represented the Department of Child Protection and Permanency and Division on Civil Rights, the Office of the Law Guardian, and the Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex Vicinage. At Starr Gern, Lynn practices family law and is on the New Jersey Supreme Court’s roster of economic mediators and is specially trained as a court-approved mediator for domestic violence cases. Lynn is also frequently appointed as a Guardian ad Litem and parenting coordinator in matrimonial and custody matters in Essex County and elsewhere. If that weren’t enough, Lynn also handles adoption cases, petitions for guardianship of mentally incapacitated persons, and appellate matters.
Through her former role as a child welfare mediator for the Essex Vicinage of the Superior Court, specializing in cases in which the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (“DCPP”) is involved, Lynn has had a profound impact on families. When working with families, Lynn is always guided by treating those involved with respect and compassion, regardless of the circumstances that brought them to family court. Whether mediating a case in which DCPP is involved, or in a private custody dispute, she acknowledges the love a parent has for their child and uses that love to help parents reach a resolution that is in the child’s best interests.
Lynn’s lifetime of work and pro bono efforts have her regularly recall the story of a little girl walking along the beach who picks up starfish that have washed up on the beach and throws them back in the water one at a time. An elderly man sees the little girl doing this and asks how she can think that throwing back a few starfish can make a difference; the little girl responds, saying she can make a difference for at least the few starfish she is able to throw back in the ocean. As Lynn put it, “I cannot change the world and all of the injustices that exist, but I can change the world for one person at a time.”
Beyond her legal career, Lynn's philanthropic endeavors extend to the Board of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts-New Jersey Chapter, where she serves as the board's secretary. Lynn also fills her cup by serving with her church, the First Presbyterian Church of Stirling. At First Presbyterian, Lynn is deeply engaged in the Twelve Baskets Food Pantry, ensuring the availability of a broad range of food, including fresh produce and meat for seniors, veterans, and families. Twelve Baskets is committed to providing not just food but also diapers, menstruation products and essential toiletries, echoing the importance of compassion, dignity, and kindness.
For Lynn, her volunteerism—whether through VLJ, the courts, or her church—is about opening doors for people and helping them find justice, which is why VLJ’s mission of “ensuring access to justice for people experiencing poverty” resonates with her:
“I worked for the courts for 16 years and they are very mindful of trying to be available to serve everyone. Courts have a very strong customer service focus; however, the courts are also limited and staff are not allowed to give legal advice. Faced with pro se litigants who need help, it is challenging for judges to have cases with unrepresented parties; judges try very hard to make sure they are being fair, but time is limited and the judicial system is overburdened, meaning it is hard to give cases with pro se litigants the time and attention they deserve. It isn’t really equal justice if it is a pro se litigant versus a party represented by an attorney.”
Lynn’s commitment and impact on her community are celebrated across New Jersey, with Lynn receiving the Child’s Hero Award in 2016 from Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Essex County and the Philip N. Sobel Award in May 2023 from the Association of Family Conciliation Courts. Her efforts embody the spirit of the little girl on the beach, making a difference for one person at a time: “I started my career as an attorney with a goal toward working for social change. I was not one of the students in law school with visions of dollar signs in my eyes. I was a child of a period of social change in our country and I wanted to be a part of that by using the law as a tool for change.”
Lynn, VLJ’s January 2024 Volunteer of the Month, is a living testament to the fact that even the smallest actions can create ripples of change, transforming the arc of people’s lives while moving our world one step closer to justice. Thank you, Lynn, for taking cases and changing lives!
Connect with Lynn on LinkedIn