About

Amy Sara Cores, Esq. graduated from Florida State University (FSU) with a B.A. in History and a minor in Music. Ms. Cores is a classically trained cellist and also plays the guitar and sings. After focusing on music performance for many years, she was inspired after hearing a lecture by Elie Wiesel. She applied to the Master’s Degree program at FSU to concentrate her studies on Jewish Resistance to the Holocaust.

In her graduate program, Ms. Cores quickly distinguished herself as a devoted student and teaching assistant. She was invited to participate in a fledgling program called “Preparing Future Faculty.” This was a rewarding experience that provided her the opportunity to hone her public speaking and teaching skills. She was active in several student organizations and presented several papers at international conferences.

During her graduate studies at FSU she worked with several highly respected professors. Her research focused on Jewish armed resistance in clandestine organizations. Her thesis entitled “Jews in the Armia Krajowa” provides a contrary perspective of the ability of Jews to rise up against the Final Solution. Specifically, Ms. Cores was able to interview several former members of the Armia Krajowa (then residing in Israel) who related their personal history and experiences to her.

Ms. Cores also obtained proficiency in German and French reading knowledge. She is able to translate written texts in German and French. However, her research required her to have an additional level of fluency in Polish, Russian, Hebrew, and Yiddish.

Prior to completing her Ph.D. Ms. Cores decided to relocate and pursue a career in the law. She attended law school at Rutgers-Camden School of Law (Camlaw). During her studies, she continued to teach history as an adjunct professor at Camden County College and Monmouth University. Ms. Cores also served as a research assistant for several professors at Camlaw. She was selected to assist with researching for the case of Christopher v. Harbury, (122 S. Ct. 2179, 2002 U.S. LEXIS 4647), as an assistant to Beth Stephens, Esq., who was Co-Counsel for Appellee. Ms. Cores received the Rutgers-Camden Pro-Bono Service Award.

After graduating from Camlaw, Ms. Cores accepted a judicial clerkship with the Hon. E. Benn Micheletti, J.S.C., Monmouth County. Now retired, Judge Micheletti honed Ms. Cores’ skills as a legal researcher and writer.

Ms. Cores accepted a position with the firm of Hoffman & Schreiber, P.A. to commence immediately after the conclusion of her clerkship. She quickly established herself as a fierce but friendly adversary. After only a few years, she was honored to continue on at the firm as a Member and the firm became known as Hoffman, Schreiber & Cores, P.A.

In 2012, Ms. Cores established Cores & Associates, L.L.C. located in Howell, New Jersey. In 2017, the firm relocated to Freehold, but continues to service primarily the counties of Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex, and Mercer. However, her peers regularly referred her the most complex and high conflict cases all over New Jersey.

Her clients appreciated her attention to detail and personalized attention to their family law cases. Ms. Cores received many referrals from former clients.

Ms. Cores believes that it is the duty of those with a law license to not just meet the minimum pro bono requirements but to exceed them. She previously worked with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) accepting both paid and pro bono assignments to obtain the successful return of child abducted from foreign countries and brought here to the United States. She worked for most of her career with the US State Department to accept low bono or pro bono cases and mentor attorneys on handling international kidnapping cases all over the US. Ms. Cores also participated in the New Jersey Superior Court Appellate Division’s Pro Bono Pilot Program.

She was an active participant in state and local bar associations. Ms. Cores’ dedication to bar service is clear from the committee appointments she has accepted and recognition she has received from her peers. She was honored to receive the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Young Lawyer of the Year Award in 2009. She was selected for inclusion in the Rising Star Super Lawyers each year from 2008-2013. She was selected as a Super Lawyer each year from 2014-2021. In 2015, she was featured in the Super Lawyer’s Magazine.

Ms. Cores has served as an Early Settlement Panelist and Intensive Settlement Panelist in Monmouth County. She is certified as an arbitrator by the AAML. She has completed a Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation. She was also a Rule 1:40-12 Economic Mediator and was in the first group to be qualified to mediate cases in which there is a domestic violence restraining order.

Ms. Cores is an avid writer for various legal publications and a regular speaker at seminars to educate attorneys throughout the state. She was honored to co-author articles with the Hon. Charles M. Rand, P.J.F.P. retired and John Finnerty, Esq. Ms. Cores has moderated several seminars and was asked to work with the NJSBA to develop a “101” program for young attorneys to complete their mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirements.

She is also an experienced appellate attorney. Ms. Cores has several unpublished decisions with the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. She has also made applications to both the United States Supreme Court and New Jersey Supreme Court. In a pro bono case, Ms. Cores successfully upheld a trial court’s decision to award counsel fees to another law firm who represented a victim of domestic violence pro bono when entering a Final Restraining Order. The appellate division affirmed and the defendant sought Certification from the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Ms. Cores continued her representation of the victim and successfully defended against the application. Ms. Cores also served on the amicus committee for both the state chapter and national American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Ms. Cores successfully represented a parent whose child had been kidnapped from Turkey in the published decision of F.H.U. v. A.C.U. in 2012. This is the first appellate division decision in New Jersey which directly addresses the application of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Moreover, the case holds that despite a finding that a child is well settled in his new location the child can be returned to his home state in furtherance of the policy of the Convention. This landmark case was handled pro bono. This case has been cited to the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ms. Cores was a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the Middlesex County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Howell Chamber of Commerce. She serves on various committees within these organizations. She was appointed to serve on the AAML Foundation Board in 2020-2021.

Ms. Cores is licensed to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the Federal District Court for the District of New Jersey, and in all courts in the State of New Jersey. She is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Matrimonial Law Attorney. Ms. Cores is also a Fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and International Academy of Family Lawyers. As of the date of publication of this website, she has a request for admission to the state bars of New York and Tennessee pending.
Ms. Cores previously served on the Board of Directors of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect and CFC Loud N Clear.

In 2021, Ms. Cores ended her litigation practice. After many years of handling high conflict matters, countless trials and evidentiary hearings, and dozens of appeals, Ms. Cores now brings that expertise to her private clients by providing them with private coaching. She has successfully navigated the legal system on behalf of her clients and offers coaching services so that her clients can prepare for the challenges they may face when starting the process through the family courts. She also works on a limited basis with lawyers to draft pleadings and coach them through the strategy needed to execute on a complex case.

Ms. Cores is married and resides in Monmouth County with her husband and children. You can catch her on nice days riding her Harley Davidson to the office or court. In 2021, she started a second Master’s Degree in Music Business at Berklee College of Music. She plans to graduate in 2022 with honors.