Emerald E. Sheay devotes her practice exclusively to family law.  In addition to issues relating to divorce, alimony, child support, equitable distribution of assets, custody/parenting, relocation, and post-judgment matters, Ms. Sheay has unique experience with disputes involving the custody and time sharing of family pets.  She takes an empathetic approach to lawyering and believes that zealous advocacy for her clients, along with finding creative solutions to the problems they face, comes from a client-centered approach.

Ms. Sheay graduated cum laude from Seton Hall Law, and was awarded the prestigious Dean’s Award in 2020. She served as President of the Seton Hall School of Law Family Law Society, participated in the Leadership Fellows Program, and sat on the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court board. She also served as a student attorney in the Seton Hall School of Law Family Law Clinic, representing indigent clients in their matrimonial matters. In recognition for her commitment to family law, Ms. Sheay was awarded the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Student Scholarship in 2020. Following law school, Ms. Sheay served as the judicial law clerk to the Presiding Judge of the Family Part, the Honorable Lisa F. Chrystal, in Union County.

Ms. Sheay is especially passionate about disputes involving companion animals. She has experience handling pet custody disputes and municipal dog bite defense matters. Her article, People Who Hurt Animals Don’t Stop with Animals, was published in the Fall 2020 edition of the Animal Law Review. She currently sits on the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee and legislative sub-committee. Ms. Sheay is also a contributing member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund in New Jersey, and has been published in the Star-Ledger and the New Jersey Law Journal as a guest columnist, writing on topics such as empathetic lawyering and animal rights issues.

Ms. Sheay is admitted to practice in both New Jersey and the United District Court of New Jersey. In her spare time, she serves as an attorney mentor with the New Jersey Law and Education Empowerment Program, mentoring high school students in Newark.