The lawyer you would be speaking to
Joseph L. Messa, Jr., Esq., New Jersey Sexual Abuse Lawyer
Joseph L. Messa, Jr. has been licensed to practice law in New Jersey since January 1989, and he represents survivors of sexual abuse across the state from an office in Mount Laurel. His New Jersey bar number is 032141988, which anyone can check. If you call about a possible claim, he is the person you speak to.
Free, confidential, and no obligation. You decide what happens next, and you can stop at any point.
What he does
Joe Messa represents people who were sexually abused, in claims against the person who did it and against the institution that put them in a position to do it. That second part is most of the work: a school, a church, a childcare center, a hospital, a youth organization, a state agency. These are organizations with records, written policies, insurance and lawyers, and holding one to account is a different exercise from suing an individual.
He is the founding partner of Messa Law and has been admitted to the New Jersey bar since January 1989, which is thirty-seven years. He works from Mount Laurel and takes New Jersey cases statewide.
Abuse cases he has handled
Described here without figures, because what a claim is worth depends on facts that are specific to it.
- A seven-figure recovery for a child sexually assaulted by a psychiatrist. The same matter ended with that psychiatrist losing his medical license, which is the part that mattered most to the family.
- Claims for survivors abused by Boy Scout leaders, staff and volunteers.
- Claims for multiple children abused at school by school staff.
- A claim for a child with disabilities sexually assaulted on a school bus, where the question was who was supposed to be watching.
- Claims against childcare providers whose negligence caused catastrophic harm to young children.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstance.
Admissions and credentials
Every item below is checkable, which is the only reason it is worth listing.
Licensed to practice
- New Jersey, admitted January 3, 1989. Bar No. 032141988
- Pennsylvania and Virginia
New Jersey recognition
- New Jersey Super Lawyers, every year since 2017
- New Jersey Top Rated Lawyers, personal injury and medical malpractice, 2012 to 2026
- New Jersey Association for Justice
- Camden County and Burlington County Bar Associations
Peer rating and certification
- AV rated, the highest peer rating available, and listed in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
- Diplomat, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys, board certified in medical malpractice
- Elected Advocate, American Board of Trial Advocates
- Fellow, International Society of Barristers, which has fewer than 700 members worldwide
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- 2024 Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award, the highest award given to trial attorneys, and a two-time President’s Award recipient
- Best Lawyers in America since 2017
Education
- Temple University School of Law, J.D. cum laude, 1988. Horace Stern Award for Excellence in Products Liability, and the American Jurisprudence Award in Products Liability
- Tulane University, honors graduate, 1984
Leadership
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors since 2006, and President in 2015 to 2016
Why any of this matters to you
Most people reading a lawyer’s biography are not comparing credentials. They are trying to work out whether the person on the other end of the phone will take them seriously, and whether they are real.
The bar number above answers the second question in about a minute, without involving anyone. The first question is not something a page can answer, which is why the call is free and why there is no obligation attached to it.
Questions people ask
How do I check that he is licensed in New Jersey?
New Jersey Bar No. 032141988. Attorney registration is public, and you can verify the number and the standing of any New Jersey lawyer through the New Jersey Courts attorney search without asking anyone's permission. That is why the number appears on every page of this site rather than only on this one.
Is he actually the person I would speak to?
Yes. Calls about a possible abuse claim come to Joe. There is no intake screener between you and him, and you will not be asked to explain your situation twice to two different people.
How long has he been doing abuse cases specifically?
He has been admitted in New Jersey since 1989 and has represented abuse survivors for decades, including claims against schools, a psychiatrist, youth organizations and childcare providers. Abuse work is not a recent addition to a general practice here.
Where is he based, and does he take cases outside South Jersey?
The office is at 2000 Academy Dr. in Mount Laurel, in Burlington County, and cases are taken across New Jersey. A first conversation happens by phone wherever you are.
Is he licensed anywhere other than New Jersey?
Yes, in Pennsylvania and Virginia as well. New Jersey matters most here, because this site is about New Jersey claims and New Jersey law.