Sills Cummis Epstein & Gross opens Plainsboro office
By: Lauren Otis
Sills Cummis Epstein & Gross PC, a prominent 180-member New Jersey law firm based in Newark, is opening a Princeton-area office in Plainsboro.
The office, which will be in operation Nov. 1, will initially be staffed by 10 attorneys, with that number to grow to 30 over the next six to 18 months, according to Max Crane, deputy managing partner of Sills Cummis.
The Princeton-area office is the first New Jersey satellite office for the firm, which also has offices in New York City.
"As part of our growth strategy, as we surveyed the landscape, we focused on Princeton," said Mr. Crane, adding, "It just seemed to be a natural fit."
He said there were several reasons for the firm’s decision to situate an office in the area. The fact that other law firms had set up successful offices in the region gained his firm’s attention, as well as the fact that a number of areas of strength for Sills Cummis corresponded to business sectors that were also strong in the Princeton area, Mr. Crane said. These areas include the life sciences, pharmaceutical and medical device industries, banking and financial services, land use and development, and regulatory sectors, he said.
"Our areas of specialization dovetail quite neatly with what we perceive as industries that are strong in the Princeton area," Mr. Crane said.
Given Sills Cummis’ history as a politically active law firm, with members of the firm regularly appointed to or returning from service in various administrations in Trenton former Sills Cummis partner Steven M. Goldman was appointed state commissioner of banking and insurance by Gov. Jon Corzine being a recent notable example the proximity of the state capital to the new office "will help" with the firm’s political activities, Mr. Crane said.
Six attorneys moving from Sills Cummis’ Newark office and four attorneys recruited from the Princeton area offices of law firm Reed Smith will initially form the Sills Cummis’ Plainsboro practice, Mr. Crane said.
His firm is currently negotiating with an additional six to 12 lawyers about joining the Plainsboro office, he said.
The new Sills Cummis office is located at 650 College Road East in Plainsboro.

