Our Record

Hunterdon County Judge Dismissed an eight-count indictment against our client the associate administrator of Edna Mahon Correctional Institute including charges of Official Misconduct, Aggravated Assault, Conspiracy, and Tampering with Evidence. The Court agreed with our Motion to Dismiss the Indictment, that in fact the Indictment was unconstitutional vague and also violated our client's right to a speedy trial.

Bergen County Prosecutor's Office dismissed 4 counts of 2nd Degree endangering the welfare of a child and official misconduct against the Director of Parks and Recreation of a Bergen County town. The dismissal was done after memorandums prepared by our office made clear that the significant and numerous criminal charges had no merit. 

Essex County Court dismissed six counts including aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose. This decision followed our firm’s successful filing of a motion to dismiss the indictment for prosecutorial misconduct during the Grand Jury presentation.

The Supreme Court of New Jersey agreed with our firm’s argument, overturned the trial court, and agreed that an adverse inference should not be used by a trial court against the defendant who asserted his/her Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate him/herself.

Honorable Elissa Mazzone, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. This matter involved the NJ Board of Examiners seeking the revocation of the teacher’s certificate to teach in the state of New Jersey for allegedly sexually assaulting his child. After a lengthy hearing before Judge Mazzone it was held that the state’s witnesses lacked any credibility, and the state did not prove that the teacher’s certificate should be suspended or revoked. The decision was affirmed by the commissioner of education.

New Jersey Commissioner of Education overturned the decision of the Board of Education of the Township of Washinton, Morris County, to suspend a tenured teacher without pay because she had been arrested in the Commonwealth of Virginia and was unable to return to New Jersey. The Commissioner agreed and granted our petition for back pay and benefits because the Board of Education violated N.J.S.A. 18A.6-8.3 and relevant case law. 

Honorable Patrice E. Hobbs, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. This firm represented a tenured Washington Township teacher who was accused of unauthorized absence following an out of state arrest. We successfully defended this claim, it was concluded that salary could not be withheld, and our client was awarded all requisite back pay, benefits, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

Honorable Kelly J. Kirk, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. This matter involved a South Orange - Maplewood teacher who had been found guilty of violating HIB. Judge Kirk agreed with our argument that the due process rights of our client had been violated by the district. The HIB finding was vacated, and the Commissioner of Education sustained the decision.

Our firm successfully arbitrated on behalf of our client, an Uber driver, against the insurance company for Uber. We obtained a judgement in the amount of $875,000. His injury was a cervical fusion that we successfully argued was casually related to the subject accident.

Honorable Matthew G. Miller, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. This matter involved a Fort Lee school teacher who was found guilty of HIB because she commented on a student’s hair being braided in a “tic tack toe” formation. The Commissioner of Education and the trial judge both agreed that a matter cannot be constituted as a HIB violation unless the conduct causes a substantial disruption in the student or other students’ daily activities. The HIB violation was vacated off the teacher’s record.

Honorable John P. Scollo, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. This matter involved a West Essex school teacher who had been found guilty of HIB. The district refused to provide our client with the student’s school records, disciplinary records, and health history without parental consent. The commissioner found that the Board of Education cannot use the information contained in these documents against our client while simultaneously withholding them for possible use in our client’s defense. While the Commissioner acknowledged that FERPA and PRA tend to militate against access to student records, general principles of due process weigh in favor of access under these circumstances.

Our firm represented a client charged with numerous felonies, including assaulting an officer, during the breech of the U.S. Capital on January 6^th, 2021. Our firm was able to get our client 18 months in prison, which was one of the lowest sentences obtained by a defendant in the January 6^th Federal sentencing guidelines for this case called for a sentencing of 24-30 months. The Government argued for 27 months. Our client had already been released before President Trump’s pardons due to this short sentence.

Honorable Andrew M. Baron, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. After trial, the court agreed that our client’s injury did not result from a pre-existing injury and overruled the Police and Fire Pension System in its denial of accident disability for our client, a former NJ correctional officer. He was awarded a pension backpay of over three years.

Our firm successfully represented our client in a workers’ compensation claim following the death of his/her spouse, who contracted COVID-19 while working for Snapple during the height of the pandemic. We established that his/her exposure was work-related and secured a settlement in the amount of $1,650,000

New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles, Trenton, NJ. Client was involved in a motor vehicle accident which caused a death to the other motorist involved in the accident. NJ DMV sought to revoke our client’s license for 850 days. After the hearing, the revocation was reduced to the minimum 45 days.

Honorable Barry Moscovitz, Office of Administrative Law, Newark, NJ. The firm represented a West Milford teacher accused of smoking marijuana with a student. After getting the criminal case dismissed in the Passaic County Superior Court, we successfully defended charges by the State Board of Examiners seeking the revocation of the teacher’s teaching license. The Trial Judge after a trial found that the State’s witnesses were not credible and denied the revocation of the license without any suspension whatsoever. The Commissioner of Education sustained the Judge’s decision.

Honorable Parcia Patel, J.M.C., Westfield Municipal Court. The firm successfully defended the Mayor of Linden, N.J. who was accused of assault by a councilman. After a two day trial, the mayor was found not guilty of the charge by the Court.

Honorable Margaret Foti, P.J.S.C. Bergen County Superior Court. The firm successfully defended a 27 year old Defendant by obtaining not guilty verdicts on all counts of the Indictment which alleged Two Counts of 2nd degree sexual assault, Two Counts of Criminal Sexual Contact and One Count of criminal restraint. The State’s last offer was eight years with 85%.

Arbitrator Gerard Restaino, NJTEACH. The law firm represented a tenured City of Orange Township school teacher who was fired for allegedly mistreating an autistic student. After the hearing, the arbitrator ordered the teacher reinstated to her position with full back pay. The decision was later affirmed by the Honorable Jeffrey Beachman, J.S.C.

The Honorable Diana Ferriero, J.W.C., Bergen County Workers Compensation Court. The firm represented a Newark Police Officer who injured his neck and back in a work related accident. The City of Newark offered no money to settle the case because they felt the injuries were preexisting. After a trial, the client was awarded $190,890.00.

Honorable Barbara J. Buono Stanton, J.S.C. Passaic County Superior Court. The firm successfully defended a Paterson School Teacher accused of three counts of official misconduct and three counts of aggravated sexual contact by obtaining not guilty verdict on all counts. The State’s last offer was five years with five years of parole ineligibility. Mr. Ricci later obtained over $300,000 in back pay for the teacher.

Honorable Laurie Sanders, A.L.J., Office of Administrative Law, Newark Vicinage. The law firm represented a cook who was injured while working at Passaic Valley High school. She was no longer able to work so she filed an application with P.E.R.S. Pension seeking a disability retirement. The P.E.R.S. Board denied her application. This firm filed the appeal and after a hearing, the injured worker was awarded an accidental disability pension.

Honorable Lisa Rose, J.S.C. Hudson County Superior Court. The law firm represented an electrician in a lawsuit versus the general contractor who severed a tendon in his right hand after slipping and falling on ice at a construction site. The Defendant offered zero dollars to settle the lawsuit. After a lengthy trial, the Jury awarded the Plaintiff $465,000.00 for his injuries.