Appellate Practice Criminal Defense: General Practice Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Alan L. Zegas
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1993 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Alan L. Zegas and his associates practice criminal, appellate, and commercial litigation in the State and Federal courts of New Jersey and New York.
Mr. Zegas received an MBA degree from the Harvard Business School and a B.S. degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is the co-editor of "New Jersey Evidence", published by Gann Law Books, and served as the editor of "NJ Criminal Procedure", published by Lexis/Nexis.
Mr. Zegas has served as an adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School-Newark, and as Editor-In-Chief of the Rutgers Law Review. He is named in The Best Lawyers in America, Superlawyers, and the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys, in multiple areas of legal practice, including white collar criminal law, appellate law, and general criminal law.
New Jersey Monthly Magazine named Mr. Zegas as one of the "50 Most Interesting People in NJ", and several annual editions of "Superlawyers" have listed him as among the top 100 attorneys in New Jersey. Politicker-NJ listed Mr. Zegas as among the top 100 most influential people in New Jersey.
The Zegas Law Firm is on the U.S. News and World Reports listing of the best law firms in New Jersey in the areas of Criminal Defense: White Collar, Criminal Defense: Non-White Collar, and Appellate Practice.
In 2009, the Institute of Continuing Legal Education granted Mr. Zegas its award for distinguished service to the Bar.
Mr. Zegas has appeared on 60 Minutes, and he has been quoted as a legal expert by newspapers and magazines across the country, including the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The Star Ledger, and the New Jersey Law Journal. Mr. Zegas has also been featured on TV and radio news programs of major broadcast stations nationally.
Mr. Zegas represents the Government's lead witness in the "Bridgegate" case, served as co-counsel to former Newark Mayor, Sharpe James, in his federal criminal trial, and has been the attorney for many elected officials, prominent business people, teachers, and other public officials. The Zegas law firm has litigated hundreds of appeals, many precedent-setting, in the New Jersey Supreme Court, the New Jersey Appellate Division, and the Second and Third Circuit Courts of Appeals.
Mr. Zegas has served as President of the Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, Chair of the Criminal Law Section of the New Jersey Bar Association, and Co-Chair of the Criminal Law Section of the Morris County Bar Association.
Mr. Zegas serves on the New Jersey Supreme Court's Evidence Committee and he has served on the New Jersey Supreme Court's Criminal Practice Committee and Criminal Charge Committee.
Overview
- English
- Rutgers University–Newark, J.D., graduated 1981
- Harvard University, graduated 1978
- Harvard University, M.B.A., graduated 1978
- University of Pennsylvania, B.S., graduated 1974
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- New York, New York State Bar Association
- Harvard Business School Alumni Association - Member
- Harvard University Alumni - Member
- Rutgers Law Review Alumni - Member
- University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club - Former Secretary
- Wharton School Alumni - Member
- United States District Court
- English
- New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
- New York, New York State Bar Association
- Harvard Business School Alumni Association - Member
- Harvard University Alumni - Member
- Rutgers Law Review Alumni - Member
- University of Pennsylvania Alumni Club - Former Secretary
- Wharton School Alumni - Member
- Rutgers University–Newark, J.D., graduated 1981
- Harvard University, graduated 1978
- Harvard University, M.B.A., graduated 1978
- University of Pennsylvania, B.S., graduated 1974
- United States District Court
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Appellate Practice
- Criminal Defense: General Practice
- Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Special Focus:
- Appellate
- Federal
- State
Awards:
- Distinguished Service to the Bar -- Awarded by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education ( 2009 )
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- United States v. Sharpe James
Served as co-counsel to former Newark Mayor, Sharpe James, in his federal criminal trial.
- State of New Jersey v. Bryant Grober - "The Glen Ridge Case"
Served as attorney for defendant, Bryant Grober, in what was nationally known as "The Glen Ridge Case", which four high school athletes were accused of the sexual assault of a woman who suffered from a mental disability. Grober was the only defendant acquitted of all sexual assault charges. A movie was made of the case and a book, "Our Guys", which documented the trial and studied the sociology of the town of Glen Ridge, was written by Bernard Lefkowitz.
- State of New Jersey v. Margaret Kelly Michaels
Zegas began representing Kelly Michaels, who had served five years in prison for the alleged sexual assault of over 40 nursery school children, when her case was before the New Jersey Supreme Court. In a precedent-setting ruling, the Court held that the rights of Ms. Michaels had been violated because the children were questioned by investigators in a highly suggestive manner, which contaminated the children so severely that it was impossible to distinguish whether their recitation of events reflected the truth or was a fantasy recollection induced by grossly inappropriate investigative questioning.
- State of New Jersey v. Cecelia Chen
Mr. Zegas, in the New Jersey Supreme Court, represented defendant, Cecilia Chen, who was convicted of aggravated assault. In a case setting a precedent nationwide, the Court formulated new standards to be applied in cases involving eyewitness identifications. The alleged victim who identified Ms. Chen as her assailant was the wife of a man Ms. Chen had dated. The man showed his wife a photograph of Ms. Chen in a way that was suggestive. The Supreme Court remanded the case for a hearing after holding that identification evidence should be suppressed if the identification is tainted by suggestive procedures employed by a private citizen, not a member of law enforcement.
- State of New Jersey v. John Martini
At the request of the court, Mr. Zegas represented death row inmate, John Martini, before the New Jersey Supreme Court. Martini, who had been convicted of murder, wanted the Public Defender to cease taking appeals over his objection. The case resulted in a precedent-setting ruling of the New Jersey Supreme Court.
- Bridgegate - United States v Wildstein
Mr. Zegas represented the Government's lead witness, David Wildstein, in the "Bridgegate" case.
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