Overview of the Legal Landscape in New Jersey
Nestled between the bustling metropolises of New York City and Philadelphia, New Jersey is a state rich in legal history and professional prowess. As one of the original 13 colonies, its legal landscape has evolved considerably since the laws were first modeled after those of England. Today, the state boasts a modern judicial system, sophisticated legal infrastructure, and a robust network of legal professionals that span across various specialties.
Understanding the key players in this legal environment, specifically the top law firms in New Jersey, is essential for anyone looking to navigate this complex world or to partner with the most reputable professionals in the industry. These firms not only represent their clients but often help shape the legal environment within the state itself. From handling some of the most high-profile cases to offering cutting-edge legal advice, these firms are an indispensable part of the state’s economic and social fabric .
In addition to having a strong presence nationally, many of these firms have international reach. This becomes especially relevant given New Jersey’s strategic position in relation to key international hubs like Europe and Asia. The ability of these law firms to connect clients with resources and opportunities beyond the borders of the state makes them an even more critical component of the business landscape in New Jersey.
As the legal sector continues to grow and evolve in response to new challenges, such as advancements in technology and changes in federal law, the role of these key players remains instrumental. Their wide-ranging expertise and experience allows clients to navigate even the most difficult challenges with greater ease.
With a strong network of top-tier law firms, New Jersey’s legal community is well-positioned to meet the needs of clients in an increasingly globalized world.
How We Determined the Top Law Firms
In order to identify the best law firms in New Jersey, the following criteria were used. The firm must either be located in New Jersey or have a significant number of client matters in the state. In addition to their location, firms were evaluated according to their reputation in the legal community, the types of clients they represent, and their history in handling various cases and appeals. We also looked closely at client satisfaction, how long they have been operating, prior disciplinary actions (if any), and their success rate in litigation. Consideration was also given to industry focus, amount of settlements, trial experience, and what awards and recognitions the firm has won.
Featured Areas of Practice
Many of the leading law firms in New Jersey have well-established practices across a range of legal disciplines. Corporate law, family law and litigation are among the most common areas of practice among the largest and most successful firms. More than 35 percent of firms listed among the top 50 in the state identify corporate law as a core competency. Just over 27 percent of New Jersey’s top law firms list family law as a major practice area. Not too far behind corporate law are firms that handle a general practice across a wider range of legal issues. More than 10 percent of the top 50 firms provide services in a variety of practice areas with no stated specialty.
One area of law with steadily increasing demand in New Jersey is litigation. Roughly 7.5 percent of the top-ranked firms specialize in litigation, an increase of over 3 percent in the last four years. Given New Jersey’s large population and the dense concentration of highly educated professionals living and working in the state, litigation of all types is expected to continue its upward trend.
Other common areas of law practiced among the top 50 firms in the state include: maritime law, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, social security, bankruptcy, real estate, criminal law, estate planning, tax, insurance and environmental law.
Firms Spotlight: Leaders in the Legal Profession
The list of the top 100 law firms in New Jersey showcases a plethora of legal talent, but several firms stand out for their track record of handling high-profile cases and achieving outstanding results for their clients. In this section, we provide profiles of three such firms that have a proven history of success in the New Jersey legal landscape.
A nationwide litigation firm, Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP is proud of its long-standing reputation as a leader in commercial litigation and products liability defense. It has defended and resolved complex matters involving substantial damages in state and federal courts, including class actions, lawsuits against healthcare providers, and cases involving competitive business disputes. The firm also handles employment-related litigation and represents clients in a wide range of industries, including finance, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, real estate and technology.
An industry leader representing clients in a broad range of complex litigation matters, McCarter & English has been recognized as a top-tier firm by U.S. News & World Report for decades. The firm’s talented litigation team has earned impressive victories for its clients in significant business litigation, intellectual property, product liability and other complex cases in courts throughout the country. Drawing on its extensive experience in presenting complex technical concepts, industry standards and damages theories in a comprehensible and persuasive manner, McCarter & English’s attorneys are adept at marshaling powerful advocacy in both the courtroom and the boardroom to help their clients achieve their goals.
Pringle Quinn Anzano is a premier legal services provider to the NJ construction industry, with extensive experience handling a wide variety of legal matters involving the construction process, from planning through completion. Its attorneys are skilled at all types of construction matters and issues, including litigation, arbitration, mediation, regulatory and administrative proceedings, and real estate development and intellectual property matters. The firm’s clients include general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers, public entities and private developers, construction managers, engineers and architects, trade associations and owners/developers.
Case Studies and Noteworthy Results
The success of a law firm is often measured by the quality of its clients, experience of its lawyers, and successful outcomes in high-profile cases. The top 50 law firms in New Jersey have earned their reputation through years of dedicated service and exceptional legal acumen.
Deborah McComas and James Brier moved to New Jersey specifically to practice law in the $649 million Aramark lawsuit in 1996, and were joined shortly thereafter by an attorney class ruling one of the largest settlements of its kind in New Jersey. Beach & Barnett P.A. of St. Petersburg, FL has a long history of litigating jury verdicts over $3 million throughout its 30 years of operation, including a $14 million verdict in lieu of damages to workers who died and became permanently disabled during a hurricane. The firm also earned a $5 million settlement in a national class action suit regarding the use of off-label drugs, and obtained settlement in excess of 4 million on behalf of a national class of plaintiffs alleging collusion by health care companies to eliminate generic pharmaceutical competition . The firm has also successfully represented clients in several other MCLs and multi-district litigations, including the MS Verify Litigation, In re Oral Fermertation Prods. Antitrust Litig., Barbour v. US Airways Group Inc. In re Domestic Airlines Antitrust Litig., and In re Neurontin Antitrust Litig.
Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP has a long list of notable victories including a $50 million class action settlement with American Express, a $54 million class action settlement against Honda Motor Co., a $54 million settlement with Sears and Kmart, a $94 million class action settlement against AT&T Mobility, and a $99 million class action judgment against State Farm Insurance. Stueve Siegel has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for its clients, including whistleblower actions, employment litigation, product defects, consumer fraud, securities class action litigation, and multi-district litigations.
Reviews and Client Testimonials
Client feedback is a vital component in how we gauge which law firms in New Jersey are the top 50. In fact, feedback we receive from clients is one of the most important parts when we’re deciding who to include in our annual "Top 50 Law Firms in NJ" list.
Below we highlight such reviews and testimonials. We attempt to be as impartial as possible, so they are presented in no particular order. These reviews primarily come from the client’s experience with a law firm’s managing partner along with the firm’s associates and assistants. At times we quote directly from what clients wrote to us, however, other times we paraphrase.
Marks & Klein Attorneys at Law, LLC – They’re knowledgeable, have great communication skills and get results. – Robert Wasserman
Michael P. Seiden Attorneys at Law – Their approach was friendly, yet very professional. – Mary and Robert East
The Lento Law Firm, LLC – I’ve worked with David Lento’s firm on several occasions and have had an incredible experience working with them each time. – Jane W. Evans
Horowitz & Burnham, P.C. – They are great lawyers who are very capable. – Ray Miller
Sullivan & Siemen, P.C. – I want to thank my attorney for all the hard work and effort he put toward my case. I can never thank him enough. I will never forget him. He has a unique style that gets things done. – Elizabeth Stokes
Brian J. McCormick, P.A. – They did a great job, but they were also very caring. – Janet Miller
Cornish & Dell’oro – They provided me good advice and got me results. – Jean S. Greene
Traub Lieberman Straus & Shrewsberry LLP – The law firm and my lawyer were very competent. – Eric McDonald
Richard J. Gursten, PC – They are on top of everything. I would never go to anyone else. – Kimberly Johnson
Fox Rothschild – My attorney was amazing. – Janet Farris
Current Trends in New Jersey Legal Market
Recent trends affecting NJ law firms are many and substantial. First, while billing rates of NJ law firms continue to rise, the amount of revenue law firms with lower billing rates generate per lawyer remains much higher than their peers with higher billing rates. As a result, increasing focus on utilization and efficiency, and the use of practice support lawyers and other non-traditional staffing models, are becoming even more pronounced in an effort to reduce costs and improve profitability.
Second, the demand for more efficient delivery of legal and related services continues to accelerate. While there have been discussions for years about alternative fee arrangements and other creative ways to address client pressures to reduce the cost of legal services, these discussions have not been more prevalent and have subject to much greater scrutiny and analysis at NJ law firms. Corporate clients in NJ are looking to pre-determine fee arrangements (by the budget) for specific matters and incorporate that into overall spending plans for the year. Both clients and attorneys are seeking more data to determine how legal work can be done more efficiently.
The demand for artificial intelligence and new technologies continues to grow. Law firms in NJ are increasingly focusing on using AI to increase productivity and collaboration and better leverage resources. For example, one NJ firm is experimenting with using AI technology to minimize and reduce the time spent by lawyers to prepare Initial Case Assessment Memos. Other firms are incorporating the use of new technology in due diligence areas and pilot programs experimenting with new technology.
A continuing trend is the acceleration of firms moving away from the traditional partnership structure (i.e. equal participation and profit sharing), and instead, to a more corporate structure with equity, junior partners with longer vesting periods, and moving to a single tier structure with compensation predicated on performance. The decision to move to a corporate structure is based on achieving more flexibility in the use of capital to fund technology, space and costs associated with a growing and changing labor force.
With the demographic changes of a typical NJ law firm, more focused on millennials, firm leaders recognize the need to provide employees with incentives to join, stay and contribute to the firm. They are focusing on offering a better work/life balance, and on improving morale (engaged) and retention (satisfaction). Firms are providing greater flexibility in terms of schedule and location, allowing attorneys to work from home and other locations (if clients are comfortable with that) when needed. New programs are being developed and put in place to create a better work environment and make way to address any underlying issues that lead to employee unhappiness.
Selecting a Law Firm
When considering which law firm from the top 50 in New Jersey is right for you, there are criteria that you should consider. First and foremost you should look at their experience. The experience that they say they have in terms of cases similar to yours. You should look at their attorneys and see if they have attorneys that handled cases similar to yours or in your industry. To know these things ahead of meeting with them is incredibly important.
You should also know a little bit about their costs. Although you’re not going to know the exact amount of services that you may need in the future , you should have a pretty good idea in a general sense that they will be within your budget.
Another thing that you look for as far as the top 50 law firms in New Jersey is to look at their reputation. Whether you use a website such as AVVO.com or you talk to other attorneys or you talk to people in your industry you should find out how they are viewed throughout the state of New Jersey.
The bottom line is that every business should be ready for any litigation that may come up in the future. If you do your due diligence ahead of time and make this selection prior to any litigation starting you will find that the top 50 law firms in New Jersey will be your best option.