Montclair ‘Power Couple’ Safeguarding LGBTQ Rights In New Jersey

MONTCLAIR, NJ — When they walk into the Montclair office of Argentino Family Law on Church Street, visitors run into smiling faces and brightly colored artwork. They also come across a sculpture of a pink pachyderm… the law firm’s way of “addressing the elephant in the room” from the very start.

The brainchild of business partners – and spouses – Jodi Argentino and Celeste Fiore, Argentino Family Law is helping to fill a gap in the legal profession, catering to clients who need “out of the box” solutions and sensitivity to LGBTQ-related issues.

After being named an “LGBT Power Couple” by Insider NJ, the pair have also picked up another nickname among their friends and colleagues: “Partners Squared.”

The Montclair residents are uniquely positioned to follow through on their ambitions. Argentino, the firm’s managing partner, is a mother of three special needs children, and has been practicing family law for 17 years in New Jersey. A past chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s LGBT Rights Section, she’s also a member of the NJSBA Family Law Section Executive Committee.

Fiore, a non-binary identified attorney, has been named a “Rising Star” by NJ Super Lawyers for three years running, and specializes in family law, anti-bullying and special education. Fiore has also performed LGBTQ advocacy within those areas, and consults with school districts about policy and helps draft legislation within New Jersey. The current chair of the NJSBA LGBT Rights Section, Fiore will be sworn in as a trustee to the New Jersey State Bar Association in May 2019.

Together, Argentino and Fiore received the National LGBT Bar Association’s “Top 40 Attorneys Under 40” award, and co-authored a chapter on the “dissolution of polyamorous relationships” for the recent Oxford University Press publication, “LGBTQ Divorce & Relationship Dissolution.”

The outside-the-box approach that has served the pair so well also extends to the other dozen staffers on their law team, who count “those with blue hair” and a helicopter pilot among their ranks.

Patch recently got a chance to ask a couple questions about life, work and LGBTQ rights to the high-achieving spouses. Their replies follow below.

PATCH: What's it like to work together AND share a personal life as spouses? Do you have any tips for making it work?

ARGENTINO/FIORE: It can be challenging if the boundaries between the two spaces break down. Being able to compartmentalize things is essential and appreciating everyone’s feelings, need for personal space, and acknowledging their strengths is key. We each have different strengths. The bottom line is that it’s about teamwork and balance, much like everything else in life.

PATCH: Why did you choose to locate your law practice in Montclair?

ARGENTINO/FIORE: Our wonderfully complex family is here and our children have previously and now are going through the Montclair school system. Jodi originally chose Montclair to be able to raise the family in an open-minded, LGBTQ-supportive environment. Starting the firm in Montclair meant being able to maintain a better life work balance and serving a community we appreciate and believe in. The community we want to raise our family is the same community that we want to help as well.

PATCH: What's the most pressing issue involving LGBTQ rights in New Jersey that isn't being discussed in the media?

ARGENTINO/FIORE: Oh! There are so many! That is why our practice focus is on the resolution of complex situations (whether through advocacy, litigation, or mediation). One of the biggest challenges is probably ensuring the confidentiality of name changes for transgender minors when parents agree on the name change. The process should be easier and not require the assistance of an attorney to be smooth; unfortunately, the courts are not uniformly accepting and welcoming but we are trying to do our part on a larger level and with each individual client to protect this vulnerable population.

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