About the Firm
Rothstein, Mandell, Strom, Halm & Cipriani was founded in 1946. The firm has guided generations of clients with a variety of important legal needs– including wills, trusts and estates, elder law, real estate, personal injury , workers compensation, landlord-tenant, and business matters.
The firm has also represented municipal clients for over 70 years. The firm currently represents the Townships of Berkeley and Stafford and the Boroughs of Bay Head, Mantoloking, Seaside Heights and South River, as well as the South Toms River Sewerage Authority. Attorneys in the firm previously served as General Counsel to the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which owns and operates the Atlantic City Expressway and the Atlantic City International Airport and have provided representation for various school district including Central Regional Board of Education and the Toms River Regional School District.
Our attorneys have represented, and continue to represent, numerous governmental municipalities and governmental entities in all matters pertaining to the operation of a governmental entity including litigation pertaining to the defense of governmental entities, its agents, servants, and employees.
The firm is extremely familiar with municipal and school law requirements and takes steps to remain aware of all relevant changes in statutory, regulatory, and case law affecting governmental entities.
Legal staff is familiar with the laws, regulations, and procedures applicable to New Jersey public entities, including, but not limited to, the Open Public Meetings Act, Open Public Records Act, Tort Claims Act, Civil Service laws and regulations, Public Contracts Law, Municipal Land Use Law, Local Lands and Buildings Law, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Conscientious Employee Protection Act, and the Local Budget Law. As a firm that represents local and State public entities, we are very conversant with the public bidding and procurement requirements, including those relating to “Pay to Play,” as contained in Title 19, Chapter 44A. Additionally, as a firm which represents public entities, legal staff stays abreast of the latest development in state and federal constitutional law, including but not limited to: First Amendment issues as to signage, free speech, public and quasi-public forums; Equal Protection issues and regulations which affect categories of persons differently; and general State constitutional prohibitions on use of public funds for private purpose. Also, our representation of Civil Service municipalities requires us to be familiar with employee benefit laws and to be aware of the rapidly changing landscape surrounding pensions, health benefit coverage and contributions and sick leave compensation.
The firm has extensive experience in real estate and land use matters having represented both buyers and sellers in commercial and residential transactions as well as complex commercial transfers. The firm has similarly represented municipalities in the purchase and sale of land and is experienced with the statutory frameworks of the Local Land and Buildings Law, the Local Public Contracts Law as well as the Law of Eminent Domain. Regarding land use, the firm is very knowledgeable concerning the intricacies of the Municipal Land Use Law, ranging from ordinance development and implementation, interpretation of land use regulations, zoning matters as well as defending land use disputes in the Superior and Appellate Division Courts of the State of New Jersey. Firm attorneys have also represented governmental entities in many court and Government Records Council cases pertaining to the Open Public Meetings Act.
