WOLFF & SAMSON RECEIVES TOP RANKINGS IN CHAMBERS USA - July 7, 2009
Wolff & Samson PC is pleased to announce that three of its partners and one of its key practice groups were selected for inclusion in the
2009 edition of the Chambers USA guide to “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.”
Chambers USA, which is published annually by London-based Chambers & Partners, is considered one of the most prestigious guides in the legal industry. Attorneys are selected for inclusion based on extensive and objective research, which includes client and industry-insider interviews.
Dennis M. Toft, chair of
Wolff & Samson’s Environmental Group, and
John A. McKinney Jr, a senior partner in the Group, both received
Chambers’ top-tier (“Band 1”) ranking in the area of Environmental.
Arthur Goldstein, chair of the firm’s Litigation Group, is ranked in “Band 3” as a notable practitioner in the area of Commercial Litigation.
Toft is noted for his background in physics and his ability to bring “an incredible degree of scientific knowledge” to environmental transactions;
McKinney is identified as being “supremely well versed on environmental law and related occupational health and safety issues.”
Goldstein “is recommended as a strong litigator with an excellent all-around practice; he frequently acts for large banks and financial institutions in a variety of matters.”
In addition, the firm’s
Environmental practice is ranked in “Band 2” as one of the top 12 such practices in the state of New Jersey. According to
Chambers: “This firm has really expanded its presence in the local marketplace over the past few years, with consistently high levels of activity. Its full environmental and OSHA proficiency enables it to assist on all types of cases, from damage claims, compliance and brownfield redevelopment to criminal defense, real estate transactions and site remediation. A large part of the group's superb public standing can be attributed to the work of
Dennis Toft and John McKinney, who are both noted as exceptionally gifted lawyers.”
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CATHERINE WELLS NAMED ONE OF NEW JERSEY'S BEST 50 WOMEN IN BUSINESS - March 3, 2009
Wolff & Samson is proud to announce that partner
Catherine Wells has been recognized by
NJBiz Magazine as one of
"New Jersey's Best 50 Women in Business" for 2009. Each year,
NJBiz selects "New Jersey's most dynamic and distinguished women in business" based on their professional accomplishments, community involvement and advocacy for women.
Wells and her fellow 2009 honorees will be saluted on March 30, 2009 at an awards ceremony and reception to be held at The Palace at Somerset Park, in Somerset, N.J.
As co-founder of
Wolff & Samson's Women's Initiative, and founder of the firm's mentoring program,
Wells has played a major role in establishing
Wolff & Samson as an industry leader in the advancement of women attorneys. The firm's pioneering efforts gave rise to the institution of flex-time arrangements for professionals and administrative staff and part-time partner positions. As a mother of three children and Chair of
Wolff & Samson's Employment Law Group, Wells serves as a role model for the firm's success with these initiatives.
"Catherine's advocacy for women will result in industry-wide changes that will be felt for generations to come, and we are proud to be able to support her efforts," said
David Samson, a founding partner of
Wolff & Samson and former Attorney General for the State of New Jersey. "She is truly deserving of being named one of New Jersey's 'Best 50 Women in Business.'"
Wells is a member of
Wolff & Samson's Management Committee and co-chair of the Diversity Policy and Planning Committee. She is a frequent author and speaker on critical employment law issues and hosts
Wolff & Samson's Employer's Breakfast Briefing Series, an interactive forum for employers to discuss employment law topics confronting their businesses.
In addition,
Wells is a Member of the Executive Board of the
New Jersey Women Lawyers Association (NJWLA), whose mission is to encourage the recruitment, retention and advancement of women in the legal profession through education and activism, and to endorse qualified female attorneys for appointments to the state and federal judiciary.
As part of her community and charity involvement,
Wells provides pro bono counsel for
Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey, a non-profit organization that provides education, training, advocacy and public awareness activities to protect the state's children.
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PATENT LAW BOUTIQUE WEINICK & ASSOCIATES JOINS WOLFF & SAMSON - January 26, 2009
Wolff & Samson PC, one of New Jersey’s largest law firms, is expanding its
Intellectual Property Group through the addition of
Weinick & Associates, LLC, a highly regarded patent law boutique.
Joining
Wolff & Samson are
Jeffrey M. Weinick, founder and senior partner of
Weinick & Associates, plus three registered patent attorneys and two patent agents.
Weinick will join
Wolff & Samson as a partner and will co-chair the firm’s
Intellectual Property Group together with
Wolff & Samson partner
Peter Nussbaum. A registered patent attorney,
Weinick will continue to focus on the acquisition of domestic and international patent rights, as well as intellectual property licensing and enforcement.
Weinick represents a broad client base, ranging from start-ups to international corporations. He has particular experience in the areas of computer systems and software, telecommunications and the internet.
“We are pleased to welcome Jeff and his team to
Wolff & Samson,” said
David Samson, a founding partner of
Wolff & Samson and former New Jersey State Attorney General. "This strategic addition represents our continued commitment to growth and the highest level of client service."
“Jeff greatly enhances our already dynamic intellectual property practice,” added
Nussbaum, who heads the firm’s thriving trademark and copyright group.
“
Wolff & Samson has a stellar reputation,” said
Weinick. “I look forward to offering clients not only the complete spectrum of intellectual property services, but also the full range of corporate and litigation services offered by Wolff & Samson.”
Accompanying
Weinick in the move to
Wolff & Samson are patent attorneys
Steven M. DiPasquo and
Joseph G. Fenske and patent agents
Brymer H. Chin and
Donald E. Marshall, III. Patent attorney
Brian E. Hennessey, formerly Of Counsel at
Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, PA, is also joining
Wolff & Samson’s Intellectual Property Group.
Weinick received his J.D., cum laude, from New York University School of Law and his B.S., with high honors, in Computer Science from the State University of New York at Binghamton. He is admitted in New York and New Jersey, and to the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
DiPasquo focuses on the acquisition of domestic patent rights as well as international patent protection under the Patent Cooperation Treaty. He focuses his practice in the areas of computers, telecommunications and medical imaging. He received his J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and his B.S. in Systems and Control Engineering from Case Western Reserve University. He is admitted in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Fenske has an extensive background working in a variety of engineering disciplines, including mechanical technology and electrical engineering. He received his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law, Newark, and his B.S.E.E. from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is admitted in New Jersey and to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Hennessey practices in the areas of electrical, software, electro-mechanical, mechanical and business methods. His patent prosecution experience includes domestic, international and foreign national patent applications. He received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and his B.S.E. from the University of Michigan. He is admitted in California and New York, and to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Chin has a background as a research physicist and systems engineer, with particular experience in the development of new materials and devices for telecommunications technology. He received his Ph.D. and M.S. in Physics from the University of Illinois and his S.B. in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is admitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Marshall has patent prosecution experience in technologies such as optical systems, mechanical, telecommunications, document encryption and signal processing. He received his B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Rutgers University, School of Engineering, and is admitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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WOLFF & SAMSON PARTNER MITCH BERKEY SELECTED FOR NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S BLUE RIBBON PANEL, January 14, 2009
Wolff & Samson partner,
Mitch Berkey, was hand-picked by New Jersey
Governor Jon S. Corzine for a position on the
New Jersey Real Estate Advisory Board, the governor’s newly formed blue ribbon panel.
The panel is comprised of economic development leaders throughout the state, representing a cross-section of New Jersey's major industry sectors.
Berkey, whose practice areas include real estate, financing and corporate law, has an extensive commercial transaction background. He’s experienced in acquisitions, sales, financing, development, construction, leasing, management, workouts, as well as general corporate matters.
Berkey also counsels clients on all aspects of business formation, operation, financing, disposition and succession planning. He is a frequent lecturer to industry groups, and has authored numerous articles on real estate and asset management issues.
The advisory panel will support the initiatives outlined in
Governor Corzine's Economic Assistance and Recovery Plan, which was announced in October. The board membership represents the following sectors: Academic, Banking / Lending, Construction Management, Housing, Industrial, Law, Office, Trade Organization, Retail, Risk Management, Broker / Dealers and Investors.
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WOLFF & SAMSON PROMOTES CARNIOL AND WOOD TO PARTNER,
January 8, 2009
Evidencing its continued commitment to growth and the advancement of female attorneys,
Wolff & Samson announced that
Rhonda Carniol and
Margaret (“Peggy”) O’Rourke Wood were promoted to partner.
Rhonda Carniol graduated Order of the Coif from Emory University School of Law. Her practice is focused on representing multinational, publicly traded companies, as well as start-up and mid-size entities, in the areas of technology, media and advertising.
Carniol has been lead counsel on many significant transactions, particularly those involving joint development agreements, outsourcing, joint ventures, strategic alliances and other complex structures. She has published several articles and spoken on these topics as well.
Peggy O’Rourke Wood is a 2000 cum laude graduate of Seton Hall University School of Law. She practices employment law and commercial litigation. Her experience includes defending discrimination, harassment and whistleblower claims, wrongful discharge, tort and contract claims.
Wood has extensive experience in litigating restrictive covenant and trade secret matters. She also litigates complex commercial matters, including breach of contract claims and partnership disputes.
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LEPELSTAT JOINS WOLFF & SAMSON'S FIDELITY & SURETY DEPARTMENT, September 15, 2008
Marc R. Lepelstat, 48, has joined
Wolff & Samson PC as Counsel in the firm’s
Fidelity & Surety practice group.
Lepelstat, who resides in Manhattan, practices in the areas of fidelity and surety, construction, commercial and ERISA litigation and insurance coverage, including ERISA liability policies. He has handled hundreds of cases, including numerous trials and appeals, many of which have led to important decisions by federal and state courts in both New York and New Jersey. He has also been retained by various insurance carriers to provide advice and defense in complex coverage matters involving substantial claims.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Marc to the firm,” said
Wolff & Samson partner
Armen Shahinian, head of the firm’s
Fidelity & Surety practice. “His background is a great fit for the firm’s national fidelity and surety practice.”
Lepelstat received his law degree from Washington University School of Law, and his undergraduate degree from Tufts University. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Prior to joining
Wolff & Samson, Lepelstat was a partner at Lambert & Weiss in New York, NY.
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TRADE-SECRETS PLAINTIFF TO PAY $2.5M AFTER DEFENDANT CLAIMS FABRICATIONS, BY MARY PAT GALLAGHER, NEW JERSEY LAW JOURNAL, JUNE 30, 2008
When The Financial Information Group sued a competitor in federal court last year for allegedly stealing trade secrets, it did it with a bang. The Shrewsbury company sent copies of the complaint to customers and contacted the media.
But 14 months later, the tables have been turned, and the defendant, Labworks LLC, has walked away with a $2.5 million settlement after showing that TFIG fabricated evidence.
On June 17, U.S. District Judge Anne Thompson in Trenton signed a stipulation voluntarily dismissing the claims in
The Financial Information Group v. Labworks, 07-1927.
TFIG and Labworks, of Charlotte, N.C., both operate online databases of registered investment advisers. TFIG started its Discovery Database in 2002. Four years later, Labworks began its competing Web site, RIA Database, which could be accessed for about $5,000 a year, roughly one-third the cost of TFIG's subscription.
On April 23, 2007, TFIG sued Labworks and its owner, Julie Cooling, alleging breach of contract, fraud, tortious interference with business relationships and a violation of copyright and trade dress rights. The suit was reported in at least two industry publications,
Investment News and
BD Insider and was broadly disseminated.
TFIG claimed that Cooling, posing as a prospective customer, contacted the company in December 2005 and arranged for a demonstration of TFIG’s database in January 2006 to obtain confidential information and trade secrets.
Cooling then allegedly used that information to set up her own competing database similar to TFIG’s in content, look and feel, confusing TFIG customers and wooing them with cut-rate pricing.
TFIG asked for a preliminary injunction against Cooling and an accounting of any profits, as well as enhanced and punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.
The defendants’ lawyer,
Adam Derman of
Wolff & Samson in West Orange, sent a letter demanding the suit be withdrawn as frivolous under Rule 11. He says he did not move for sanctions because he felt he did not have enough facts at the time. Instead, he resolved to pursue them through discovery.
Derman filed a counterclaim against TFIG and asserted a thirdparty complaint against its president, Nicholas Stuller, for defamation, trade libel, unfair competition and computer-related offenses.
Cooling’s version of the story was that she communicated with TFIG sales associate Robert McAlonie about conducting a demonstration of the Discovery database in December 2005, when she was employed by Redbrick Partners, a real estate private equity firm. Part of her job there was to identify registered investment advisers for the company to solicit, she contends.
She alleges she was never able to do the demonstration because TFIG’s database was incompatible with her Macintosh computer and TFIG and McAlonie were aware of the problem and tried unsuccessfully to rectify it.
Subsequently, McAlonie began calling and visiting her to solicit Redbrick’s business, she claims.
Soon after, she started her own competing database. She allegedly hired software help and drew on her dozen years of experience in the area and public sources of information like the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Around the same time TFIG filed suit, before she was aware of the litigation, it sent a mass e-mail to thousands of its customers, attaching a copy of the complaint, alleges Cooling.
TFIG kept sending the complaint to prospective RIA customers through the end of 2007, and contacted Cooling’s business colleagues about it in an attempt to destroy her reputation, states the complaint. As
Derman puts it, “they tried to bury her.”
Derman embarked on what he calls “very aggressive” and hard-fought discovery that yielded thousands of pages, including computer and telephone records and McAlonie’s notes, which, he says, failed to support TFIG’s claims.
For example, TFIG produced a computer log showing a demo run on a particular day and claimed it was done by Cooling, but “there was nothing to tie it to her,” except McAlonie’s testimony and what he claimed were contemporaneous handwritten notes, says
Derman.
The notes, scrawled at the bottom of the page in different ink, “looked phony,” so
Derman says he retained an ink-dating expert and scheduled an inspection of McAlonie’s notebook. But the inspection never took place. TFIG’s lawyer, Eamon Wall of Patterson and Sheridan in Shrewsbury, admitted in a Nov. 9, 2007, letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne Bongiovanni that the sentence about a demo by Cooling “was added sometime after the litigation began.”
The computer records also showed post-hoc modification, says
Derman.
He subpoenaed telephone records for TFIG and Cooling, showing no calls between them on the day of the alleged demo, even though TGIF would have had to walk Cooling through it, he says.
Derman says that in response to TFIG’s assertion that Cooling used her husband’s PC for the demo, he rounded up evidence showing that the husband and his laptop were out of town on the day in question.
As
Derman and associate
David Dugan dismantled the case against their client, Wall asked to be let out of the case and was replaced by Arthur Grossman and David Ward of Mandelbaum Salsburg Gold Lazris & Discenza in West Orange.
Grossman wrote to
Derman on Jan. 17, saying TFIG would amend its complaint and discovery responses because “we are unable to locate or produce to you any documentary evidence which would show that Julie Cooling had access to plaintiff’s database by way of a demo on Jan. 12, 2006,” or on other dates mentioned in the letter. Grossman added that TFIG had numerous additional claims it intended to prosecute.
In the meantime,
Derman had filed an amended counterclaim, adding claims for abuse of process and conspiracy and naming McAlonie as a third-party defendant.
He followed up with a Jan. 29 motion asking the court to dismiss TFIG’s claims as a sanction for its fabrication of evidence and fraud on the court.
During a telephone conference with Bongiovanni two days later, TFIG proposed mediation. After giving the parties time to work out the terms, Bongiovanni ordered them into mediation on March 11 and stayed the motion to dismiss.
They reached agreement on April 30, with the help of mediator Douglas Wolfson, a former director of the Division of Law in the Department of Law and Public Safety, now with Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis in Woodbridge.
Derman insisted that the deal not be confidential so that news of the settlement could counteract the harm done by the wide knowledge of the suit.
The agreement called for TFIG to pay $200,000 on signing, with its carrier, Hartford Insurance, to pay $1 million within 15 days. The remaining $1.3 million was to be paid in monthly installments of about $39,000 starting on June 1.
Still pending is Cooling’s thirdparty claim against McAlonie, who was fired by TFIG in April.
Derman and McAlonie’s lawyer, Lambertville solo William Flahive, say they, too, are negotiating a settlement. “My hope is that it’s pretty close to being over,” says Flahive.
TFIG’s current lawyers, Grossman and Ward, did not return calls seeking comment. Wall, the company’s former attorney, declines to comment.
TFIG never filed a response to the motion to dismiss. But in its Jan.30 answer to the counterclaim and third-party complaint, it admitted to an incompatibility problem with Cooling’s access to its database while denying that she never actually accessed it.
The company also denied that it set out to destroy RIA or Cooling’s reputation, that it knowingly made a false accusation about the Jan. 12, 2006, demo or that other accusations were false or known to be so. It also denied fabricating evidence that would support its claims against Cooling or destroying evidence that would have undermined them, among other denials.
TFIG did admit that McAlonie’s notation about a Jan. 12, 2006, demo by Cooling was added after the suit was filed, but says once the company and its lawyers discovered that, they notified the court and opposing counsel.
Reprinted with permission from the June 30, 2008, edition of the New Jersey Law Journal. © 2008 ALM Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Further duplication without permission is prohibited. For information, call 973-854-2923 or Elissa.Peterson@incisivemedia.com. ALM is now Incisive Media, www.incisivemedia.com
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DAVID SAMSON TO SPEAK AT THE AMERICAN CONFERENCE INSTITUTE'S 8TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NOVEMBER 17, 2008. THE TOPIC IS: "Examining Ongoing Monitoring in the Industry and the Evolving Role of the Independent Corporate Monitor in Light of Enhanced Scrutiny".
On
November 17, 2008, David Samson will lead a seminar on
"Examining Ongoing Monitoring in the Industry and the Evolving Role of the Independent Corporate Monitor in Light of Enhanced Scrutiny" which will be a special session of the
American Conference Institute's 8th National Conference on
Reducing Legal Risks in the Sales and Marketing of Medical Devices. The conference will be held in Chicago, Illinois. For further information contact David Samson at (973)530-2000 or via e-mail at:
dsamson@wolffsamson.com.
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LORI GRIFA APPOINTED BY NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT TO THE DISTRICT V-A ATTORNEY ETHICS COMMITTEE - August 13, 2008
Wolff & Samson PC is proud to announce that partner
Lori Grifa has been appointed by the
New Jersey Supreme Court to the
District V-A Attorney Ethics Committee. This is a four year term appointment that commences on September 1, 2008.
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MALONEY JOINS WOLFF & SAMSON'S CORPORATE DEPARTMENT - July 10, 2008
John P. Maloney has joined
Wolff & Samson PC as Counsel in the firm’s Corporate practice group.
Maloney, of Basking Ridge, practices general corporate and commercial law with an emphasis on transactional work, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, corporate restructurings, corporate finance and commercial lending, private equity investments, strategic alliances and joint ventures, corporate governance and control, venture capital financing, and employment and shareholder relations.
His clients include businesses in the manufacturing, service, apparel, pharmaceutical, internet technology, transportation, packaged foods and real estate development industries. He also represents entrepreneurs in obtaining start-up capital and bank financing, as well as private equity funds and portfolio companies in connection with acquisition and financing transactions.
“We’re very excited to welcome John to the firm,” said
Wolff & Samson, partner Daniel Schwartz, head of the firm’s Corporate practice. “His broad-based practice and extensive experience make John an ideal fit for our clients.”
Maloney received his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, and his undergraduate degree from Fairfield University. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York. Prior to joining
Wolff & Samson, Maloney was Counsel at Herrick, Feinstein LLP in Newark.
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LEE HENIG-ELONA HAS JOINED WOLFF & SAMSON AS COUNSEL IN THE FIRM'S ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICE GROUP - June 13, 2008
Lee Henig-Elona has joined
Wolff & Samson PC as Counsel in the firm’s Environmental practice group.
Henig-Elona, of Gillette, has extensive experience in contract negotiations for asset and stock transactions involving contaminated properties, investigation and remediation oversight and management, transactional due diligence and compliance review. In addition, her experience includes
ISRA and
SEQRA approvals, zoning and planning applications and permitting for development.
“Lee’s depth of experience will make a great addition to our team,” said
Wolff & Samson partner Dennis Toft, head of the firm’s Environmental practice and chairman of the
New Jersey Brownfields and Contaminated Site Remediation Task Force.
Henig-Elona received her law degree from New York Law School and her bachelor’s degree in economics from Rutgers University, earning cum laude honors from both institutions. Prior to joining
Wolff & Samson, Henig-Elona was a solo practitioner in Gillette and, prior to that, was Of Counsel at Troutman Sanders, LLP.
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WOLFF & SAMSON NAMED A "GO-TO" FIRM FOR TECHNOLOGY COMPANIES - May 21, 2008
Wolff & Samson PC was named a
“Go-To Law Firm for Technology Companies” by
Corporate Counsel magazine – one of less than a dozen New Jersey-based law firms to make the national list.
Each year,
Corporate Counsel surveys the in-house counsel at the top 500 companies in the country and asks which outside law firms they use and for which practice areas. The named firms are then selected as a “Go-To Law Firm.”
In addition to these surveys,
Corporate Counsel’s research department gathers data through court dockets, securities filings and numerous law publications to confirm its findings. This was the first time ALM, which publishes
Corporate Counsel, surveyed the country’s leading technology companies.
The entire list of “Go-To” firms will be published by ALM in June as part of its guide,
“In-House Law Departments at the Leading Technology Companies.”
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STEPHEN L. FERSZT ELECTED TO PRESTIGIOUS TRUST AND ESTATE COUNSEL - May 15, 2008
Wolff & Samson PC partner
Stephen L. Ferszt was elected a
Fellow of
The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
ACTEC is a national professional organization of more than 2,600 lawyers and law professors who are elected by their peers in recognition of having made outstanding contributions to the field of trust and estate law.
ACTEC members are elected to the College by demonstrating the highest level of integrity, commitment to the profession, competence and experience as trust and estate counselors. Prospective Fellows are nominated by members in their geographic area and are evaluated on the basis of professional reputation, ability and contributions to the field through lecturing, writing, teaching and bar activities.
“We’re very proud of Steve’s accomplishments. Being elected a Fellow of ACTEC is a worthy acknowledgement of his dedication and abilities,” said
Wolff & Samson senior partner
David Samson.
Ferszt practices in the areas of estate planning and administration, ERISA and employee benefits, and taxation. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, Tax Section, and a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, Tax Section, of which he is the immediate past Chair. He is also a member of the Internal Revenue Service's Northeast Pension Liaison Group.
Ferszt received his J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
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WOLFF & SAMSON SUPPORTS RACE FOR THE CURE© - May 4, 2008
Attorneys, staff and family members of
Wolff & Samson PC came out in force to support and participate in the first annual
North Jersey Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure©. The 5k race/walk, which raises funds for breast cancer research and awareness, was held May 4, 2008 in Branch Brook Park, Newark, and involved more than 10,000 participants.
The
Wolff & Samson team was comprised of nearly two dozen employees and family members. The firm, which has several breast cancer survivors among its employees, feels strongly about supporting the cause. “As a firm, the personal experiences of our survivors have both enriched our work environment and inspired our lives,” said
Michelle Schaap, a partner at the firm and the team’s captain. “We walk for them and for every one touched by this disease.”
Wolff & Samson environmental partner
Dennis Toft was the first team member to cross the finish line, completing the race in 25:40. All walkers/runners from the firm completed the event feeling energized and empowered by being involved in the effort to help find a cure.
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WOLFF & SAMSON CHARITY EVENT TO AID YCS CHILDREN - April 16, 2008
In support of
“Celebrate Diversity Month,” West Orange-based
Wolff & Samson PC is hosting a bowl-a-thon fundraiser to benefit Newark-based
Youth Consultation Service (YCS), the state’s premier private non-profit provider of behavioral health and social services to children in need. On hand to lend their support and encouragement will be ESPN sportscaster and New York Times best-selling author
Jeremy Schaap and former Giants quarterback
Scott Brunner. The event takes place
Wednesday, April 16, at Eagle Rock Lanes in West Orange.
Since 1918,
YCS has brought life-changing success to New Jersey’s most vulnerable children, helping thousands of young people build healthier, happier, more hopeful lives. The impact of their work is significant, providing educational and developmental opportunities for more than 3,500 children each day, from birth to age 22. If a child has suffered at the hands of abuse or neglect, or has special needs that are not being met,
YCS offers hope for a promising future.
The
Wolff & Samson fundraiser was conceived by the firm’s
Diversity Initiative, a group of attorneys and staff who concentrate on supporting and furthering the firm’s commitment to diversity. The
Diversity Initiative’s efforts frequently focus on the firm’s community outreach program, which recently held fundraisers for
The Children’s Hospital of Newark and
The Smile Train, and provided assistance to
Meals on Wheels and members of our armed forces stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The funds raised at this month’s bowling event will go towards increasing community outreach and awareness efforts of
YCS.
“
YCS has done so much for so many vulnerable members of our society,” said
David Schlossberg, managing partner of Wolff & Samson. “We are thrilled to raise money for and draw attention to their outstanding efforts and programs.”
In support of the event,
Schaap will sign copies of his book Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics, and
Brunner will sign official Giants football gear, which will serve as prizes for the attorneys and staff participating in the event.
About Youth Consultation Service
YCS serves a diverse population, largely from urban areas and among the poorest families in New Jersey. The organization maintains more than 90 programs – including beds for more than 450 children in group homes and shelters, special education schools and autism programs, addiction counseling and family preservation services, and foster care services and community outreach.
YCS values donors and volunteers as true partners, and offers many ways to get involved. To learn more about
YCS and its many programs and opportunities, please call
(201)678-1312 or email info@ycs.org.
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BERKEY, TOFT AMONG NEW JERSEY MOST PROMINENT REAL ESTATE ATTORNEYS - April 14, 2008
Wolff & Samson partners
Mitchell Berkey and
Dennis Toft have been named by
Real Estate New Jersey to its list of the state's most prominent real estate attorneys, as featured in the magazine's April issue.
"Dennis and Mitch have negotiated complex, high-profile transactions, consistently achieving positive results. Our clients have benefited from their superb representation and the firm is proud to have them as part of our team," said
David Samson, a senior partner of
Wolff & Samson and former New Jersey Attorney General.
Mitchell Berkey was recognized by the magazine for his involvement in a wide range of large-scale and unique transactions, including the development and financing of the
Meadowlands Xanadu project in East Rutherford. In addition, it referred to his work on the Times Square E Walk Project and the restructuring of a national syndication firm.
Dennis Toft, chairman of the state's Brownfields Site Remediation Task Force, was noted for his work on significant brownfields site acquisitions and redevelopments in municipalities and along railroad right-of-ways throughout the state. He also was recognized as one of the lead attorneys negotiating with the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to establish guidelines for risk transfer agreements that will serve as a model for future brownfields transactions around the state.
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LORI GRIFA NAMED ONE OF NEW JERSEY’S BEST 50 WOMEN IN BUSINESS - February 15, 2008
Lori Grifa, a partner at
Wolff & Samson PC, has been named by
NJBIZ as one of
New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business. According to
NJBIZ, Grifa is being honored for her extensive professional accomplishments, community involvement and advocacy for women within the legal profession.
A lawyer with
Wolff & Samson since 1997,
Grifa helped to create and implement the firm’s Women’s Initiative Program. The program is designed to support and encourage the retention and advancement of women attorneys at the law firm. It emphasizes mentoring and recognizes the special work-life balance issues faced by many women in larger law firms. The program teaches networking and business development skills, and includes a community service component, where the firm’s women attorneys participate in community activities dedicated to women, children and elderly issues. As a result of this program, which was introduced in 2006, the number of female partners at
Wolff & Samson has nearly doubled.
A successful trial lawyer,
Grifa's law practice is now dedicated to assisting regulated businesses achieve compliance with the State's myriad administrative and regulatory laws. She has represented clients before the New Jersey Departments of Banking and Insurance, Education, Environmental Protection, Health, Labor, Transportation and Treasury, as well as many of the State's professional licensing boards.
Prior to joining
Wolff & Samson, Grifa served as a Special Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office Homicide Investigation Unit from 1989-1997. She also served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney in the Kings County District Attorney’s Office where she was a member of a three-attorney team responsible for the successful prosecution of one of New York City’s most violent drug gangs, in what was then the city’s longest criminal trial.
From 2002-2003, she served as Chief of Staff to N.J. Attorney General David Samson. As Chief of Staff, she managed the N.J. Department of Law & Public Safety, which is comprised of more than 9,500 employees, including 800 attorneys, and was responsible for providing legal representation to the State’s departments, boards, commissions and authorities. Additionally, she oversaw the State's criminal prosecution efforts.
Grifa also is very involved within the community, serving on the Development Committee for Habitat for Humanity – Newark, where she is responsible for fundraising efforts dedicated to land acquisition and underwriting the construction costs associated with building affordable housing for Habitat families. Previously, she served on the D.A.R.E New Jersey Board of Directors from 2002-2007. During her five-year membership, D.A.R.E New Jersey served more than 500,000 children in 550 of the State’s 566 municipalities.
Grifa, who lives in Montclair, holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rutgers University where she was a Henry Rutgers Thesis Scholar. She earned her law degree from Boston College Law School.
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SPADORO & HILSON MERGES WITH WOLFF & SAMSON - January 18, 2008
George A. Spadoro has merged his firm,
Spadoro & Hilson, with
Wolff & Samson PC. Spadoro joins Wolff & Samson as a partner, strengthening the firm’s business and corporate law practice.
At
Wolff & Samson, Spadoro will advise companies and their senior executives on the legal and strategic considerations faced by growing businesses. He will also focus on contract negotiations, development and redevelopment, capital fulfillment, commercial litigation, business dissolutions, restrictive covenant litigation and employment litigation.
“Wolff & Samson is pleased to have George on our team,” said
David Samson, a founding partner of Wolff & Samson and former New Jersey State Attorney General. “His experience will greatly benefit our clients and help position us as the go-to firm for business and corporate litigation.”
Spadoro has more than 25 years of legal experience. He has represented numerous corporate clients and individuals in both the federal and state courts. Prior to joining Wolff & Samson, he was a senior partner at Spadoro & Hilson in Woodbridge, N.J. While there, he earned an AV Peer Review rating, the highest rating available from Martindale-Hubbell.
“Wolff & Samson is one of New Jersey‘s finest practices and I look forward to offering my clients a more extensive portfolio of legal services as part of their team,” said
Spadoro.
Spadoro, a former member of the New Jersey General Assembly and former Mayor of Edison, is joined by two of his colleagues from Spadoro & Hilson,
Arthur T. Hilson and Bruce D. Ettman.
Arthur T. Hilson, joining the firm as of counsel, has more than 20 years of experience in corporate, commercial and business law. His practice involves general business advising, corporate transactions, real estate, sales and acquisitions, banking, commercial and residential real estate development, real estate restructuring, employment contracts and secured transactions.
Joining as an associate,
Bruce D. Ettman’s experience is in corporate and business law, employment law, restrictive covenant litigation, creditors’ rights, commercial leasing and business litigation. He has represented clients in both the federal and state courts.
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Wolff & Samson PC is pleased to announce that
Thomas J. Trautner has been appointed to the editorial board of the
New Jersey Chapter of the Community Associations Institute, a professional association of condominium developers, property managers and other industry service providers. In this capacity, Mr. Trautner will assist with coordinating the publication of the Institute's monthly magazine,
Community Trends. Thomas Trautner can be reached at (973) 530-2079 or via e-mail at
ttraunter@wolffsamson.com.
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Wolff & Samson PC is pleased to announce that
Catherine P. Wells appeared on a talk radio show on
WMTR Radio on
Sunday, November 5, 2006. The show,
"For Your Benefit," is a weekly radio program sponsored by
The Stratford Financial Group, which focuses on various employment and benefits related issues important to New Jersey employers.
For Your Benefit is regularly hosted by
Jeffrey Ingalls, a principal of Stratford Financial Group, on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Ms. Wells' program addressed the myriad of legal issues associated with disability leaves of absences, including leaves mandated by state and federal law. For additional information regarding this program or to obtain a CD of the show, you may contact
Catherine P. Wells at (973) 530-2051 or e-mail her at
cwells@wolffsamson.com.
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On April 29, 2006,
John A. McKinney, Jr., a member of the New Jersey Historic Sites Commission, along with Amy Cradic, Assistant Commissioner and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer in the NJDEP, Dorothy P. Guzzo, Administrator of the Historic Preservation Office and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer and Marilou Ehrler, Chair of the Historic Sites Council , presented 11 New Jersey Historic Preservation Awards to individuals, groups and agencies statewide in the Statehouse's Assembly Chamber.
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Wolff & Samson is pleased to announce that
John A. McKinney, Jr. was nominated by Acting Governor Richard J. Codey and confirmed by the New Jersey Senate as one of eleven citizen members of the
New Jersey Historic Sites Council. The Council advises the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection on proposed encroachments such as rehabilitations, alterations, demolitions, and relocations by public entities of a property listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places prior to final agency action.
Mr. McKinney is also a member of the Board of Trustees and its Executive Committee of
The Drumthwacket Foundation, the preserver and curator of the official residence of the Governor of New Jersey and its grounds. As a member of the firm's Environmental Law Group, he deals with historic preservation issues as they arise in the environmental permitting area.
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