After graduating from Brooklyn College Lawrence began his career as a social worker for the New York City Department of Social Services. After spending three years there Lawrence worked for the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene as a patient resource agent investigating financial assets, properties, and resources of developmentally disabled individuals. His duties also included applying to the courts for appointment of conservators for individuals with assets over statutory limits.

In 1986, Lawrence established his tax and financial planning practice. In 1989 Lawrence obtained his Certified Financial Planner designation and in 1991 he obtained his Enrolled Agent designation from the U.S. Department of Treasury. In 2002 Lawrence left New York State to devote full time attention to his practice.

Lawrence was appointed by the Kings County Supreme Court as  legal guardian for an elderly client who suffered from dementia and had no immediate family to care for her.

Lawrence has had a number of Letters to the Editor of the New York Times published, two of which are about taxes and finance.

Lawrence lives on Long Island and in his spare time he enjoys watching sports and doing physical exercise, especially spinning.