Articulate Representation That Brings Clarity To Complicated Family Law Situations
Biography
Cathy J. Pollak handles the full range of family law cases including complex litigated cases involving significant assets, evaluations of business and professional practices, and child custody issues. She is widely respected in the legal community for her skills in litigation, negotiation, mediation, and collaborative law.
Ms. Pollak is known for her dedication and sensitivity to her clients in assisting them in reaching constructive, long-term resolution to their cases. Her clients benefit from her hands on approach to their problems and her extensive years of experience devoted to family law.
In addition to her Courtroom skills, Ms. Pollak has vast experience in mediation. She is certified by the NJ Supreme Court as an economic mediator in family law cases since 2002, and has an extensive private mediation practice. She is a founding member of the Collaborative Divorce Association of North Jersey and is a leader in promoting the practice of collaborative divorce law. She frequently has been appointed by the Court to serve as a parent coordinator in high conflict custody cases. She is a Panel Chairperson of the Bergen County Early Settlement Panel.
Ms. Pollak currently serves as a member of the District IIA North Bergen County Ethics Committee. She is a member of the New Jersey and Bergen County Bar Associations, Family Law and Alternate Dispute Resolution Sections. She serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Center For Hope And Safety, Bergen County’s largest non-profit organization serving victims and survivors of domestic violence.
Practice Areas
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Prenuptial Agreements
- Domestic Violence
- LGBTQ Family Law
- Arbitration & Mediation
Education
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Law - Newark, Newark, New Jersey
- J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 1976
- Cedar Crest College, Allentown, Pennsylvania
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 1973
- Honors: magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 1976
- New York, 1990
- U.S. Federal Courts, 1976
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1976
Professional Associations
- Bergen County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Family Law Section
- Vice President and Member of the Board, North Jersey Collaborative Law Group/Collaborative Divorce Association of North Jersey, 2006-2017; Member of the Collaborative Divorce Association of North Jersey 2018-2025.
- Appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Member , District IIA Bergen County Ethics Committee, 2018-present; Panel Chair and Member, District IIA North Bergen Fee Arbitration Committee, 2014-2018; Member and Panel Chair, District IIA North Bergen Fee Arbitration Committee, 1998-2002.
- Member and Panel Chair, Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel, Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, Family Division, 1996-Present.
- Mediator, Economic Aspects of Family Law Cases, appointed by Supreme Court of New Jersey, 2002-Present.
- Board of Trustees and Secretary, 1994-1995, Bergen County Task Force On Women and Addictions.
- Member, Board of Trustees of Center For Hope and Safety, Bergen County’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a full range of services for victims and survivors of domestic violence, 2020-present; Secretary of Board of Trustees of Center For Hope and Safety, February 2022-January 2026; Chair of the Board of Trustees of Center For Hope And Safety, February 2026-present.
Representative Cases
- Village of Ridgewood v. Bolger Foundation, 517 A.2d 135, 1986, N.J., 1986157284
Honors
- Super Lawyers - Top Rated Family Law Attorney
- AV® Preeminent(TM) Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell®
- Selected to "The Best Lawyers in America", 2026
- Who's Who in American Law
- Ten Leaders of Matrimonial and Divorce Law in Northern New Jersey, 2007-present
Past Positions
Fraternities or Sororities
- Delta Phi
Certified Legal Specialties
- Certified Economic Mediator in Family Law Cases, NJ Supreme Court, 2002
- Trained Collaborative Divorce Attorney.

