Emily K. Declercq, Esq.

I am an attorney in general practice in the Princeton, New Jersey area, with a special focus in areas of the law of interest to small and emerging businesses. I also regularly work with individuals and non-business entities to address their legal needs, including real estate, contract issues, and consumer fraud concerns. Unlike attorneys who tend to “hyper-specialize” in one narrow area of the law, I prefer to keep my practice broad enough that I can be my clients’ “attorney for life,” helping them solve whatever legal problem they are facing—and preventing future issues from arising.

My practice is somewhat unusual in that I am both a transactional attorney and a litigator. In court, I have seen firsthand how a lack of clarity about legal rights and responsibilities can lead to lawsuits. As a transactional attorney, I put that knowledge to work when drafting documents for my clients, making sure they are specific enough to provide protection and flexible enough to be useful. If a dispute should arise, my courtroom experience allows me to be an effective advocate for my clients.

Within my general practice, I spend a lot of time working with business clients. That focus is by design; I have always been passionate about business, and have an M.B.A as well as a law degree—and, of course, I am a small business owner myself. When negotiating on my clients’ behalf, I am unapologetically effective: I don’t take a position that I can’t back up, and I won’t give in to baseless threats. I know that legal matters can be intimidating if you don’t understand what’s happening, so it’s important to me to always keep my clients well-informed and in the driver’s seat.

My background means I understand the real-world implications of the legal work I do for my clients. I take pride in being available for my clients’ questions and helping them solve business problems, in the practical sense, as well as the legal one. I’m truly invested in my clients’ success, and appreciate any opportunity to serve them.

When not practicing law, I enjoy yoga, hiking, live comedy, painting, horticulture, and entertaining friends and family on my farm with my dogs.

Practice Areas

• Business Formation and Strategic Planning
• Contract/Transactional Law
• Consumer Fraud
• Real Estate
• Appellate Practice

Admissions to Practice

• New Jersey
• U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
• New York

Career Highlights

• Three-term Mississippi Supreme Court judicial law clerk
• Special Order of the Chief Justice to become the first salaried law clerk in Mississippi history to serve the Supreme Court prior to obtaining juris doctorate
• Founded a full service, multi-state boutique legal practice
• $25,000,000 in closed business for firm clients

Education

• Cornell Law School, Post Juris Doctorate Certificate in Business Law
• Mississippi College School of Law, Juris Doctor
• Mississippi College School of Business, Master of Business Administration
• Colgate University, Bachelor of Arts

Professional Memberships

• American Association for Justice
• American Bar Association
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association General Practice Section
• New York State Bar Association Business Law Section
• New York State Bar Association Intellectual Property Section