Business & Corporate - Formation & Compliance
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You are starting a new business, should you run it as a sole proprietor or should you from a Limited Liability Company or a Corporation?  Provided you carry enough insurance, then running a business as a sole proprietor is fine. However, if you want protection from personal liability in excess of the insurance you carry, then you should definitely form a business entity.

The foundation of your new company, especially if there will be more than one owner, is the membership or shareholder agreement. This document will set forth the rules of the company, how income and expenses will be distributed, what happens when a member or owner dies, and if there is a right to sell your part of the company. The more thought you give to the planning of these issues, the less likely you are to have problems in the long run.

Employment Law
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In the current climate, navigating federal and state employment laws requires skillful counsel.  The number of employment-related lawsuits has grown remarkably in the last decade.  Employers must be vigilant to ensure that its policies and procedures are current in order to avoid future litigation.  Employee training is also a critical tool to assist companies in remaining compliant with federal and state employment regulations.

We have conducted seminars for human resources professionals to advise them on changes in employment laws that focus on employment policies, investigations, employment agreements, hiring and termination as well as providing litigation counsel. We have experience in wrongful discharge claims, administrative investigations, discrimination complaints, internal investigations, employee agreements and restrictive covenants, drafting employee handbooks, manuals and employment policies.

Securities:
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Arbitration & Litigation
Our firm represents investors in disputes with their financial advisor/stockbroker.  Most claims by investors fall into certain well-recognized categories including unsuitability, fraud, churning, unauthorized transactions and private securities transactions.  In order to pursue a legal remedy against a stockbroker/financial advisor, a customer must submit his/her dispute to FINRA arbitration.   The purpose of arbitration is to resolve customer disputes more quickly than in a formal court proceeding.  Our firm has experience in this area can provide competent and effective counsel through the entire process to provide the best result.

Investment Advisor/Broker Dealer Registration & Compliance
Our firm provides formation and registration services for new investment advisory and brokerage firms.  In addition to formation, our firm is able to create custom- tailored written supervisory and compliance policies to ensure that your firm is able to operate in this heavily regulated industry. 

Regulatory Proceedings
Our firm has experience representing investment advisory, brokerage firms and associated persons in formal and informal regulatory inquiries and disciplinary proceeding before FINRA and state securities and insurance agencies.

Immigration and Naturalization
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We are dedicated to providing reliable, efficient and affordable legal representation on U.S. immigration matters. Because immigration law is federal in nature, our law firm represents corporations, families and individual clients located anywhere in the United States. We represent clients with immigration concerns in any state, as well as foreign individuals looking to come to the United States. We also represent clients for Visa applications at Consulates worldwide. Each and every client, individual, or corporation is very important to us and every petition is prepared and reviewed thoroughly in order to achieve the most rapid positive results. Since navigating the immigration system is quite frustrating, we take personal pride in the quality of our work and our attention to detail to each client’s unique situation at every step of the immigration process. Immigration law is complex, and the regulations are constantly changing. We continuously keep pace with rapidly changing immigration laws. 

We focus our immigration practice on Family-Based and Employment-Based cases ranging from Non-immigrant Visas to Permanent Visas and Naturalization Applications.

Commercial & General Litigation
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Business disputes are being litigated in courts or before arbitration panels more than ever. Our primary concern is the final result for our client, and we assess the benefits and risks of any litigation at the outset of every case.
We believe in resolving cases without unnecessary litigation.  However, if negotiations are unsuccessful, we evaluate all possibilities without compromising our client's ultimate objective.

When the client proceeds to litigate, our attorneys seek to achieve the best outcome possible. Our collective legal experience within the firm is an invaluable resource when different areas of law are encompassed within a single litigation matter. We regularly draw upon attorneys’ backgrounds in corporate, real estate, securities and other disciplines to provide multi-disciplined assistance when required.

Collections
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Our attorneys are skilled in developing collection programs that are custom tailored to the client's business needs. We handle matters for both companies and individuals.  We also provide skip tracing and asset search services to locate assets. The services our attorneys provide do not extend to only recovering debt on behalf of a client. Our experience allows us to provide additional value to our clients through structuring strategies and procedures in an effort to avoid future debt issues. 

Land Use
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Residential
Putting an addition on your home may require land use approvals for variances from the existing regulations. You may not have the required amount of land, or your home as proposed may be too high, whatever the issue, these applications can be extremely focused on a simple issue. The technical requirements of the process must be fulfilled, otherwise you will experience unnecessary delay in obtaining a decision.

Commercial
As a commercial tenant, you may need municipality approval of your intended use of a building. As a property owner you may require municipality approvals for new construction or renovations. All of these applications involve the right mixture of expert information and knowledge of the codes, regulations, and law, with the ability to speak plainly and directly to the officials that will be rendering the decision on whether or not to approve an application. One of the most crucial parts of the process is putting the right experts in place to deal with your architectural, engineering, environmental, and planning issues. We are able to draw on our experience with these applications to help you make the right decisions regarding a project you are considering.

Commercial & Residential Real Estate
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Selecting a site for your business is delicate operation, you must keep in mind all of the requirements of the municipality and the applicable land use regulations and building codes. Your commercial lease defines the rights of the parties in the event of a dispute. Issues such as whether you have a right to renew your tenancy, or the option to purchase the property in the future, what type of insurance you must have, and a definition of your share of the expenses of the property are all included in the lease. Purchase of commercial real estate is even more difficult. There are numerous requirements from the government to make sure that the seller has met all of its obligations for taxes and environmental regulation prior to receiving the sale proceeds.

We represent our residential real estate clients in the Purchase or Sale of a single family house, town house or condos. There are many issues that will arise between the time of the contract and closing. The contract of sale is the key to the real estate transaction. It is unfortunate that such a large percentage of purchasers and sellers of residential real estate sign contracts of sale without the advice of counsel. We guide our clients through all stages of real estate transaction.

Wills, Trusts & Estate Planning
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The goal of estate planning is to arrange one’s affairs and assets in a manner to protect, maximize, and transfer their value.  Without proper planning and an executed Last Will and Testament, the State of New Jersey’s intestacy laws will govern who and how much each beneficiary will receive.  In addition, if there are minor children or other persons with special needs, the appointment of a guardian will be decided by the courts. In order to avoid this situation and to implement an effective estate plan, the most common documents that need to be executed are Last Will and Testament, Advanced HealthCare Directive (aka “Living Will”), Durable Power of Attorney, and Trusts (irrevocable and revocable).

Divorce & Family Issues
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Divorce, post divorce, and juvenile matters are all difficult and important legal disputes that require the expertise and input of a firm that has the experience to handle these matters effectively. During a divorce, difficult issues such as child support, visitation, alimony, and equitable distribution must be discussed, explored, and dealt with by the parties, and if no solution is reached, then by the court through mediation or trial.  After your divorce, it is very likely that you will find yourself asking the court to get involved with your relationship with your ex again, because you need to force your ex to comply with some term of your final judgment of divorce. Juvenile matters are a complex issue that requires familiarity with both the family courts and also the municipal and criminal court systems. During all of your family law issues, we can provide the support, expertise, and experience necessary to enable you to make the best decisions possible.

Municipal Court Defense
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Nearly every municipality has its own police force, and for most of the matters concerning the police, the municipal court is the place where the cases are resolved. This court deals with driving violations, violations of local laws known as ordinances, and violations of the state criminal code. What happens to you in municipal court can have serious repercussions, including loss of driving privileges and jail.

The value of having an attorney represent you when you appear in municipal court is to be sure that you are getting the best result possible in your particular situation. We can help minimize points and protect your driving privileges to keep insurance costs down and, if arrested and charged with a crime, help obtain the information the state is using to support the charges against you and review it with you to consider the options and provide you with the information necessary to decide how to proceed.