Family law attorney Gerald (Jerry) Shoemaker concentrates his practice in domestic relations issues including equitable distribution, alimony, custody, and complex support matters. He has also handled a variety of issues arising out of same-sex relationships, partition of real property and civil unions. Sensitive to his clients’ needs, Jerry is settlement-oriented but ready to litigate when necessary.
Jerry works with individual parents, guardians, caregivers, trustees and other key parties to resolve differences over issues ranging from school placement to medical decisions to distribution of property. He understands the complexities of separation, divorce and custody, and he prioritizes understanding and advocating for what matters most.
Litigation is often a last resort in these kinds of cases, and Jerry regularly uses arbitration, mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution to prevent individuals from going through protracted litigation. He also offers guidance, and works with other professionals, to ensure that if there are children involved, their best interests are protected. When matters are not resolved, he is a fierce advocate in the courtroom.
A committed member of the legal community, he is active in both the Pennsylvania Bar Association and ABA Family Law Section. He serves in the PBA House of Delegates (HOD) as a Zone 9 delegate and was appointed to the Credentials and the Admissions Committee of the HOD. Jerry is past-chair of the PBA LGBTQ+ Rights Committee and serves as second vice chair of the PBA Family Law Section, which he will chair in 2026.
He was selected to be one of 11 editors of the ABA Family Law’s quarterly publication, Family Advocate, and regularly speaks on topics such as finding foreign assets in divorce and dealing with third parties in divorce actions. Jerry serves as a judge for The Schwab Essay Contest and is a member of the Nominating Committee.
He offers free legal clinics at the Women’s Center of Montgomery County, an organization that focuses on freedom from domestic violence and other forms of abuse. He also volunteers at Philly VIP (Volunteers for the Indigent). Jerry sits on the Board of Directors of the Regional Center for Women in the Arts.