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. 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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