Partners & Associates

THERESA A. LYONS - MANAGING PARTNER
Terry graduated from Rutgers School of Law with High Honors. She also has a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Ms. Lyons enjoyed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Peter G. Verniero of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Ms. Lyons has authored and published numerous articles on a wide variety of topics like family law, the admissibility of expert testimony in federal courts, and free speech on the Internet. In addition to practicing matrimonial law and being a founding member of the firm, Ms. Lyons served as a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University in the Graduate School of Social Work in New Brunswick where she has taught, “Law and Social Workers,” a course dedicated to informing social work students about the law, including the parameters of client confidentialities, how to respond to subpoenas, and how to testify in Court. In her personal life, Ms. Lyons is a foster and adoptive parent to New Jersey’s abused and neglected children, and she has ongoing contact with the Courts and the Division of Youth and Family Services in that regard.

ANNETTE R. DEFAZIO, ASSOCIATE
Prior to graduating from Seton Hall School of Law in 2005, Ms. DeFazio worked as a marketing executive in the children’s book publishing industry. She graduated magna cum laude from the W. Paul Stillman School of Business as a marketing major and psychology minor. While at Seton Hall School of Law, Ms. DeFazio participated in the Seton Hall Center for Social Justice, Family Law Clinic, where she represented indigent clients in family law matters and served as a teaching fellow tutoring first year law students.

Ms. DeFazio enjoyed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Sallyanne Floria, lead children in court judge in Essex County. During her clerkship, she oversaw the Essex Vicinage Post-Termination Project and played an integral role in achieving permanency for the approximately 1,500 Essex County Legal Orphans.

REBECCA LEVIN, ASSOCIATE

Rebecca Levin graduated cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law. She also holds a Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University and a Bachelors of Science in Health Policy and Administration from the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to joining Lyons & Associates, P.C., Rebecca served as law clerk to the Honorable Thomas H. Dilts, former Presiding Judge of the Family Part in the Superior Court of Somerset County, New Jersey.

Rebecca’s passion, both personally and professionally, lies in working to recognize and meet the unique needs of the diverse family structures. As a dean’s fellow for Professor Nancy Polikoff, she performed research for Professor Polikoff’s book, Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage: Valuing All Families under the Law. While a clerk at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Rebecca worked on In re: Gill, a challenge to Florida’s ban on adoptions by gay parents.  Rebecca currently serves on the board of the National LGBT Bar Association, chairing the organization’s Policy Committee.

Rebecca is admitted to practice in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.

KEVIN W. KU, ASSOCIATE

Kevin graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004, with degrees in Economics and History.  He then earned a J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law.  While in law school, he participated in the Magistrate Court Mediation Training Program, was a member of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and was Treasurer of the Student Bar Association.  Prior to joining the firm, Kevin served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Margaret Goodzeit, J.S.C. and the Honorable Kimarie Rahill, J.S.C. of the Warren County Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part. 
 

Kevin is admitted to practice in New Jersey and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.  He is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the Morris County Bar Association.

JOHN J. HAYS, II ASSOCIATE

John earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law. While there, he provided legal services to the Boston homeless community through the Shelter Legal Services, program. He also worked with the disadvantaged at Greater Boston Legal Services and the Boston University Civil Litigation Clinic during his summers. He was a founding member and Secretary of the Boston University chapter of Earth Rights International. Prior to joining Lyons & Associates, John clerked for the Honorable John J. Coyle Jr., J.S.C., of the Warren County Superior Court, in both the Family and Civil Parts.

John is admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey.