PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

SOLO LAW PRACTICE

Position: Principal – 1979 to Present

Address: One Broadway, Suite 201, Denville, New Jersey 07834

Established General Law Practice in 1979.

Practice included: Family Law, Contract Law, Commercial Law and  Litigation, Purchase and Sale of Small Businesses, Real Property Law, Real Estate Financing, Landlord-Tenant Law, Land Use and Zoning, Environmental Law, Municipal Court, Civil Litigation, Negligence, Appellate Practice,  Wills and Estate Law, Eminent Domain, Foreclosures, Municipal Tax Appeals, as well as other miscellaneous matters. Practice is now specialized in the areas of Land Use, Zoning, commercial and residential real estate transactions, and other matters involving real property, including representation of relocation companies . In addition, the practice also includes various matters involving aviation, including the purchase and sale of aircraft, the leasing, use and development of airport property, FAA regulations affecting Airport Improvement Grants, use of airport revenue, duties and obligations of airport sponsors under FAA Grant Assurances and FAA Airport Revenue Policy and related issues.

COSSMAN, LEVENSTIEN AND GOODKIN, ESQS.

Position: Associate – March, 1979 to November, 1979

Address: 75 Bloomfield Avenue, Denville, New Jersey 07834

As  an  associate  in  a  small  general practice law firm,  the areas of responsibility included: collection practice, real estate transactions, land use and zoning matters, commercial litigation, domestic relations matters,  tenancy  matters and legal research.

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Position: Deputy Attorney General – January, 1977 to March, 1979

Address: Hughes Justice Complex, Trenton, New Jersey 08625

As a Deputy Attorney General assigned to represent the New Jersey Department of Transportation, the areas of responsibility included eminent domain actions from the condemnation commission hearings through to trial and appellate litigation, miscellaneous civil actions as well as civil service hearings. The  primary areas of substantive law involved were Eminent  Domain, Contract Law, Administrative Law, Landlord-Tenant Law, Property Law and Aviation Law. Responsibilities also included providing counsel to the Department of Transportation, both by informal memoranda and formal legal opinions on various Transportation Department-related issues, as well as drafting legislation and administrative regulations.

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY – OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER

Position: Special Assistant to Commissioner and Staff Attorney, Office of Business Advocacy  –  February, 1975 to January, 1977

Address: John Fitch Plaza, Trenton, New Jersey 08625

As  Assistant to the Commissioner, the responsibilities of this position included providing staff assistance to the Commissioner, particularly in the areas of business taxation, environmental issues, land use and energy matters; formulating or participating in the formulation of State and Departmental Policy with respect to business taxation, economic development inducement programs, land use control, environmental and energy matters. The implementation of these responsibilities entailed the preparation of reports, testimony for congressional, legislative and administrative hearings, legal memoranda and drafting legislation and administrative regulations. In addition, responsibilities included acting as the personal representative of the Commissioner in those instances where the business community requested assistance from the Commissioner in the resolution of problems which required the Commissioner’s intercession with Federal, State and Local agencies. While maintaining responsibilities as a  member of the Commissioner’s personal staff, the responsibilities associated with the position of Staff Attorney to the Office of Business Advocacy included providing legal counsel and assistance to the professional staff which acted as a liaison for the business community to local, State and Federal agencies. Responsibilities also included analyzing and commenting on State and Federal administrative and legislative proposals; interceding on behalf of companies subject to administrative and judicial enforcement actions by regulatory agencies, and assisting companies in acquiring all State permits to construct and operate facilities in New Jersey. .

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY, OFFICE OF ATTORNEY ETHICS, DISTRICT X FEE ARBITRATION COMMITTEE

Term: August, 1988 to August, 1992 and September 2008 to September 2012

Responsibilities included  hearing and deciding fee disputes between  attorneys and clients who have submitted to the jurisdiction of the Committee. A fee arbitration panel must submit a written decision on each case heard to the Secretary of the Committee. A panel must also  recommend a matter to the Ethics Committee for further review should the panel believe that an ethical violation may have occurred.

CONDEMNATION COMMISSIONER, 1980 to 1984 / 2008 to 2009 LEAD CONDEMNATION COMMISSIONER – 1985 to 1988  / 2007 to Present

Appointment by the Superior Court pursuant to N.J.S.A. 20:3-12. N.J.S.A.  20:3-12  provides for the Court to  appoint three Commissioners in Eminent Domain cases to determine the compensation to be paid to a condemnee by a condemnor. The Commissioners must hold hearings at which the parties and their witnesses may be heard under oath administered by any of the Commissioners. The conduct of the hearings is governed by the rules  of evidence. The Lead Commissioner must be an attorney with at least 10 years’ experience. The Lead Commissioner presides at all hearings and rules on all questions of evidence and procedure, subject to a review by a majority of the Commissioners.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

• MORRIS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION: 1979 to Present
• MORRIS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION – CHAIRMAN LAND USE SECTION: 1992 to 2015
• MORRIS COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES: Term – January 1997 to December 1998
• NEW JERSEY BAR ASSOCIATION: 1974 to Present

OTHER AFFILIATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS

• AIRCRAFT OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION: 1973 to Present
• MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF MORRIS COUNTY, BOARD OF DIRECTORS: May, 1982 to May, 1987
• VOLUNTARY ACTION CENTER OF MORRIS COUNTY, BOARD OF DIRECTORS: 1982 to 1983
• THE TWO HUNDRED CLUB – MORRIS COUNTY: 1987 to Present

EDUCATION

VILLANOVA SCHOOL OF LAW – August, 1972 to May, 1974

• Address: Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085.
• Degree: J.D. – May, 1974.

MARY’S SCHOOL OF LAW – August, 1971 to May, 1972

• Address: St. Mary’s University, 2700 Cincinnati Avenue, San Antonio, Texas, 78228.
• Honors: Book Awards For Contracts I and II, Dean’s List, Law Review Candidate.

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY – August, 1967 to May 1971

• Address: Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085.
• Degree: B.S. in Economics – May, 1971.
• Honors: Dean’s List.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Private Pilot License: Rating – Single Engine-Land – Complex Aircraft Endorsement