PRIMARY FIELDS OF PRACTICE

Although our practice is a broad-based general civil practice, over the years we have developed a focus and emphasis on the following areas:

Land Use Law Labor Law in the Public Sector
Telecomunications Corporate and Commercial Law
Environmental Law Wills and Trusts; Probate and Estate Administration
Real Estate Media Law
Municipal Law Libel and Slander
Higher Education Law Professional Practices
School Law General Litigation/Appeals

 

Land Use Law. We have many years of experience representing numerous planning boards and boards of adjustment, as well as ongoing representation of wireless communication companies, major commercial and subdivision developers and others seeking land use approvals. We also have represented citizen objectors in connection with land development applications. We have presented site plan, variance, subdivision, and rezoning applications for major residential subdivisions, townhouses, condominiums and apartment complexes, wireless communication sites, office buildings, shopping centers, and industrial uses. We have been extensively involved in Mt. Laurel cases on behalf of both municipalities and developers.

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Telecommunications. The rapidly growing area of telecommunications law is an area in which our firm has significant experience and expertise. The firm represents a number of licensed FCC communication carriers and other telecommunication companies in all aspects of telecommunications law, including land use applications, leasing, environmental and regulatory matters, and representation before administrative agencies and the federal and state courts.

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Environmental Law. We have significant expertise and knowledge in all areas of environmental law, including phase 1 and phase 2 environmental site assessments, wetlands and stream encroachment permits, wastewater treatment, brownsfield redevelopments, sanitary landfill siting and closure, ground water contamination, and toxic and hazardous waste storage, transportation, disposal and remediations. On behalf of both public and private clients, we have been involved in numerous matters relating to Federal, State and local environmental laws and regulations including Federal and New Jersey wetlands laws, the Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA, formerly ECRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TOSCA), Superfund and the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), Federal Water Pollution Control Act and Superfund, New Jersey Spill Fund laws and septic system regulations.

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Real Estate. The purchase, sale, leasing, financing and development of residential and commercial real estate has long been a significant part of our practice. We have handled all types of real estate transactions from single family residential closings to major commercial title transfers, commercial leases, and mortgage closings. Our practice in land use and environmental law allows us to meet the needs of, and provide full representation to, our real estate development clients.

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Municipal Law. We have served as attorneys for a number of municipalities and municipal agencies, including zoning, planning, health, housing, and utility boards and authorities. Mr. Vogel has chaired and participated in numerous legal seminars on a wide variety of subjects applicable to municipal law, and has taught municipal law as an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers Law School in Newark. Mr. Collins was Chairman of the Land Use Section of the New Jersey Bar Association during 1991-1992 and was a Trustee of the Section. Some of our most active aspects of municipal representation include zoning, planning, environmental issues, land use, public bidding, public contracts, open public meetings issues, municipal utilities, public employment and labor relations. We have extensive experience drafting ordinances, resolutions, legislation, legal documents and opinions affecting municipalities. Our municipal practice has also included ongoing involvement with State agencies. In representing our municipal clients, we have handled a broad range of litigation matters and, in addition, have been appointed special counsel to various municipalities in major zoning, planning, constitutional law, greenway acquisition, toxic and solid waste environmental cases, and other cases involving the validity of municipal legislation or actions.

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Higher Education Law. Our expertise stems from our current and past representation of major institutions of higher education as set forth on the list of representative clients and in the individual profiles. Specific areas of service have included faculty and staff matters; student rights and discipline; labor relations; Section 504 and ADA compliance; sexual harassment matters; purchasing and bidding; contract negotiations; educational service, clinical affiliation, articulation and consortium agreements; compliance with open public meetings and record access laws; drafting institutional policies; and representation in related litigation and administrative proceedings.

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School Law. Over many years we have been attorneys for boards of education. Specific areas of service have included labor relations with teachers, staff and administrators, student discipline, special education, pupil transportation, facilities construction matters, purchasing and bidding, contract negotiation and litigation, and school board policies. In addition, we have been appointed special counsel in regionalization, construction, and lease-purchase cases. Our practices in both Higher Education Law and School Law complement and supplement each other.

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Labor Law in the Public Sector. As attorneys for many public entities, we have acquired substantial experience in handling contract negotiations, grievances, mediation and arbitrations, strike and job action litigation, and we have provided representation before the Public Employment Relations Commission in unit certification, unfair practice and scope of negotiations proceedings. We have dealt with faculty, staff, teacher, police, and supervisory employee unions.

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Corporate and Commercial Law. Through representation of many corporations, automobile dealerships and other commercial clients, we have gained significant expertise in handling a great variety of corporate and commercial matters. Our experience in this area includes formation, reorganization and dissolution of corporations and limited liability companies; stock and asset acquisitions, sales, and mergers; commercial leases; partnership agreements; corporate financing; executive employment contracts; restrictive covenants; protection of confidential information; licensing of proprietary interests; franchises and agreements pertaining to agency, distributorships and sales representations.

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Wills and Trusts; Probate and Estate Administration. We provide estate planning advice and draft wills and various trusts for modest and substantial estates. We also serve as counsel to executors and trustees in connection with the administration of estates and trusts. We provide representation in will contest and estate administration litigation.

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Media Law. In addition to libel cases (discussed separately below), we have dealt with a wide range of commercial transactions and First Amendment issues affecting the media. Examples of commercial transactions we have handled are computer and printing press acquisitions, contracts relating to printing, subscription fulfillment, advertising, and distribution. With respect to First Amendment issues, we have handled cases involving access to courts and public records, confidentiality of reporter's sources and information, and regulation of newspaper honor boxes. We have also handled newspaper and magazine publishing company acquisitions and sales.

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Libel and Slander. Our extensive experience with libel and slander cases merits separate mention of this subspecialty of media law. We have successfully defended a number of libel cases brought by public officials and public figures, as well as by private individuals. In an effort to reduce potential exposure to libel and invasion of privacy claims, we provide prepublication review and guidance to our media clients on libel and privacy questions and we conduct presentations to editorial staff of best practices and of recent developments in libel law.

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Professional Practices. As attorneys for physicians, dentists, accountants, architects, engineers, environmental consultants, and other professionals, we have formed professional corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships, and we have negotiated and drafted agreements between physicians, hospitals and health care management organizations, agreements for the sale, purchase or reorganization of professional practices and medical clinics, and related stockholder, partnership, and limited liability company agreements, and employment agreements, including restrictive covenants and retirement benefit plans.

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General Litigation/Appeals. Our litigation practice, in both State and Federal courts and before administrative agencies, covers all of the areas listed above, as well as business disputes, personal injury, negligence, construction contracts and disputes. Likewise, our appellate practice covers all of the above areas and extends to State and Federal appellate courts.

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