Best Lawyers in New Jersey, United States for Land Use and Zoning Law

Ivette P. Alvarado is a Member of the Sills Cummis & Gross Real Estate Department. She focuses her practice on multiple disciplines within commercial real estate law, mainly in New Jersey and New York. Beyond negotiating deals and drafting pertinent documents to memorialize terms, Ms. Alvarado takes a hands-on approach to serving her clients by advising them of potential risks, assisting them in problem solving and coordinating with their other professionals to successfully close deals. M...

Mr. Mlenak concentrates his practice in the areas of redevelopment, land use, zoning, and real estate development. His clients include property owners and developers engaged in mixed use, residential, industrial, commercial, office, retail and affordable housing development projects. Mr. Mlenak provides guidance from the initial project concept through to construction, including land use planning and approvals, permits and variances and appearances before municipal, county and state planning ...

Meryl A.G. Gonchar is Leader of the Sills Cummis & Gross Redevelopment and Land Use Law Practice Groups. Her practice encompasses all aspects of land use, redevelopment, zoning and related litigation. She represents property owners and developers in appearances before planning and zoning boards throughout the state, in connection with obtaining land use approvals for residential, retail, office, industrial, hospitality and mixed-use projects. She represents clients in the negotiation of r...

Mr. Policastro is a transactional, business attorney, who focuses his practice in development, redevelopment, environmental compliance cases, corporate transactional matters, land use, zoning and business counseling. Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, he has represented numerous national developers, manufacturers, cogeneration facilities and utilities, automobile dealerships, lenders, borrowers and municipal boards in myriad land use contexts, including commercial and residentia...

Paul H. Schneider is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Environmental Law, Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Environmental, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning and Litigation - Real Estate. Paul H., who practices law in Red Bank, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2009. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic an...

Area of Emphasis: Redevelopment: Redevelopment plans, zoning ordinances and designation of renewal areas; Property acquisition including development of appraisals in anticipation of condemnation, negotiation of acquisitions, and condemnation; Contracts between public entity responsible for implementation of redevelopment and private redevelopers (including responses to requests for proposal); Loan and grant applications and agreements in connection with governmental assistance for redevelopme...

Howard D. Geneslaw is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning and Real Estate Law. Howard D., who practices law in Newark, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Howard D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James L. Lott, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Government Relations Practice, Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. James L., who practices law in Madison, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Howard D. Cohen Esq. 10 Bryant Court Somerset, New Jersey 08873 908-809-8741 Fax 732-412-7547 Website: www.howardcohenlaw.com Email: hdcohen@howardcohenlaw.com Distinguished Counsel | Proven Results Mr. Cohen has been practicing law for 52 years and a Certified Civil Trial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey for over 30 years (1985-2016). A highly experienced and widely respected trial lawyer, Mr. Cohen focuses his practice on diverse complex litigation in the State and Federal Courts...

Mr. Goldsmith's practice focuses on redevelopment, downtown and urban revitalization, transit oriented development, project financing and incentives, sustainable building initiatives and public-private partnerships. His experience encompasses counseling clients on the specialized issues in redevelopment related to parking demand, design and construction. Mr. Goldsmith also has broad experience in complex commercial litigation, construction litigation and appellate work.

Lisa John-Basta is Chair of the firm’s Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning Group. Lisa has close to 20 years of experience representing both municipalities and private developers throughout the local and outside agency land use and redevelopment entitlement process. Lisa regularly appears before governing bodies, planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment across the State on behalf of developers in connection with applications for site plan, subdivision, variances and zoning inter...

Donald PEPE is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Donald, who practices law in Red Bank, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Donald is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Todd E. Lehder is co-chair of the Real Estate team at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Mr. Lehder is ranked by Chambers USA for Real Estate in New Jersey and is a fellow with the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. Mr. Lehder represents professional developers, real estate investors, lenders, and property management companies, as well as borrowers, landlords, and tenants in a variety of office, industrial, retail, and residential projects in New Jersey. He handles complex commercial ...

Cecilia I. Lassiter, Chair of the Sills Cummis & Gross State and Local Incentives Law Practice, focuses on state and local public incentives and real estate matters, with a particular emphasis on redevelopment, zoning and land use. Ms. Lassiter has extensive experience in redevelopment matters, including the designation of areas in need of redevelopment or areas in need of rehabilitation, and the negotiation and preparation of complex redevelopment agreements, purchase and sale agreements...

Rikki focuses her practice on representing financial institutions and other clients in their commercial real estate; commercial and community development-related lending activities, including acquisition and construction lending; secured commercial lending; interest rate swaps; and other hedging transactions. In addition, Rikki has represented financial institutions and other clients in restructuring and modifying commercial real estate, construction, and other types of commercial loans, and ...

Ted Zangari is a Member of Sills Cummis & Gross, a commercial law firm with offices in New Jersey. Mr. Zangari’s law practice is multipronged. He chairs the Firm’s Real Estate Department as well as its Redevelopment Law, Outside General Counsel, and Public Policy/Governmental Affairs Practice Groups. As chair of the Firm’s cross-disciplinary Redevelopment Law Practice Group, he captains a team of the Firm’s attorneys on brownfield, transit-oriented, central busines...