LEGAL SPECIAL REPORT
By: Mike Mathis
The law is big business in Mercer County, literally and figuratively.
The county is home to numerous large law firms that concentrate on a variety of specialties ranging from the environment and land use to government and health care.
That’s fitting, local lawyers say, because Mercer County is the seat of state government, pharmaceutical firms are based nearby, new office parks and corporate headquarters are being erected and older areas are being gentrified.
Membership in the Mercer County Bar Association has grown by 10 to 15 percent over the past several years, said Francine Kowalczyk, the association’s executive director. Ms. Kowalczyk, in an e-mail interview, said the real estate, municipal court, family and criminal sections are the most active sections of the association.
"The word is definitely getting out that Mercer County is a great, cordial place to do business," Ms. Kowalczyk said. "I get numerous calls a week from vendors wanting to do business with my members."
One of Mercer County’s largest law firms is Stark & Stark, which has 99 attorneys in its Lawrence office. The firm, which has had a presence in Mercer County since 1933, also has locations in Marlton, Philadelphia and New York.
Richard DeLuca, Stark & Stark’s director of business development, said the firm’s roots are in personal injury work but that land use, real estate and community association as well as personal injury work are now among the firm’s busiest practice areas.
Stark & Stark’s franchise and compliance groups also have been active, Mr. DeLuca said.
Land use and real estate are particularly important practice areas as the focus of development efforts in New Jersey shifts from farmland and forests to so-called brownfields, redevelopment areas in inner cities and in older suburban areas. Mr. DeLuca said Stark & Stark also has been at the forefront of client outreach. Among the innovative approaches to client care the firm has instituted are blogs that provide information about court decisions, legislation and news, and a 10-minute weekly podcast with updates on legislation and business.
"We have been around for a long time, but we’re keeping up with the technology," Mr. DeLuca said.
Among the areas of focus at Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein, Blader & Lehmann in Lawrence are personal injury, general litigation, worker’s compensation, pharmaceutical, labor and business law, said Barry Szaferman, the firm’s managing partner.
Mr. Szaferman said the matrimonial practice in the 24-attorney firm has grown steadily in recent years and will continue to be strong in the future.
Szaferman Lakind doesn’t represent municipalities because it often represents clients that are forced to file lawsuits against governments, Mr. Szaferman said.
While some law firms eschew government work, Hill Wallack of West Windsor has taken advantage of its location close to the state capital to build a solid regulatory and governmental relations practice.
Robert W. Basco, managing partner of the 55-attorney firm, said the practice is booming and will continue to thrive as laws change and regulations tighten. The firm represents municipalities throughout the state, serves as counsel to the New Jersey Casino Reinvestment Development Authority, and provides counseling and advocacy to clients who interact with federal, state and local governments.
"It’s one of the fields I believe will experience the most growth," Mr. Basco said of the regulatory and governmental relations practice.
"(Businesses and taxpayers) are navigating a maze called government and they need it to get someplace, but they’re not sure how it’s done or how to do it," Mr. Basco said. Mr. Basco also cited commercial real estate development, banking and secured transactions and creditors rights, insurance defense and workers compensation as active practice areas at Hill Wallack.
The employment area has grown more sophisticated because of the growing number of workers who have become more aware of their rights, Mr. Basco said. Hill Wallack represents both employers and disgruntled workers in legal actions, he said.
"People are much more aware of what their rights are in the workplace, and they’re more inclined to act on those rights," Mr. Basco said.
Dennis Casale, co-managing partner at Pepper Hamilton, identified financial services as a practice area he predicts will continue to flourish in the future.
Pepper Hamilton, which employs 25 lawyers in its West Windsor office and a total of 425 attorneys in 10 offices from New York to Orange County, Calif., represents numerous mortgage companies and banks, Mr. Casale said.
Mr. Casale said Pepper Hamilton also represents pharmaceutical firms such as Eli Lilly. Mr. Casale said he believes the pharmaceutical practice will grow as more class action lawsuits are filed by consumers against drug manufacturers. Pepper Hamilton has vibrant mergers and acquisitions and corporate and securities practices that are "part of the economic growth that Princeton has experienced," Mr. Casale said.
Mr. Casale attributes the firm’s growth to a combination of strong growth areas and the firm’s Mercer County location, which is a hotbed for much of the state’s economic activity.
Mr. Szaferman is bullish on his firm’s potential for growth as well: It’s about to expand its 16,000square-foot space on Grovers Mill Road by 5,000 square feet to accommodate an additional six lawyers. Mr. Szaferman said he is in the process of finalizing negotiations.
Ms. Kowalczyk, the bar association executive director, said her organization offers advertising opportunities on its Web site and has launched a municipal court law Web site, www.muni-mail.com in an effort to forge new partnerships and to foster membership growth.
"I feel keeping current with technology and trends has helped our attendance at our events," Ms. Kowalczyk said. "I have to rely on partnerships, innovative ideas and thinking outside the box in order to compete in this industry."

