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

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...

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 ...

Douglas J. Janacek Co-Chairs the Real Property and Environmental Department and is a member of the firm's Executive Committee. His areas of concentration are real estate development, planning, permitting and redevelopment matters with emphasis on commercial, office and industrial developments. He has appeared before planning and zoning boards and governing bodies of many municipalities throughout the state, and also before the NJDEP, NJDOT and other state and county agencies, in connection wi...

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...

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...

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.

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...

Donna M. Jennings is a shareholder in the Land Use and Environmental groups and a member of the Management Committee at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A. Ms. Jennings has successfully handled litigation related to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) on behalf of individuals and institutions who were discriminated against by unfair zoning codes and landmarking laws. With regard to her affordable housing practice, both public and private entities benefit from Ms...

Michael A. Bruno is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Michael A., who practices law in Red Bank, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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...

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.

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.

Charles B. Liebling concentrates on redevelopment and redevelopment financing, land use law, and general real estate transactions. Mr. Liebling represents both for-profit and non-profit developers as well as governmental entities. Redevelopment and Land Use As part of his redevelopment practice, Mr. Liebling is involved in the establishment of public-private partnerships and the utilization of governmental incentive programs. He focuses on the negotiation of complex redevelopment agreements a...

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

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 ...

Jennifer Porter is Practice Group Leader of the firm’s Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning Group. Her ability to practice zoning and land use development law in four states (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut) establishes her as a key player in helping clients expand into the regional real estate market. Jennifer represents clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to developers, owners and lessees of commercial, retail, industrial and residential properties in all asp...