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  • Aug 19, 2019John Lushis a Presenter at CDFA Summer School

    John F. Lushis, Jr., a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., presented “Setting the Stage: The Basics of TIF” and “TIF Financing Variation” on August 15 and “Understanding TIF Bond Financing” on August 16 at the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) Summer School at the Westin Book Cadillac Detroit in Detroit, Michigan.

    “Setting the Stage: The Basics of TIF” focused on a general understanding of what TIF is and why communities use it to achieve economic development objectives. “TIF Financing Variation” covered alternatives to the issuance of bonds in a TIF project, including the use of low-interest loans and a public-private partnership component to reduce project construction costs. “Understanding TIF Bond Financing” covered the components of a bond issuance including the creation of Neighborhood Improvement Districts to levy special tax assessments to secure bonds. The presentations were part of a week-long series of courses sponsored by the CDFA Training Institute August 12-16. For more information, please click here.

    Lushis focuses his practice on real estate, commercial transaction law, and environmental law. He provides counsel on an extensive diversity of transactions including leases, acquisitions and divestitures, tax-exempt and conventional financings, brownfields redevelopment, and an array of commercial agreements. Lushis has worked on multi-million-dollar loans and major tax-exempt financings for businesses and non-profits including Cetronia Ambulance Corps, Lafayette College, Lehigh University, Moravian College, and St. Luke’s Hospital.  He also has been involved in tax increment financing projects including Hamilton Crossings Retail Complex and West Hills Business Center. Lushis is solicitor for Lehigh County Industrial Development Authority and has been solicitor to Northampton County New Jobs Corp, Northampton County General Purpose Authority, and Lehigh Valley Economic Investment Corp.

    In late 2015, Lushis became involved in “P3” projects (public-private partnerships) and is a lead architect of a first-of-its-kind P3 project in Pennsylvania. This project, which includes a novel financing structure, will allow Northampton County to replace or rehabilitate numerous bridges at substantial cost and time savings compared to traditional methods. The project has become a model for other P3 projects and has received statewide and national attention. As an outgrowth of the project, Lushis assisted in drafting legislation signed by Governor Wolfe in October 2017 to allow counties having a certain population, such as Northampton County, to construct a new jail using a P3 transaction structure.

    Lushis is also registered to practice in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and his knowledge of intellectual property is a valuable resource for clients who have projects and transactions in the area. He received his B.S.M.E., cum laude, from University of Notre Dame in 1977, and his J.D. from Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law in 1980.

    Posted in: Business Law, Economic Development Law, Environmental, John F. Lushis, Jr., Mergers & Acquisitions, News | Tags: , , ,

  • Aug 15, 2019Three Norris McLaughlin Attorneys Named 2020 Best Lawyers® “Lawyers of the Year” in Woodbridge Area

    Three lawyers from law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., were recently selected by The Best Lawyers in America© as 2020 “Lawyers of the Year” in the Woodbridge, New Jersey, Metro Area.

    Best Lawyers® designates a select group of individuals as “Lawyers of the Year” in high-profile specialties in large legal communities.  Only a single lawyer in each specialty in each Metropolitan Area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year.” Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. Those honored as “Lawyers of the Year” have received particularly high ratings in the surveys by earning high levels of respect among their peers for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity.

    The firm’s 2020 Best Lawyers “Lawyers of the Year” include Martha N. Donovan for Litigation – Environmental, Morris S. Bauer for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and William A. Dreier for Arbitration.

    Donovan, a Member of the firm and Co-Chair of its Environmental Law Practice Group, devotes her practice to environmental law and complex litigation with an emphasis on the defense of environmental property damage claims. She also has considerable experience working on related insurance coverage matters. She has authored articles and has made presentations to various trade groups and associations on issues ranging from lender liability under Superfund to the availability of insurance coverage for various aspects of business-related accidents. Donovan is a member of the New Jersey State and American Bar Associations and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals. She has been selected for inclusion on the list of Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers® for many years, named in Who’s Who Legal, and ranked as Band 1 in Chambers. A resident of West Windsor, Donovan earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. in Chemistry from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, now Randolph College.

    Bauer, a Member of the firm, is a member of its Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights Group. He represents debtors, creditors’ committees, financial institutions, landlords, and trade creditors in Chapter 11 proceedings of publicly and closely-held corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships. Bauer is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association (Debtor/Creditor Section), the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, and the Turnaround Management Association. A resident of Long Valley, he earned his J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law and his B.S. from Dickinson College.

    Judge Dreier, Of Counsel to the firm, focuses his practice in the areas of mediation and arbitration. He frequently lectures, mediates, and arbitrates substantial Chancery and other disputes. In 2009, he was selected as the namesake and the first recipient of the William A. Dreier Award, now given annually by the Products Liability and Toxic Tort Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) to attorneys and jurists for excellence in and advancement of product liability and toxic tort law in New Jersey. That same year, he was designated ADR Practitioner of the Year by the NJSBA Dispute Resolution Section.  In 2008, Judge Dreier was awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor, the highest award for an attorney, by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation for his professional excellence, as demonstrated by his accomplishments in the law and service to the profession and community throughout his career. In 2015, he was given the New Jersey Law Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his service to the profession. Judge Dreier has published numerous articles on ADR, products liability, and other subjects, in addition to 380 published judicial opinions. He frequently lectures throughout New Jersey and nationally on products liability and ADR. Before joining Norris McLaughlin, Judge Dreier was a trial judge in the New Jersey Superior Court from 1973 to 1983, served in the Appellate Division from 1983 to 1994, and was a Presiding Judge from 1994 to 1998. A resident of Warren, he received his J.D. from Columbia Law School and his B.S. from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.

    Posted in: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, Environmental, Martha N. Donovan, Morris S. Bauer, News, William A. Dreier | Tags: , , ,

  • Jun 28, 2019Edward Hogan and Martha Donovan Recognized by Who’s Who Legal

    Edward A. Hogan and Martha N. Donovan, Members of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Co-Chairs of its Environmental Law Practice Group, have been recognized in “WWL: Environment 2019” by Who’s Who Legal.

    Who’s Who Legal has acknowledged exceptional legal practitioners in 31 areas of business law since 1996 and highlights over 10,000 lawyers in over 100 countries.  Their standards and rigorous evaluation process result in one of the top lists in the nation. To learn more about the evaluation process, please visit www.whoswholegal.com.

    A resident of Liberty Corner, Hogan represents and counsels developers, redevelopers, manufacturers, commercial entities, and highly-regulated service businesses in all aspects of environmental law and litigation.

    For more than 35 years, Hogan has been at the forefront of site remediation issues in New Jersey.  He develops integrated strategies for responding to governmental mandates; pursuing cost recovery actions; and facilitating purchase, sale, and redevelopment of contaminated properties.  A frequent author and lecturer for legal, business, and trade groups, he also teaches at continuing professional education programs.

    Hogan is listed in four categories in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America: Environmental Law, Energy Law, Litigation-Environmental, and Natural Resources Law.  He has been included in the Environmental Law section since 1993 and on the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers in the Environmental Section every year since its inception in 2005.  Hogan is ranked Band 1, the highest ranking an attorney can receive, in the Environment section by Chambers USA, one of the oldest and most prestigious legal listings in the world.  He was “recognized for his focus on site remediation and cost recovery actions and is lauded by commentators for his ‘fantastic knowledge, practicality, and pragmatism.’”

    Hogan has served in numerous leadership roles with the New Jersey State Bar Association, Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, New Jersey Business and Industry Association, Environmental Business Association of New Jersey, New Jersey OSHA & Industry Communication Alliance, and Technical Regulations Advisory Coalition.

    Hogan earned his J.D. from Georgetown University, his M.F.S. from Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, and his B.S. from Saint Peter’s University.

    A resident of West Windsor, Donovan devotes her practice to environmental law and complex litigation with an emphasis on the defense of environmental property damage claims. She also has considerable experience working on related complex insurance coverage matters.

    Donovan routinely represents clients in administrative and judicial proceedings before state and federal courts and agencies, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Environmental Protection Agency, and the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law. Donovan, who began her career as a regulatory and transactional lawyer is now primarily a litigator with a technical background. She has litigated matters relating to the generation, storage, discharge, or release of hazardous substances, including representation under CERCLA/ Superfund, and has defended actions filed by adjoining, predecessor, and successor property owners alleging physical injuries, damages, or lost property values. In addition, barring successful resolution of associated insurance coverage matters, she has prosecuted insurance declaratory judgment lawsuits related to the recovery of insurance policy proceeds to pay for investigative and remedial costs incurred in connection with environmental investigation and remediation.

    Donovan has authored articles and has made presentations to various trade groups and associations on issues ranging from CERCLA, the Spill Compensation and Control Act, and the availability of insurance coverage for various aspects of business-related accidents. For many years she has been ranked Band 1, the highest ranking an attorney can receive, in the Environment section of Chambers USA, one of the oldest and most prestigious legal listings in the world, and has been praised as “an exemplary litigator who, according to interviewees, ‘achieves positive and timely results for clients.’” Donovan has also been selected, again for many years now, for inclusion on the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers and was named the Best Lawyers in America Litigation-Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in the Woodbridge, New Jersey, Metro Area for 2016 and 2018.

    Donovan is a member of the New Jersey State and American Bar Associations, the Society of Women Environmental Professionals, and the Environmental Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. in Chemistry from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, now Randolph College, Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude.

    Posted in: Edward A. Hogan, Environmental, Martha N. Donovan, News | Tags: , , , ,

  • Jun 05, 2019Jeffrey Casaletto Presents on Real Estate Due Diligence at Expo

    Jeffrey M. Casaletto, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., presented “Real Estate Due Diligence-Risk and Liability” with Chemmie Sokolic of Whitman at the Construction & Management Citywide B2B Expo.  The presentation was at The Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus last month.

    The presentation covered due diligence activities for those interested in buying, selling, or developing real estate, with a focus on federal and state regulatory environmental concerns. The discussion shed light on important due diligence issues, including why due diligence is critical, when and how due diligence is accomplished, and the scope of due diligence.

    A resident of Raritan Township, Casaletto concentrates his practice on environmental law.  He represents and counsels clients in a wide range of industries, including commercial and residential developers, chemical and industrial manufacturers, and commercial business owners.  He maintains a results-oriented approach to each environmental issue to achieve the client’s goals and objectives.  Casaletto assists clients in resolving issues related to site remediation, due diligence, solid and hazardous waste disposal, solid waste utilities, regulatory compliance, permitting, Brownfields redevelopment, and cleanup cost recovery.  He also has experience handling matters involving CERCLA, RCRA, EPCRA, and OPA.  He has negotiated removal orders, EPCRA/OPA settlements, and cost recovery for removal and remedial actions.

    Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Casaletto was Assistant Regional Counsel and the 2002 Michael F. Vaccaro Honors Fellowship Attorney at the U.S. EPA Region III, where he focused on Superfund matters.

    During his term as an elected councilman for the Borough of Stockton, he was appointed to the Stockton Planning Board as Council Liaison and to several committees for the community of Stockton, including finance, personnel, and water and sewer.

    Casaletto earned his J.D. from The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, formerly known as Pace Law School, cum laude, and his M. Eng. degree in Environmental Engineering and B.S. in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.

    Posted in: Environmental, Jeffrey M. Casaletto, News | Tags: , , , ,

  • May 01, 2019Norris McLaughlin Highlighted in Chambers USA 2019

    Norris McLaughlin, P.A., is proud to announce that Chambers USA, one of the oldest and most prestigious legal listings in the world, has named the firm and two of its lawyers to its list of leading law firms and lawyers in New Jersey for 2019.  A third lawyer has been ranked as “Up and Coming” for helping drive the firm’s growth.  This recognition highlights the firm’s investment in and development of practice areas, as well as its commitment to preeminence in the legal industry.

    Edward A. Hogan and Martha N. Donovan, Members of the firm and Co-Chairs of its Environmental Law Group, were ranked Band 1, the highest ranking an attorney can receive, in the Environment section.  Jeffrey M. Casaletto, a Member of the firm, was ranked as “Up and Coming” in the Environment section.

    Hogan has been recognized for over a decade for his experience in site remediation matters and ISRA compliance, and received numerous commendations for his counsel on air, water, chemical, and hazardous waste contamination matters.  Clients called him “a lawyer of choice” who “knows the law inside out” and they “trust his instincts and advice completely.”  Donovan, who was also named the Best Lawyers Litigation-Environmental “Lawyer of the Year” in the HognaWoodbridge, New Jersey, Metro Area for 2018, was praised as “an exemplary litigator who, according to interviewees, ‘achieves positive and timely results for clients.’”  She is highlighted for her expertise in insurance coverage and state and federal environmental regulations.  Casaletto is noted for his “deep understanding of environmental law” as well as hazardous waste, site remediation, and solid waste.  He was described as “incredibly helpful” and “terrific to work with.”

    The firm was also recognized in the Environment category for being regularly sought out to represent clients before state and federal courts and various agencies.  The Environmental Law Group is designated as a well-respected group with extensive experience in handling disputes concerning contaminated land and property damage claims.

    Chambers USA ranks firms and attorneys considered leaders in their respective fields.  Chambers and Partners have been publishing their world-famous guides to the legal profession since 1990.  In addition, they host major award ceremonies in London and New York to honor the achievements of the world’s leading lawyers.  The key to the success of their legal directories and the validity of their awards is the in-depth, unbiased research conducted by Chambers’ team of highly qualified and experienced researchers.  The guiding principle behind Chambers USA is to meet the needs and expectations of the client.

    Posted in: Edward A. Hogan, Environmental, Jeffrey M. Casaletto, Martha N. Donovan, News | Tags: , , , , , , , ,

  • Apr 16, 2019Norris McLaughlin Attorneys to Speak on Environmental Law

    Martha N. Donovan, a Member of the law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., and Co-Chair of its Environmental Practice Group, will be co-moderator for “Environmental Law for Attorneys and LSRPs,” hosted by Rutgers. This interactive program will provide the latest information on the current environmental landscape and opportunities as they relate to site remediation. Jeffrey M. Casaletto, also a Member of the firm, will speak on the Site Remediation Reform Act and the Licensed Site Remediation Professional program.

    The seminar will be held 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday,  May 1, at the Trayes Hall – Douglass Student Center in New Brunswick. For more information and to register, please click here. Contact Pamela Springard-Meyer, Program Coordinator, Rutgers Office of Continuing Professional Education, at (848) 932-7463 with any questions.

    A resident of West Windsor, Donovan devotes her practice to environmental law and complex litigation with an emphasis on the defense of environmental property damage claims.  She also has considerable experience working on related insurance coverage matters.

    Donovan has represented clients in administrative and judicial proceedings before state and federal courts and agencies, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency.  She regularly counsels clients on a variety of environmental issues, including ISRA compliance, lender liability, underground storage tank laws, and permits and approvals for hazardous waste storage, transportation and disposal.  She has litigated matters relating to the generation, storage, discharge or release of hazardous substances, including representation under CERCLA/ Superfund, and has defended actions filed by adjoining, predecessor, and successor property owners alleging physical injuries, damages, or lost property values.

    Donovan has authored articles and has made presentations to various trade groups and associations on issues ranging from lender liability under Superfund to the availability of insurance coverage for various aspects of business-related accidents.

    Donovan is a member of the New Jersey State and American Bar Associations and the Society of Women Environmental Professionals.  She earned her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law and her B.A. in Chemistry from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College, now Randolph College. She has been selected for inclusion on the list of Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers for many years and is ranked as Band 1 in Chambers.

    A resident of Raritan Township, Casaletto concentrates his practice on environmental law.  He represents and counsels clients in a wide range of industries, including commercial and residential developers, chemical and industrial manufacturers, and commercial business owners.  He maintains a results-oriented approach to each environmental issue to achieve the client’s goals and objectives.  Casaletto assists clients in resolving issues related to site remediation, due diligence, solid and hazardous waste disposal, solid waste utilities, regulatory compliance, permitting, Brownfields redevelopment, and cleanup cost recovery.  He also has experience handling matters involving CERCLA, RCRA, EPCRA, and OPA.  He has negotiated removal orders, EPCRA/OPA settlements, and cost recovery for removal and remedial actions.

    Casaletto regularly speaks and presents at courses and events used for training Licensed Site Remediation Professionals and environmental consultants.

    Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Casaletto was Assistant Regional Counsel and the 2002 Michael F. Vaccaro Honors Fellowship Attorney at the U.S. EPA Region III, where he focused on Superfund matters.  Before that, he was a judiciary law clerk for the Honorable Vincent LeBlon and the Honorable Dennis V. Nieves in Middlesex County, New Jersey.  While attending law school, he was a legal intern at the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic and at the Environmental Defense Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

    Casaletto served as an elected councilman for the Borough of Stockton.  During his term, he was appointed by Mayor Stephen Giocondo to the Stockton Planning Board as Council Liaison and to several committees for the community of Stockton, including finance, personnel, and water and sewer.

    Casaletto earned his J.D. from The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, formerly known as Pace Law School, cum laude, and his M. Eng. degree in Environmental Engineering and B.S. in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.

    Posted in: Environmental, Jeffrey M. Casaletto, Martha N. Donovan, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Mar 20, 2019Jeffrey Casaletto to Co-Present Course for the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association

    Jeffrey M. Casaletto, a Member of law firm Norris McLaughlin, P.A., will present “Due Diligence in New Jersey” with Chemmie Sokolic of Whitman and Ben Alter of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.  Co-sponsored by the firm and the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association (LSRPA), the full-day course will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, at Norris McLaughlin’s offices in Bridgewater.

    Environmental risks and liabilities are common occurrences in real estate transactions.  Participants will learn how environmental due diligence can identify and mitigate those risks and liabilities.  The course covers the details of performing a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and Preliminary Assessment.  Using numerous case studies for illustration, the course will offer due diligence insights, due diligence-related legal nuances commonly encountered during real estate transactions, and a look at the role and legal liability of Licensed Site Remediation Professionals.  This course is eligible for 3.5 Regulatory and 3.5 Technical Credits for LSRPs, as well as 8.3 NJ CLE Credits for attorneys.  For more information and to register, click here or visit the LSRPA website.

    A resident of Raritan Township, Casaletto concentrates his practice on environmental law.  He represents and counsels clients in a wide range of industries, including commercial and residential developers, chemical and industrial manufacturers, and commercial business owners.  He maintains a results-oriented approach to each environmental issue to achieve the client’s goals and objectives.  Casaletto assists clients in resolving issues related to site remediation, due diligence, solid and hazardous waste disposal, solid waste utilities, regulatory compliance, permitting, Brownfields redevelopment, and cleanup cost recovery.  He also has experience handling matters involving CERCLA, RCRA, EPCRA, and OPA.  He has negotiated removal orders, EPCRA/OPA settlements, and cost recovery for removal and remedial actions.

    Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Casaletto was Assistant Regional Counsel and the 2002 Michael F. Vaccaro Honors Fellowship Attorney at the U.S. EPA Region III, where he focused on Superfund matters.  Before that, he was a judiciary law clerk for the Honorable Vincent LeBlon and the Honorable Dennis V. Nieves in Middlesex County, New Jersey.  While attending law school, he was a legal intern at the Pace Environmental Litigation Clinic and at the Environmental Defense Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

    Casaletto served as an elected councilman for the Borough of Stockton.  During his term, he was appointed by Mayor Stephen Giocondo to the Stockton Planning Board as Council Liaison and to several committees for the community of Stockton, including finance, personnel, and water and sewer.

    Casaletto earned his J.D. from The Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, formerly known as Pace Law School, cum laude, and his M. Eng. degree in Environmental Engineering and B.S. in Civil Engineering from The Pennsylvania State University.

    Posted in: Environmental, Jeffrey M. Casaletto, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Mar 13, 2019Due Diligence in New Jersey

    The New Jersey Licensed Site Remediation Professional Association (LSRPA) and Norris McLaughlin, P.A., are pleased to present Due Diligence in New Jersey (Course 2018-044).

    Throughout this full-day class, you will learn about the environmental risks and liabilities that can potentially be associated with real estate transactions; how environmental due diligence can limit and offer protection against those risks and liabilities; and some of the many laws, regulations, standards, and guidance documents from where these due diligence activities are derived.

    You will understand who may need to conduct environmental due diligence, and when it should be performed. You will also learn about the two primary types of environmental assessments in New Jersey — the ASTM Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (Phase I) and the Preliminary Assessment (PA) — the protections they offer, what they include, and what they don’t.

    Due diligence assessment insights will be shared throughout the course, and the role and legal liability of Licensed Site Remediation Professionals will be discussed. The class will also present certain due diligence-related legal nuances that are commonly encountered during real estate transactions. Numerous case studies will be used throughout the course for illustration purposes.

    Course instructors include Jeffrey M. Casaletto, Esq., of Norris McLaughlin, P.A.; Chemmie Sokolic of Whitman Co.; and Ben Alter, P.G., LSRP, of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc.

    This course is eligible for 3.5 Regulatory and 3.5 Technical Credits for LSRPs, as well as 8.3 NJ CLE Credits for attorneys.

    Registration Fees:
    Early Bird (until midnight March 15): $225 for LSRPA Members, $290 Non-Members
    Late Registration (from March 16): $290 LSRPA Members; $350 Non-Members

    When: Wednesday, April 3, 2019

    8:30 a.m.—9:00 a.m. Registration
    9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Course (with a 45-minute lunch break and two fifteen-minute breaks)
    5:00 p.m.—6:30 p.m. Networking Reception (included)

    Where: Norris McLaughlin, P.A.

    400 Crossing Boulevard, 8th Floor
    Bridgewater, NJ 08807

    To Register: Please click here.

    Posted in: Environmental, Events, Jeffrey M. Casaletto | Tags: , , , , , ,

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