Blume, Forte, Zerres, Molinari, Makowicz, Elwood, Zenna & Feldman PC

6 Best Lawyers awards

Blume, Forte, Zerres, Molinari, Makowicz, Elwood, Zenna & Feldman PC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs

Biography

Named by Best Lawyers in America as “Plaintiff’s Products Liability Lawyer of the Year” for 2019 and 2022, and, “Plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year” for 2015 for the Newark metro area, and has been designated as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the fields of personal injury, medical malpractice & product liability from 2007-2023. He has been designated as a Super Lawyer 2005 – 2023 (16th-consecutive year listed in Super Lawyers) in the area of plaintiff’s Medical Malpractice, recognized as one of the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in New Jersey by The National Trial Lawyers and rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. He has also been listed by Lawdragon as one of the Top 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers for 2020, 2021.

Michael Zerres, a principal of the firm of Blume Donnelly Fried Forte Zerres & Molinari , is Certified as a Civil Trial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, specializing in medical malpractice, products liability and personal injury cases.

A member of the New Jersey Bar, as well as the Bar of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and United States Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit, Mike joined the firm in 1990 and is handling a variety of complex matters involving such issues as the proper management of labor and delivery, cerebral palsy, Erb's palsy, newborn care and the failure to timely diagnose and treat various types of cancer.

Mr. Zerres has also presented on legal issues, including "Live Demonstration of an Opening Statement in a Laparascopic Cholycystectomy Case," "Proving Economic Damages in Wrongful Death Cases," "Apparent Authority," "Direct Examination of a Liability Expert" and "The Ethics of Lien Resolution," and, has acted as a co-author and/or reviewer on two books on Nursing Malpractice.

He has been honored by the Cerebral Palsy League of New Jersey and is a longstanding former member of the Board of Governors of the New Jersey chapter of the American Association of Justice and currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey. Mike has been recognized by the LawDragon legal resources group as one of the nation's leading plaintiffs' attorneys. He is also a member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group of the American Association of Justice.

Mike is a graduate of Seton Hall University (1984, B.A., magna cum laude) and St. John's University School of Law (1987). He is also a member of ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates), the Morris County Bar Association, the Essex County Bar Association, and the Monmouth County Bar Association.

Here is a list of some of Mr. Zerres' reported decisions: Dehanes v. Rothman 158 N.J. 90 (Sup. Ct. NJ, 1999); Allstate Ins. Co. v. Coven, 264 N.J. Super. 240 (App. Div. 1993); Grecco v. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 345 N.J. Super. 94 (App. Div. 2001); Cordero v. Christ Hospital, et al., 403 N.J. Super. 306; 958 A.2d 101 (App. Div. 2008); D'avila v. Hugo Neu et. als. 42 N.J. Super. 80 (App. Div. 2015).

Blume, Forte, Zerres, Molinari, Makowicz, Elwood, Zenna & Feldman PC

6 Best Lawyers awards

Blume, Forte, Zerres, Molinari, Makowicz, Elwood, Zenna & Feldman PC logo

Overview

  • St. John's University, J.D., graduated 1987
  • Seton Hall University, BA, graduated 1984

  • New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
  • New Jersey, New Jersey State Bar Association
  • St. John's University, J.D., graduated 1987
  • Seton Hall University, BA, graduated 1984

Client Testimonials

Mike Zerres has been a gentleman from day one. He was very impressive.

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2015 - Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs, Newark (2025)
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs, Newark (2022)
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs, Newark (2019)
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs, Newark (2015)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs
  • Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
  • Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Medical Malpractice Law
  • Personal Injury Litigation
  • Product Liability Litigation
Special Focus:
  • Automobile
  • Automobile Collision
  • Birth Trauma
  • Brain Injury
  • Catastrophic Injury
  • Civil Litigation
  • Construction
  • Consumer Safety Law
  • Hospital Malpractice
  • Litigation
  • Medical Malpractice
  • Medical Negligence
  • Personal Injury
  • Premises Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
  • Wrongful Death

Case History

Cases
  • Dehanes v. Rothman 158 N.J. 90 (Sup. Ct. NJ, 1999)
Supreme Court decision in a medical malpractice, wrongful death case - allowing economic experts and lawyers to comment on the bottom line economic loss to a family as a result of the death of a loved one
  • Cordero v. Christ Hospital, et al., 403 N.J. Super. 306; 958 A.2d 101 (App. Div. 2008).
Appellate Division decision that allows a party to hold a hospital vicariously liable for the fault of a health care provider under the doctrine of "Apparent Authority"
  • Grecco v. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 345 N.J. Super. 94 (App. Div. 2001)
Appellate Division decision holding that a parental choice to have their child undergo conservative therapy, instead of potentially curative surgery, to treat a rare medical condition was reasonable under the circumstances, and, the parents could not be legally faulted for their choice.

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