Hon. Marie E. Lihotz (Ret.)

The Honorable Marie E. Lihotz joined Archer as Of Counsel after serving twenty years as a member of the New Jersey Judiciary, including more than eleven years in the Appellate Division. Judge Lihotz concentrates her practice in resolving legal disputes through mediation and arbitration, including family, business, estate, personal injury, negligence, corporate and employment matters. She has been appointed by the Superior Court as a discovery master (including ESI discovery), and an election monitor.  Also she has been chosen by counsel as a liquidating receiver and special master.  She is a member of the American Arbitration Association Commercial and Employment Roster of Arbitrators, an approved Rule 4:21A arbitrator and Rule 1:40 civil mediator and a US Bankruptcy Court mediator. Further, Judge Lihotz consults on trial and appellate presentations.

Judge Lihotz was originally appointed to the Tax Court of New Jersey by Governor Christine Todd Whitman. During her judicial career, she served as Presiding Judge of the Chancery Division, Family Part, Burlington Vicinage.  Thereafter, as one of the Appellate Division’s senior judges, she was the Presiding Judge of Part B. During her tenure in the Appellate Division, Judge Lihotz authored more than 120 published opinions.

Judge Lihotz is past president and a founding member of the Thomas S. Forkin Family Law American Inn of Court. During her term as president, the Inn was first recognized by the National AIC in the Circle of Excellence and later achieving the Platinum Level of excellence in the requisite core competencies. She is a member of the Justice Marie Garibaldi ADR Americann Inn of Court, as well as a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Dispute Resolution, the New Jersey State Bar Association's Dispute Resolution Committee and the Burlington County CDR Committee, which she co-chairs.  In the office, Judge Lihotz serves on a writing mentor for new associates, and a member of the DEI and Professional Development Committees.   

In private practice, prior to joining the judiciary, Judge Lihotz focused on commercial and family law litigation, as well as corporate, tax, estate planning and administration, and bankruptcy matters. Her firm, Pluese & Lihotz, PA, represented both national and family businesses in various trial and corporate matters. She served as a commercial arbitrator and a bankruptcy mediator.

Judge Lihotz has always participated in legal education. In addition to lecturing for NJICLE, various bar associations, the Administrative Office of the Courts, and the Judiciary, she participated as an adjunct lecturer for Rutgers University Law School, Camden.

• New York University School of Law, Master of Law (Taxation), 1985
• Villanova University School of Law, Juris Doctorate, 1980
• University of Delaware, Bachelor of Arts, 1977

• Member of AAA’s Roster of Arbitrators
• Trustee, Burlington County Bar Association, 2017-present
• Vice President of Board of Directors, Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey
• Past President and Founding Member, Thomas S. Forkin Family Law American Inn of Court
• Member, Justice Marie L. Garibaldi ADR American Inn of Court
• Member, NJSBA Family Law Executive Committee (FLEC) (2018-2019)
• Member, NJSBA Judicial Administration Committee (2018-2019)
• Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member, Burlington County Bar Association, Co-Chair of Professionalism Committee, Member of Diversity Leadership Committee
• Former Trustee of the Camden County Bar Association, and former Co-Chair of Debtor-Creditor Relations and Family Law Committees.
• Chair, Supreme Court Committee on Family Practice
• Member/Instructor, Supreme Court Judicial Education Committee
• Member, Supreme Court Internet Technology Committee and E-filing Subcommittee
• Member, Supreme Court Public Access to Court Records Committee and Supreme Court Public Access Working Group
• Member, Supreme Court Committee on Women in the Courts
• Organizer, Rutgers Pro Bono Domestic Violence Clinic, Rutgers Law School, Camden, NJ
• Original Volunteer, Rutgers Pro Bono Bankruptcy Clinic, Rutgers Law School, Camden
• Pro Bono Consultant for Members of N.J. Women’s Opportunity Center 
• Founder, Moorestown Youth Softball Association, Inc.

Hourly Rate is $585, plus expenses for travel, if necessary.  Please call for details.