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EspañolBob Hicks Completes Term as President of Richard J. Hughes Inn of Court
On Tuesday, June 9th Bob Hicks completed his two year term as President of the Richard J. Hughes Inn of Court with the Inn’s final meeting for the 2007-2009 term at the Shackamaxon Golf and Country Club in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. The meeting also celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the chapter being granted a Charter by the National American Inns of Court. The guest speaker was the son of the Inn’s namesake, Judge John J. Hughes. Also in attendance were the past presidents of the Inn.
Past Presidents of the Richard J. Hughes Inn. From left to right: Joan Van Pelt, Kenneth Javerbaum, Edwin McCreedy, Judge John Boyle (ret.), Jon Bramnick, Raymond Londa, Donald DiGioia, Robert Hicks, and Stephen Schechner.
Judge John J. Hughes speaking.
Ken Javerbaum Obtains $1,000,000 Settlement Against Property Owner for Failing to Have Parking "Bollards"
Jack Wurgaft Obtains Ruling Holding Gun Dealer Liability for Shooting of Police Officer by Stolen Gun
Jack Wurgaft was able to settle a claim on behalf of an injured police office in the amount of $487,500.00 after obtaining a favorable ruling on the application of the Federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. This Federal Statute provides immunity to gun sellers from lawsuits by victims of gun-related crimes. Jack Wurgaft, with the assistance of Javerbaum Wurgaft Appellate expert, Tony Valenti, successfully argued in this case of first impression in New Jersey, that the PLCAA did not apply to the facts of the case. Following the successful ruling, Wurgaft and Valenti’s Brief was solicited by the James Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
More on this article can be read here.
Lawyer: Poor parking caused death of ex-state Sen. Joe Suliga
Nicholas Sorrentino thought he was "king of the road" when he parked haphazardly outside a Linden go-go bar before the 2005 car wreck that killed former state Sen. Joseph Suliga, a lawyer for his widow said during the opening of a wrongful death trial in Union County today.
Sorrentino's Infiniti was blocking three-quarters of East Linden Avenue, said the lawyer, representing Suliga's widow, Annmarie Pakulski, and a woman seriously injured in the crash, Joan Hannon. Suliga, who was sitting in the back seat, was killed when a westbound motorist slammed into the car.
Sorrentino and Omar Beeks, the driver of the westbound vehicle, are co-defendants in the civil case.
Hannon suffered fractures to her ribs, pelvis and ankle. She and Pakulski are seeking unspecified damages.
Suliga was a towering political figure in Linden, serving on the school board, city council, county freeholder board, the state Assembly and the state Senate.
Kenneth S. Javerbaum Honored With the Prestigious Trial Bar Award
Javerbaum one of four attorneys recognized this year
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - Javerbaum Wurgaft is pleased to announce that founding partner Kenneth S. Javerbaum was honored with the prestigious Trial Bar Award from the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey during a gala celebration on Thursday, November 1 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in New Brunswick. Mr. Javerbaum is one of four attorneys honored this year.
The Trial Bar Award is a recognition of excellence, given by peers to trial attorneys who have distinguished themselves in the cause of justice. Because the award is presented by peers-those who share and understand the demands of trial work-to receive this distinction is an esteemed honor.
"I am very proud to be selected as one of this year's recipients of the Trial Bar Award," said Mr. Javerbaum. "It is humbling to be singled out among this group of the most respected and experienced trial lawyers in the state, and to be linked with such distinguished past honorees is a true honor."
More than 400 lawyers attended the 40th Annual Trial Bar Awards Banquet, representing the elite among the trial practice in the state.
"It was a moving, meaningful and energizing evening," added
Javerbaum. "One that makes you proud to
be part of a profession that allows you to do well by doing good."
In addition to this honor, Javerbaum was named to the "Best Lawyer in America"
2007 list in the personal injury litigation category and Lawdragon's "3000 Leading
Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America List," which includes less than 1 percent
of all the lawyers in the country. He was also named to the Union County Voice "People of the Year"
list for 2006, one of only five area business leaders named to the prestigious
ranking. He was also designated as one
of the Top 10 "Super Lawyers" in New Jersey as
featured in New Jersey Monthly.
Ken Javerbaum is a founding partner of Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins. He received his B.A. from Rutgers College in New Brunswick in 1963 and his LLB from Rutgers School of Law - Newark in 1966 and was admitted to the bar that year. He served as a Judicial Clerk to the Honorable Samuel A. Larner from 1966 to 1967. He then served as Deputy Assistant Public Defender and was in private practice until establishing his own firm with his college friend, Jack Wurgaft.
Javerbaum is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney who has been practicing in Union County, New Jersey for more than three decades. He limits his practice to personal injury matters including airline/airport negligence, auto negligence, construction site negligence, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, police negligence, premises liability and product liability matters. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience and excellence in trial advocacy and have obtained recoveries on behalf of their clients in excess of one million dollars. He has long been active and held leadership positions in numerous professional organizations, including the Presidency of the Richard J. Hughes Inn of Court. Javerbaum presently serves as Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He is admitted to the New Jersey State and Federal Bar and the United States Supreme Court Bar
Trial Attorneys of New Jersey (TANJ)
TANJ is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve and improve the Civil and Criminal Justice System in New Jersey. TANJ provides its members with a wide range of services including legal education, leadership and advocacy on issues that affect the quality of life of lawyers, judges and litigants, and a forum for plaintiff and defense trial lawyers to share ideas to advance the common interests of the entire Trial Bar. The association now represents a statewide membership of 600 civil and criminal, plaintiff and defense trial attorneys. TANJ is dedicated to promoting the interests of the public at large, the interest of the litigants involved in civil and criminal litigation, and the interest of the bench and bar. The association also sponsors continuing legal education seminars.
Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins
Founded more than 25 years ago, Javerbaum Wurgaft (www.javerbaumwurgaft.com) is based in Springfield, NJ, with offices in Newark, Harrison and Freehold, and focuses its practice to civil trial law. In 2007, Javerbaum Wurgaft merged with Sinins & Bross extending its capabilities in Union and Essex counties. Its lawyers have distinguished themselves as leaders in the practice of law, and the firm has received the coveted distinction of being listed in Preeminent Lawyers in the United States. Representing victims in personal injury, workers' compensation, employment litigation, criminal defense and civil litigation, Javerbaum Wurgaft enjoys an excellent rate of success in jury verdicts and settlements. Its principals are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the firm is active in shaping progressive development and advances in personal injury law through its arguments and appearances at the highest level of the New Jersey Court system. Five members of the firm were named New Jersey Super Lawyers® by Law & Politics and Kenneth S. Javerbaum was named as one of the top 10 Super Lawyers in New Jersey in 2005. Javerbaum was also named a Best Lawyer in America in 2007 and named to the Union County Voice "People of the Year" list. Also in 2007, four members of the firm were named to Lawdragon's "3000 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America" ranking.
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Jack Wurgaft Named to Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers in America Lists
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (September 20, 2007) - Javerbaum Wurgaft is pleased to announce that founding partner Jack Wurgaft has been named to the third annual Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America list and the Best Lawyers in America 2008 legal guide in the personal injury litigation category.
"Jack Wurgaft is a terrific addition to the Lawdragon 500," said Lawdragon CEO and Publisher Katrina Dewey. "He is a committed advocate for individuals in need of help from an ethical lawyer who can achieve great results. He has proven himself as a leader of the bar, as evidenced by his leadership in the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates. Along with the members of his firm, he has created a great resource for residents of New Jersey in need of the highest level of representation to achieve a measure of justice."
Mr. Wurgaft's impressive body of
work also landed him on the Best Lawyers
in America 2008 list, which is compiled through an exhaustive peer-review
survey in which thousands of the top lawyers in the U.S.
confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current edition is based
on more than 1.5 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.
More than 20,000 attorneys were nominated for the Lawdragon Leading Lawyers in America list by their peers and the Lawdragon editorial staff, who selected 2,800 finalists. The Lawdragon 500 was selected from that group, based on a proprietary system that takes into account dozens of qualifications that are scored to determine the best lawyers nationwide. Those named to the list represent less than one-half of one percent of the legal profession, placing them among the most elite group of legal professionals. Among the factors utilized in the list's selection are extensive research by a staff of award-winning journalists who interview thousands of lawyers nationwide and a survey of lawyers and general counsel who nominate and vote for their peers online.
As a Certified Civil Trial Attorney focusing on personal injury claims in New Jersey for more than 35 years, Mr. Wurgaft has been lead counsel in several significant cases including:
- a $2.54 million product liability settlement from Daimler Chrysler on behalf of a child;
- a $2.6 million settlement on behalf of a high school baseball player who was struck by lightning while playing center field in a high school baseball game;
- a $2.2 million jury verdict against the manufacturer of a drop light for a man burned when the drop light ignited and spilled gasoline; and
- a $2.6 million verdict on behalf of the family of a man killed in a head-on collision with a trucker.
Mr. Wurgaft's long and prestigious career includes membership in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which recognizes attorneys who have demonstrated exceptional skill, experience, and excellence in trial advocacy and who have obtained recoveries on behalf of their clients in excess of one million dollars. He was also named Professional Lawyer of the Year from the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in 2005 and a Top 100 Super Lawyer in New Jersey as featured in New Jersey Monthly in 2006. He is a past President of the American Board of Trial Advocates and was recently honored as a Senior Life Fellow of the organization, which is dedicated to the preservation of America's justice system and the right to a fair trial by jury. Wurgaft is a Master in the Richard J. Hughes Inns of Court, serves on the Bench-Bar Committees of both the Union County and Essex County Bars, and is a frequent lecturer for the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and New Jersey's Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Mr. Wurgaft earned his B.A. from Rutgers University, his J.D. from New York Law School and received a Masters of Law degree from New York University.
Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins
Founded more than 25 years ago, Javerbaum Wurgaft (www.javerbaumwurgaft.com) is based in Springfield, NJ, with offices in Newark, Harrison and Freehold, and focuses its practice to civil trial law. In 2007, Javerbaum Wurgaft merged with Sinins & Bross extending its capabilities in Union and Essex counties. Its lawyers have distinguished themselves as leaders in the practice of law, and the firm has received the coveted distinction of being listed in Preeminent Lawyers in the United States. Representing victims in personal injury, workers' compensation, employment litigation, criminal defense and civil litigation, Javerbaum Wurgaft enjoys an excellent rate of success in jury verdicts and settlements. Its principals are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the firm is active in shaping progressive development and advances in personal injury law through its arguments and appearances at the highest level of the New Jersey Court system. Five members of the firm were named New Jersey Super Lawyers® by Law & Politics and Kenneth S. Javerbaum was named as one of the top 10 Super Lawyers in New Jersey in 2005. Javerbaum was also named a Best Lawyer in America in 2007 and named to the Union County Voice "People of the Year" list. Also in 2007, four members of the firm were named to Lawdragon's "3000 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America" ranking.
About Lawdragon
Established in 2005, Lawdragon levels the playing field in the area of law firm rankings, offering everyone free access to the nation's best lawyers and addressing the legal profession's need to provide better information to clients. Lawdragon's Web site (www.lawdragon.com) features hundreds of online profiles and evaluations of the nation's leading lawyers and a database of nearly 200,000 U.S. attorneys.
About Best Lawyers in America 2008
The 2008 edition is the fourteenth edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Since its inception in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States. Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey in which 18,000 leading attorneys throughout the country cast more than a half million votes on the legal abilities of other lawyers in their specialties, and because lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed, inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor. Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers, "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice".
New P’Burg Judge is on the Job
By a vote of 4-1, council appointed Phillipsburg Resident Dennis Baptista to a three-year term as municipal judge. Baptista began in his position on May 1, replacing Judge Robert Ellwood, who is retiring after holding the position since 1990. The municipal judge presides over all the cases and disputes in the local Phillipsburg court.
A certified workers' compensation attorney, Baptista was admitted to the bar in 1985 after graduating from Rutgers' Law School. He is admitted to practice before the US Court of Appeals Third Circuit and in all courts in the state of New Jersey. Baptista has lectured and published articles on workmen's compensation.
N.J. Court To Address Weight Given to Testimonial Statements; Web Users' Privacy Rights; Monitoring Sought by Vioxx Users
Javerbaum Wurgaft Attorney Dennis Baptista Appointed Municipal Judge
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (May 31, 2007) - Javerbaum Wurgaft is pleased to announce that workers' compensation attorney Dennis Baptista has been appointed to a three-year term as a judge in the Phillipsburg municipal court. He replaces Judge Robert Ellwood who is retiring after holding the position since 1990. Baptista will continue to remain an active attorney with the Javerbaum Wurgaft firm.
"We are all delighted with this appointment. Dennis is one of New Jersey's foremost petitioner's workers' compensation attorneys and has a well-deserved reputation among the compensation bar for being a respected practitioner of great integrity," said founding partner, Ken Javerbaum. "The Phillipsburg community will benefit from his appointment and he will bring distinction to the Municipal Bench."
Baptista is a long-time resident of Phillipsburg, NJ, and has served on the Board of Commissioners of the Phillipsburg Housing Authority since 1998. He began his career with Javerbaum Wurgaft in 1985 as an Associate handling primarily workers' compensation litigation. From 1987 to 2003, he practiced in Elizabeth, NJ, with Franz & Baptista, PC, where he developed a statewide, high-volume workers' compensation litigation practice. Baptista has successfully litigated numerous complicated workers' compensation cases, and obtained an Appellate Division decision in Medical Diagnostic Associates vs. Hawryluk that prevents medical providers from suing injured workers for the payment of medical bills while their workers' compensation claim is litigated. He rejoined the Javerbaum firm in 2003.
Baptista received his B.A. from Rutgers - Newark College of Arts & Sciences in 1982 and his JD from Rutgers - Newark Law School in 1985, and is a member of the New Jersey Bar. He is also a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA).
Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins
Founded more than 25 years ago, Javerbaum Wurgaft (www.javerbaumwurgaft.com) is based in Springfield, NJ, with offices in Newark, Harrison and Freehold, and focuses its practice to civil trial law. In 2007, Javerbaum Wurgaft merged with Sinins & Bross extending its capabilities in Union and Essex counties. Its lawyers have distinguished themselves as leaders in the practice of law, and the firm has received the coveted distinction of being listed in Preeminent Lawyers in the United States. Representing victims in personal injury, workers' compensation, employment litigation, criminal defense and civil litigation, Javerbaum Wurgaft enjoys an excellent rate of success in jury verdicts and settlements. Its principals are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the firm is active in shaping progressive development and advances in personal injury law through its arguments and appearances at the highest level of the New Jersey Court system. Five members of the firm were named New Jersey Super Lawyers® by Law & Politics and Kenneth S. Javerbaum was named as one of the top 10 Super Lawyers in New Jersey in 2005. Javerbaum was also named a Best Lawyer in America in 2007 and named to the Union County Voice "People of the Year" list. Also in 2007, four members of the firm were named to Lawdragon's "3000 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America" ranking.
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Employment Litigator Gary E. Roth Joins Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins
SPRINGFIELD, N.J. - Javerbaum Wurgaft is pleased to announce that Gary E. Roth has joined the firm in its Springfield office. He joins after 26 years with the Scotch Plains firm of Leib, Kraus, Grispin & Roth, where more than 80% of his practice was devoted to litigation.
"Gary is one of New Jersey's foremost plaintiff's employment litigators and we are pleased to welcome him to our firm," said founding partner, Ken Javerbaum. "His combination of legal skill and experience is an asset to our organization and compliments our existing litigation practice."
Roth concentrates his practice on employment discrimination and termination law, and also handles corporate and general litigation matters. He has a long history of achieving substantial verdicts and settlements against Fortune 1000 companies. In 2007, for the third consecutive year, Roth was named a New Jersey "Super Lawyer" in the Employment Litigation category by Law & Politic, as published in New Jersey Monthly Magazine. He has also been named by Digital Press International as one of the "Ten Leaders in Employment and Discrimination Law" in Northern New Jersey. Roth has consistently received the highest attorney rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the widely respected publication that evaluates attorneys based on a survey of their peers.
Roth was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar in 1981 and is also a member of the U.S. District Courts for the District of New Jersey, the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York and the Northern District of Georgia. He is a member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Third and Eleventh Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roth received his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in 1981 and his B.A., from Rutgers College in 1978. While at the university, he was admitted into the Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society. He continues to be a member of the Rutgers College and Rutgers Law School Alumni Associations.
A
leader in the legal community, Roth is a past President and Trustee
of the Union County Bar Association and is a member of the New Jersey
State Bar Association, including its Labor and Employment Law
Section, the American Bar Association, and the National Employment
Lawyers Association (NELA). He is also a founding member and a past
executive board member of NELA's New Jersey Chapter. Roth has
lectured on employment law before numerous professional and legal
groups including the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal
Education, NELA-NJ, the Union County Bar Association, and local
Chambers of Commerce.
In addition to Roth's impressive professional achievements, he is an active member of the Westfield and surrounding communities, volunteering his time to various community and charitable organizations. In his free time, he's on the sidelines coaching local basketball, baseball and soccer teams.
Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins
Founded more than 25 years ago, Javerbaum Wurgaft (www.javerbaumwurgaft.com) is based in Springfield, NJ, with offices in Newark, Harrison and Freehold, and focuses its practice to civil trial law. In 2007, Javerbaum Wurgaft merged with Sinins & Bross extending its capabilities in Union and Essex counties. Its lawyers have distinguished themselves as leaders in the practice of law, and the firm has received the coveted distinction of being listed in Preeminent Lawyers in the United States. Representing victims in personal injury, workers' compensation, employment litigation, criminal defense and civil litigation, Javerbaum Wurgaft enjoys an excellent rate of success in jury verdicts and settlements. Its principals are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and the firm is active in shaping progressive development and advances in personal injury law through its arguments and appearances at the highest level of the New Jersey Court system. Five members of the firm were named New Jersey Super Lawyers® by Law & Politics and Kenneth S. Javerbaum was named as one of the top 10 Super Lawyers in New Jersey in 2005. Javerbaum was also named a Best Lawyer in America in 2007 and named to the Union County Voice "People of the Year" list. Also in 2007, four members of the firm were named to Lawdragon's "3000 Leading Plaintiffs' Lawyers in America" ranking.