Carolyn V. Chang
Carolyn V. Chang is an exceptional attorney who practices Family Law in Burlington County New Jersey. She is known statewide for her legal acumen and her passion for children and public service. In addition to her legal practice, Ms. Chang has shared her talents as a public servant in the capacity of Mayor and Committeewoman for the Township of Westampton, New Jersey. A resident of Westampton Township since 2002, Ms. Chang was elected in 2010 to the Westampton Township governing body. She was sworn in as Mayor in January 2013 and served in that capacity until January 2016.
As a former Law Clerk to the Honorable Judith Yaskin, PJFP, the Honorable Mary Ann Burgess, JSC and the Honorable J. Wilson Noden, JSC, all of the Superior Court of New Jersey- Chancery Division- Family Part in Mercer County, Ms. Chang understands the importance of leading by example and the necessity to mentor other attorneys in the proper practice of law. To that end, after years of providing individual counseling to young attorneys and sharpening her legal skills as a Barrister with the Thomas S. Forkin American Inn of Courts, Ms. Chang helped found the Honorable Anne E. Thompson American Inn of Court (n/k/a the Honorable Marie White Bell American Inn of Court) where she currently serves as its Treasurer. Due to her unselfish contributions to the legal community, she was awarded the Professional Lawyer of the Year by the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law. Further, she was honored at the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey’s 2016 Scholarship Jazz Brunch as a “Woman Breaking Barriers” because she has been a trailblazer, mentor, and role model for many women and has shattered barriers and paved the way for others to follow.
In addition to the above, Ms. Chang has received numerous awards and accolades for her contributions to the extended community. She was named Woman of the Year by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Delta Zeta Chapter (where she is now a member); Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey; and a “Woman Worthy of Honor” by Instruments of Righteousness Evangelistic Ministries, Inc. She was inducted into the Rutgers African American Alliance Hall of Fame in October 2018. Wherever she goes, this woman makes a wonderful and transformational impact on all whom she encounters.
Ms. Chang compliments her law practice with service to her community through various legal and civic organizations. Notably, Ms. Chang is an active member of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey (ABWL), Chairperson of ABWL’s 2017 Scholarship Jazz Brunch and the 2017- 2018 President of the organization as well as the Chair of the ABWL Social Justice Committee and Chair of the Joint ABWL & GSBA Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee (JPAC). She served on the Law & Justice Committee of the Governor Phil Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Shelia Oliver Transition Team in 2017-2018 and the Burlington County Democratic Freeholder Board Transition Team in 2018-2019. She is also a member of the American Bar Association (ABA), and the ABA Law Practice Management Section; the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA); the National Bar Association (NBA); and the Caribbean Association of Southern New Jersey. Ms. Chang is also a former member of the Supreme Court Family Practice Committee and is a former member of the NJSBA’s-Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee (JPAC) where she served for six (6) years, as well as a former member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Attorney Malpractice Insurance and the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Women In the Courts (n/k/a the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Gender in the Courts). Ms. Chang is a member of several other committees and boards, including a founding member of the United Black Agenda and a prior member of the Board of Trustees of South Jersey Legal Service, and a current member of the Board of Trustees for the Burlington County Community Action Program (BCCAP) all charged with either improving the practice of law and/or the quality of life for residents within the State of New Jersey. Ms. Chang is a Past Co-Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Commission on Racial Equity in the Law. Ms. Chang was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy in May 2021 to the Advisory Board of the Office of the Corrections Ombudsperson.
This busy Barrister attributes her work ethic and drive to the values instilled in her during her childhood in Jamaica, West Indies. She understands that it is upon the shoulders of so many others that she stands and this brings a responsibility to help others. A Rutgers alumna, both undergraduate and law school, Ms. Chang has been married to the love of her life, Ronald David Chang, (also a Rutgers College of Engineering graduate) for more than forty years. They have two children of whom Ms. Chang is very proud: Chelsea Simone, a 2015 graduate of Rutgers University, who previously resided and worked in Tottori, Japan. Chelsea returned home to attend Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work. Chelsea was inducted into the Social Work Honor Society – Phi Alpha and received her Masters in Social Work on May 20, 2019. Chelsea is now a Licensed Drug/Alcohol and Gambling Counselor. Christian Victor is the Chang’s second child. Christian is a member of the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars and a member of the National Political Science Honor Society – Phi Sigma Alpha. He received his BA summa cum laude from Rutgers University College of Arts & Sciences in May 2019. Christian is a 2022 graduate of Rutgers School of Law in Camden. Ms. Chang is preparing for retirement in a few years because Christian is now an Attorney at Law of the State of New Jersey who is employed by the Department of Human Services.