Lori A. Walker, Esq. is a dedicated attorney specializing in divorce and custody litigation and mediation, serving families from diverse backgrounds. With extensive experience in family law, Lori handles all aspects of divorce, child custody, child support, and spousal support cases. Her exceptional legal skills have garnered recognition from her peers, including her inclusion in the prestigious Super Lawyers' Pennsylvania Rising Star list from 2017 to 2022 and her selection as one of the top 10 Female Family Lawyers under 40 in Pennsylvania.
Lori's clients value her passion and unwavering commitment to family law. Her extensive expertise enables her to navigate complex and emotionally charged cases with confidence and grace. Recognizing that every family is unique, Lori believes in identifying her clients' specific needs and tailoring a legal strategy that best serves them. She takes pride in her ability to find creative solutions to intricate family law matters.
Education & Court Admissions:
Lori obtained her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Villanova University School of Law, where she excelled as the Editor-in-Chief of the Women's Law Forum and Associate Editor of the Journal of Catholic Social Thought. During her time in law school, Lori interned for the Honorable Judge Paul Panepinto, conducting research for complex mass tort litigation cases. Additionally, she worked at the Farm Worker Legal Aid Clinic, providing effective representation for clients in family law and immigration matters.
Prior to pursuing her legal career, Lori earned her M.B.A. in Management with highest honors and a B.S. degree in Marketing from Saint Joseph's University. She also holds a Board Certified Coaching Certification in Executive, Corporate, Business, and Personal Coaching. Furthermore, Lori obtained her Master's Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, which equipped her with additional knowledge and training to handle the complexities of custody, divorce, and support cases.
Lori is trained in divorce and custody mediation and has completed a 40-hour training course in Family Law Mediation. She is listed as a mediator for Custody Cases in Chester County and Montgomery County. Lori is a member in good standing of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Bar Associations and is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the U.S. District Court of New Jersey, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Experience:
Lori gained extensive experience in family law while practicing at Petrelli Law, P.C., focusing primarily on family and matrimonial litigation, including divorce, custody, spousal support, child support, and post and pre-nuptial agreements, as well as divorce and custody mediation. Before joining Petrelli Law, Lori worked in the field of collaborative and amicable divorce. She began her legal career as an associate attorney at Dilworth Paxson, LLP, a prominent regional firm in Philadelphia, where she worked on various matters related to real estate law, media law, corporate and business governance, and business formation and dissolution. During her time at Dilworth Paxson, Lori also gained valuable experience in the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Department, representing trade creditors in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.
Awards & Honors:
Lori's exceptional legal skills and dedication to client service have earned her several accolades, including:
• Super Lawyers, Pennsylvania: 2023, Rising Star: 2017-2022
• Silver Client Champion Best in Client Service Award by Martindale-Hubbell
• Top 10 under 40, Pennsylvania Family Law Attorneys, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys
• Top 40 under 40, Pennsylvania Trial Attorney, National Advocates
• 10 Best Female Pennsylvania Family Law Attorneys, Client Satisfaction Award, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
• Suburbanlife Magazine, Top Divorce/Family Lawyer: 2022
• Superb AVVO Rating of 10
• Summa Cum Laude Graduate
• Beta Gamma Sigma Honoree
Articles:
Lori has contributed her expertise to various legal publications, including:
• "What is Divorce Mediation and Why it Might be Good for You," Mediate.com, 2019.
• "Meet the Leaders of the American Bar Association Family Law Section," 2016.
• "Top Ten Family Attorneys near Philadelphia, PA Area," 2016.
• "7 Ways to Successfully Prove Yourself as a Young Lawyer," ABA: 101 Practice Series, Breaking Down the Basics, 2014.
Speaking Engagements:
Lori has been invited to speak at numerous legal conferences and events, sharing her knowledge on various topics related to family law, technology, and practice management. Some of her speaking engagements include:
• ABA: CLE Program Family Law Section Conference, Virtual Office, October 14, 2023.
• ABA: CLE Program Family Law Section Conference, Technology Hot Tips and Updates, April 22, 2023.
• ABA: Teleconference, Delegate Your Way to Freedom: Hire a VA, February 9, 2023.
• ABA: Teleconference, Work Smarter: How to Run a Paperless, Remote-Work Law Practice, February 10, 2022.
• ABA: CLE Program Family Law Section Conference, Securing Your Virtual Law Practice and Ethical Considerations, April 23, 2022.
• ABA: Teleconference, Common Malpractice Pitfalls and What to do When you Realize a Mistake is Made, February 18, 2021.
• ABA: Teleconference, Shared Parenting Time Legislation – Does Fair Mean Equal?, April 23, 2018.
• ABA: CLE Program, Addressing and Breaking Through Judicial Bias Inside and Outside the Courtroom, October 7, 2017.
• ABA: CLE Program, Hit the Ground Running: Tackling The First Year Whether as an Associate or Hanging Your Own Shingle, May 6, 2016.
• ABA: CLE Program, Practicing Law While Breaking the Confines of Implicit Bias in and Outside the Courtroom, May 17, 2015.
• ABA: CLE Program, Taking Down the Shingle: Legal, Tax and Ethical Considerations for Unwinding a Law Firm Practice, January 20, 2016.
Family:
Lori resides in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Larry, their daughter, Avery, twin sons, Larry and Luca, and their dog, Jasmine. Having grown up in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Lori maintains strong ties to the Philadelphia area. She attended the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur for high school, St. Joseph's University for her undergraduate and graduate business studies, Villanova University School of Law for her Juris Doctor Degree, and the University of Pennsylvania for her Master's Degree.
Leadership:
Lori actively contributes to the legal community through her involvement in the American Bar Association (ABA) and its Family Law Section. Her leadership roles include:
• Council Member At-Large, American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2018-2020.
• Liaison from the American Bar Association Section of Family Law to the ABA Commission on Women, 2021-2023.
• Vice-Chair, American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Law Practice Management & Technology Committee, 2020-2023.
• YLD Council Liaison to Family Law Section, American Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2016-2020.
• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, Young Lawyer's Committee, Family Law Section, 2016-2018.
• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, YLD, Family Law Committee, 2017-2018.
• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, YLD, Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Committee, 2015-2016.
• Co-Chair, American Bar Association, YLD, Solo, Small Firm & General Practice Committee, 2014-2015.
• Vice-Chair, American Bar Association, YLD, Public Education Committee, 2013-2014.
Memberships:
Lori is an active member of several professional associations, including:
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Philadelphia Bar Association
• Montgomery County Bar Association
• Delaware County Bar Association
• Chester County Bar Association
• Justinian Society
• Beta Gamma Sigma Honors Society
• Delta Sigma Pi Co-Ed Professional Business Fraternity
