With a high energy level, an upbeat persona and conscientious work ethic, Mark Wechsler has established himself as a straight-shooting, hard-working force in New Jersey matrimonial law. In the process, Wechsler has become a key asset to and partner in the Morris County firm Einhorn, Harris, Ascher, Barbarito & Frost, which has established one of the largest matrimonial practices in the state. (The firm’s 15-attorney matrimonial practice includes Patricia Barbarito and Thomas Snyder, both named to The Ten Leaders Program in recent years.) With an atypical career track, which has enhanced his skills as a lawyer, the Brooklyn native made something of a roundabout journey to matrimonial law. He pursued a graduate education in criminal justice and criminology before taking a research analyst position with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, where, for two years, he conducted studies on inmate behavior at the maximum security U.S. Penitentiary, Lompoc, California. He returned (“I realized I was an East Coast person”) to work in the Federal Court System, training federal judges on sentencing guideline application in the Philadelphia area; it was a result of this experience that spurred him to attend law school at night (“I’d gotten to know the prison system pretty well, all aspects of it, and I was ready for the next step”). With no interest in practicing criminal law (“Any depiction of crime on television or in the movies pales in comparison to reality. I knew I didn’t want to continue working with that population, even in the practice of law.”) In 1991-92, he clerked for New Jersey Superior Court Family Part Judge Martin Herman, getting his first taste of divorce work. He spent several years practicing both family law and general litigation; “I realized that each practice area has nuances – I wanted to practice law at a high level and decided to dedicate myself to a single practice area.” In 1997 he joined Einhorn Harris, already having established a reputation as a skilled practitioner in the state’s matrimonial bar. For nearly two decades now, Wechsler -- approachable, unpretentious, well-liked by his peers – has built a reputation as a thoughtful and effective lawyer, and he is taking on increasingly complex cases, including one of the lead cases on international jurisdiction in child custody disputes [Poluhovich v Pellerano, 373 NJ Super 310 (App Div 2004)]. He provides pro bono services to and lectures for The Women’s Center at the County College of Morris. Peers say Wechsler is an interesting mix of competitiveness and sensitivity; though slowed by age and injuries, he still enjoys basketball and racquetball. He and his brother, a Mahwah dentist, are the children of Holocaust survivors. Routinely in the office as early as 5am (“It gives me thinking time”) Wechsler, a bachelor, says he loves all types of music, particularly contemporary jazz. He also expresses creativity in cooking for friends. He lives in Montville Township.