Dart, David J.

Upon opening her law firm in 2004, Heather Darling began her practice in the frequently intertwined areas of family and criminal law. Throughout her legal career she has been an advocate for her clients in any matter in which their rights, whether civil or criminal, were being infringed upon. Her experience includes thousands of hours per year each preparing and appearing in NJ courts for criminal matters, family matters and general civil matters. In order to best serve her clients, Ms. Darling hones her knowledge through daily reading and regularly attending seminars in the areas of law she practices.

Heather Darling is the Public Defender in Roxbury, NJ. She also participates, when possible, as a Pool Attorney for the State of New Jersey, Office of the Public Defender in order to assist individuals unable to afford counsel in their criminal matters. She believes in helping others, whether they are her personal clients or not. She volunteers her time at the County College of Morris Women's Center as a speaker on the topic of divorce and in the legal clinic where she assists women considering, or going through, divorce. She volunteers in the Morris County Court as a special civil mediator and is also an early settlement panelist in Morris County where she is able to assist divorcing couples in resolving outstanding issues without the need for a lengthy and expensive trial. Ms. Darling has also been known to volunteer her time as a lecturer at the Morris County Housing Partnership assisting first time home buyers.

In addition to her volunteer activities through the courts and their affiliates, Heather Darling is also an active member of the Roxbury Zoning Board and Vice Chairperson of the Roxbury Economic Development Committee through which she has had the opportunity to speak before the Morris County Economic Development Committee as well as at budget committee meetings on behalf of Roxbury's needs and contributions.

Heather Darling is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, American Bar Association and Morris County Bar Association. In addition to legal organizations, she is a member of the Roxbury Chamber of Commerce, Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Morris Alumni ('08).

Heather Darling has authored articles relating to legal issues for the County College of Morris Women's Center publication and Our Town Magazine. She also has an occasional column called "Ask the Lawyer" in Our Town Magazine where she answers legal questions submitted by readers. Ms. Darling has also appeared on Jefferson Highlights television program in a discussion of legal issues.

Heather Darling has taken the following legal seminars in the recent past to remain current on legal issues she routinely handles:

How to Handle a Drug Case from A to Z
Annual Post-Conviction Relief Update
Alcotest Trial
Pre-Trial Evidentiary Hearings
Family Law Symposium
Nontraditional Family Law
Foreclosure Practice
Bankruptcy Basics
New Municipal Court and Criminal Court Rules
Navigating the Subprime Mortgage Meltdown
Attorney Ethics and the Marketing of Legal Services
Morris/Essex Bench Bar Conference on Professionalism
Criminal Forensic Mental Health Issues
2012 Criminal Case Roundup

While attending Seton Hall University School of Law, from which she graduated in 2002, Heather J. Darling was teacher's assistant to her family law professor then clerk to the Honorable Phillip B. Cummis, J.S.C. in the exceedingly busy and diverse Essex County Family Court after completing law school.

Prior to entering the legal field Heather Darling obtained her degree in Finance and International Business from the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. She first worked as a financial consultant then used her business degree to advance her own business interests as an entrepreneur. While in law school Ms. Darling's interest shifted from the pursuit of her other entrepreneurial interests to the pursuit of a legal career whereby she could help others with life's struggles, which is how she now spends her time as an attorney.

Her prior business experience enables her to view her client's situations from an analytical perspective and also enables her to employ business practices which benefit her clients. Additionally, her business background has dictated that the client comes first and she makes sure to attract and retain only employees who share in her mission to build lasting client relationships to which she adds value by providing consistent results they can trust.