Dennis A. Estis 20YEARSAWARDED

Dennis A. Estis

recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2005
Awarded Practice Areas
Commercial Litigation Community Association Law Construction Law Litigation - Construction Litigation - Municipal Litigation - Real Estate Municipal Law
Works at
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP

49 Best Lawyers awards

Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP logo

Biography

Dennis represents clients in complex commercial litigation, with an emphasis on construction matters and alternative dispute resolution (ADR). In addition, his practice is focused in the area of condominium and community association law.

Throughout his career, Dennis has served as counsel to numerous national real estate developers, contractors, corporations, and public and private sector entities. He has represented a number of New Jersey municipalities and municipal entities, including one of the state’s major sewerage authorities. His clients have also included a significant number of condominium associations throughout New Jersey.

An American Arbitration Association (AAA) trained mediator and arbitrator, Dennis has participated in hundreds of ADR proceedings on behalf of private and public clients. His mediation experience with construction matters includes complex construction defect cases in condominiums, disputes between architects and contractors, and claims by subcontractors for lack of payment. He has mediated disputes between condominium associations and unit owners including those involving non-payment by owners, and disputes between unit owners. His experience as a mediator also encompasses disputes between physicians in a medical practice, business disputes between the buyers and sellers of an existing business, disputes between partners and shareholders as to their mutual rights, insurance coverage disputes, and more.

Dennis has additional litigation experience related to real estate and commercial disputes, and general equity matters.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

Works at
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP

49 Best Lawyers awards

Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP logo

Locations

Education

  • New York University, J.D., graduated 1972
  • Johns Hopkins University, B.A., graduated 1969

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey, NJ - 1972
  • New York, 1983

Affiliations

  • The Discovery Orchestra Board of Trustees - Past President
  • Democratic Party of Union County, New Jersey - Past Chair
  • Johns Hopkins University New Jersey Alumni Chapter - Former Co-Chair
  • NYU Law School Alumni Association New Jersey Chapter (past President); Board of Directors - Former Member
  • Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey Board of Directors - Past Member
  • Trial Law Institute - Member
  • Diversity Law Institute - Member
  • Community Associations Institute, New Jersey Chapter - Member
  • New Jersey Builders Association - Member
  • New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys - Senior Trustee
  • American Arbitration Association (AAA) - Member
  • Superior Court of New Jersey List of Civil Mediators (1998 – present) - Member
  • American Bar Association - Construction Litigation Committee of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Sections (former Co-Chair); Forum on Construction Law
  • New Jersey State Bar Association - Construction Law Section; Dispute Resolution Section (former Board of Directors); Nominating Committee (former Member); Equity Jurisprudence Committee (former Chair)
  • Middlesex County Bar Association - former President
  • Middlesex County Bar Foundation: Board of Trustees - Former Member

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2024 - Construction Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Litigation - Real Estate Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Construction Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Construction Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2014 - Litigation - Construction Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Construction Law Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2010 - Construction Law
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Construction Law, Woodbridge (2024)
  • Litigation - Real Estate, Woodbridge (2019)
  • Construction Law, Woodbridge (2018)
  • Construction Law, Woodbridge (2016)
  • Litigation - Construction, Woodbridge (2014)
  • Construction Law, Woodbridge (2013)
  • Construction Law, Newark (2010)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2027 for work in:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Community Association Law
  • Construction Law
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Municipal
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Municipal Law
Awards:
  • Recipient of the Middlesex County Bar Association Robert J. Cirafesi Chancery Practice Award (2012)

  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent (a trademark of Internet Brands, Inc.)

  • Listed in Lexology Index Thought Leaders: USA (published by Law Business Research Ltd.) in the area of Construction

  • Listed in New Jersey Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters business) in the Construction Litigation: Business, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Environmental and Business Litigation practice areas (2005 – present); listed by Super Lawyers as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in New Jersey (2011, 2016)

  • Listed in Chambers USA (a publication of Chambers and Partners) in the Construction practice area (2020 – present)

  • Construction Lawyers Society of America Charter Fellow

  • National Conference of Bar Presidents Fellow

  • College of Community Association Lawyers Fellow

  • American Bar Foundation Fellow

  • Litigation Counsel of America Senior Charter Fellow

  • Recipient of the Middlesex County Bar Association Arthur H. Miller Lawyer Achievement Award (2013)
  • Recipient of the Middlesex County Bar Association David Pavlovsky Service to the Bar Award (2009)

Case History

Cases
  • Tung v. Briant Park Homes, Inc., 287 N.J. Super. 232 (App. Div. 1996)
Case clarified when and under what circumstances a purchaser of the condominium unit could assert a claim for breach of the Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act, N.J.S.A. 45:22A-21 et seq.
  • In re Request for Solid Waste Utility Customer Lists, 106 N.J. 508 (1987)
Case clarified when a customer list may or may not be protected given the public interest considerations.
  • Lamb v. Global Landfill, 111 N.J. 134 (1988)
Case clarified under what circumstances an injured party was able to extend the time for filing a Notice of Tort Claim
  • Horosz v. Alps Estates, 132 N.J. 134 (1994)
Case clarified when Statute of Repose might restart running
  • Nobrega v. Edison Glen Associates, 167 N.J. 520 (2001)
Case clarified when newly adopted statute undercut vesting rights of individuals
  • First National State Bank v. Commonwealth Savings & Loan, 610 F.2d 164 (3rd 1980)
Case holds that specific performance is a proper remedy against the permanent lender in order for the lender to be certain and honor its standby loan commitment.
  • Carlyle Towers Condo Association v. CrossLand Savings, 944 F. Supp. 341 (D.N.J. 1996)
Case clarifies the standards for by which a law firm was not required to withdraw from representation where the firm had previously represented a subsidiary of bank which was the primary defendant in an action.
  • Cardell Inc. v. Piscatelli, 277 N.J. Super. 149 (App. Div. 1994)
Case clarifies when a court is determined to have abused its discretion in not permitting the filing of an amended counter- claim.
  • Appeal of Adoption of N.J.A.C. 5:25A-1.1, 266 N.J. Super. 625 (App. Div. 1993)
Case limited the ability of an administrative department to adopt regulations when they were contrary to the legislative intent behind the subject statute.
  • Jersey City v. Roosevelt Stadium Arena, 210 N.J. Super. 315 (App. Div. 1986), certif. den., 110 N.J. 152 (1988)
Case held that formal governmental action was required in order to approve a settlement where a municipality is a party to the action.
  • Vines v. Orange Memorial Hospital, 192 N.J. Super. 496 (App. Div. 1984)
Case established that failure to issue summons for a lengthy period of time still did not justify dismissal of the action unless prejudice can be shown.
  • Fidelity Land Development v. Reider & Sons Building & Development Co., 151 N.J. Super. 502 (App. Div. 1977)
Case provided that mere paper transfer of title by mortgagor to its principal stockholder did not cause the note to accelerate.

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