 |
James J. Sexton
(Photo: Statia Grossman) |
James J. Sexton is no stranger to high-pressure situations. For many years Sexton has trained and competed in combat sports, mixed martial arts and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in the U.S. and abroad, an activity that has perfected the divorce attorney’s focus, competitive instincts and his ability to react quickly. “I pride myself on my ability to not only endure but excel in situations where most people feel pushed to the edge,” he says. “If your case can be resolved fairly by negotiations and settlement, we can make it happen. But if the other side wants a fight, they’re stepping in the ring with a fighter and one who never hits softly.”
Sexton earned his Bachelors of Science in Psychology and his Master of Arts in Communication and Persuasion from New York University. While attending Fordham Law School, Sexton studied intensive trial advocacy under the guidance of former Federal Prosecutor Anthony J. Siano. As many of Sexton’s Fordham classmates prepared to enter corporate law firms, he remained laser-focused on family law and founded the Law Offices of James J. Sexton in 2001.
“Even after over a decade of family law practice, I am still humbled by the trust people place in me, fighting for what is most important in their lives: their children and their financial security,” he says.
The firm began with one computer and a part-time secretary, but it now includes two offices in New York (Manhattan & Rockland Counties) and one in New Jersey (Bergen County). Sexton and his hand picked team of Associate Attorneys, paralegals and support staff provide expertise in divorce filings, custody hearings, separation agreements, pre-nuptial agreements, and child support. “We are big enough to handle complex trials and high net-worth clients efficiently but small enough to maintain personal and responsive contact with each and every client,” Sexton says.
Described by some as a “compassionate advocate” and others as a “courtroom gunslinger” Sexton’s reputation as a skilled matrimonial litigator has spread quickly over the past decade. Constantly seeking to incorporate new technologies and perspectives into his firm’s practice, Sexton was Certified as a Divorce Mediator in 2002 and in 2009 traveled to Atlanta to become Rockland County’s first matrimonial attorney with national certification as a Parent Coordinator. When he’s not advocating for his clients as they navigate the difficulties of divorce or child custody disputes, Sexton shows others how to do the same. He has taught undergraduate courses in law, ethics, conflict resolution, public speaking, and mass persuasion at several colleges including New York University and Ramapo College of New Jersey.
Sexton’s many accomplishments in the fields of law and education have earned the respect of the New York law and business communities. The Rockland Economic Development council named Sexton to its “Forty Under Forty” list in 2002, and he has been selected as one of the “Ten Leaders in Matrimonial and Family Law” for the Rockland/Westchester area for the past three years running. Juggling his many endeavors is exactly the kind of challenge Sexton craves. “Whether I’m in a courtroom or at the negotiating table,” Sexton says, “I think best on my feet, thrive under stressful conditions, and employ a highly disciplined, organized, and rapidly responsive approach to everything I do.”