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Mr. Ash, CRE, joined Carlin & Ward in 2019 bringing 15 years of experience in real estate law for public projects to the representation of property owners in eminent domain acquisitions. Now a partner at Carlin, Ward, Ash & Heiart, LLC, his practice focuses on real estate litigation and trial advocacy in eminent domain matters and tax appeals. He collaborates with experts in various disciplines including real estate appraisers, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants. Mr. Ash is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a certified civil trial attorney, handling all aspects of condemnation valuation jury trials, commissioner hearings, and tax appeals in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Court, Tax Court, Supreme Court, and United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Southern District of New York. In 2018, he was awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which only about 50 are practicing attorneys. Mr. Ash has been recognized as “Rising Star” and Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain 2012 through 2022. He earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers University and his J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

Mr. Cannito is responsible for providing counsel to AmTrust’s independent agents in New Jersey, allowing them to close complex transactions, including larger commercial orders. He has examined titles and prepared title commitments and policies for more than 30,000 transactions, as well as for noninsured informational purposes. In addition, Mr. Cannito has been responsible for the conduct and oversight of the ordering of searches, as well as the examination of searches and the preparation of title reports, commitments and policies. His background in title searching and examination involves both residential matters and complex commercial transactions. Mr. Cannito earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in government and economics from Georgetown University. He earned a J.D. from Rutgers University. Mr. Cannito has served on the Board of Governors of the New Jersey Land Title Association, the Management Board of the Agency Section of the New Jersey Land Title Association, and various committees. He was also a representative on the Board of the New Jersey Land Title Insurance Rating Bureau and is a Certified Title Professional with the New Jersey Land Title Association.

The main focus of the Condemnation, Redevelopment, and Eminent Domain Group is property valuation litigation and representing private property owners in challenging the government’s right to take private property by the use of the power of eminent domain (also known as condemnation) and prosecuting inverse condemnation claims. Mr. Duggan regularly represents clients whose highway access and property rights have been revoked or taken by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, county agencies and utility companies, and has experience in handling all aspects of eminent domain, including relocation assistance, modification of highway access, and litigating the amount of just compensation. He represents property owners in urban redevelopment projects and pipeline cases, and he has experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Duggan also prosecutes real estate tax appeals for banks, developers, automobile dealerships, condominium and homeowners’ associations, shopping centers, and commercial property owners and is a member of the Firm’s Flood Litigation, Development & Mitigation Group. He has been awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which less than ten percent are practicing attorneys (www.cre.org). Mr. Duggan is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to bankruptcy, eminent domain and tax appeal matters. He earned his M.B.A. degree from Seton Hall University and his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Mr. Fox is chair of Capehart Scatchard’s Alternative Energy Group, representing clients in various sectors, including shopping centers, public and private schools, retail, office buildings, warehouses, farming, and residential properties. He has experience handling transactions related to photovoltaic solar powered electricity production systems including PPA, obtaining permits and approvals for utility-scale projects in southern New Jersey and solar systems for owners of industrial and commercial properties. Additionally, Mr. Fox serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Land Use Group, and he is a shareholder in its Commercial Litigation, and Business and Tax Groups. He has 35+ years of experience in these areas includes presenting land use applications before planning/zoning boards, litigating zoning matters at the trial and appellate levels, serving as solicitor to the Riverside Township Planning and Zoning Boards for eight years, protecting creditors’ rights, and performing as outside general counsel for various private companies with local, regional and national needs. Mr. Fox earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers College and his J.D. degree from California Western School of Law. He is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as before the U.S. District Courts for the districts of New Jersey, and Western and Eastern Pennsylvania.

Mr. Grather works diligently and knowledgeably to win favorable results for his clients, defending them against the governmental exercise of the power of eminent domain. He successfully manages the difficult and time-consuming process clients face in eminent domain cases, communicating clearly and frequently and allowing the client to focus on their business and other pursuits. A former Seton Hall Law School adjunct professor, Mr. Grather publishes articles on eminent domain and other issues, and he has participated in a number of reported eminent domain cases. He earned his B.A. degree from Saint Michael’s College, and his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Bio not available with high-ranking government officials.

Throughout his legal career, Mr. Banas has made his mark as a leading attorney combing hard work and dedication with his courtroom skills and presence. He began his career as a prominent defense attorney representing large hospital systems, where he honed the skills necessary to succeed in representing severely injured plaintiffs in personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Mr. Banas uses his knowledge of the defense to anticipate and counter defense tactics throughout all stages of litigation and at trial. Since joining Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP, Rob has focused his time on representing victims of medical malpractice, including traumatic brain and birth injuries, wrongful death, motor vehicle and trucking crashes, and defective products litigation. He is an experienced trial lawyer and a fierce competitor that works tirelessly to obtain the best recoveries for his clients. Throughout his career, Mr. Banas has been recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star as both a Plaintiff and Defense attorney – a distinction given to only 2.5% of lawyers in the State of New Jersey. He has also been recognized in Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, Marquis Who’s Who in America and The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40. Mr. Banas has been published in the New Jersey Law Journal on the topics of medical malpractice and professional liability. He is an active member of the New Jersey Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice, and the New Jersey State Bar Association Medical Malpractice Committee. Mr. Banas attended Robbinsville High School and then went on to obtain his undergraduate education at The College of New Jersey, where he received his B.S. in Business Management. He then attended law school at Rutgers University School of Law where he received his Juris Doctor. While attending Rutgers Law School, He was the Managing Editor of the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion and participated in Hunter Moot Court. Mr. Banas was awarded the Best Oralist award for his public speaking abilities during law school. While in law school, he served as an intern to the Honorable Tonianne Bongiovanni, United States Magistrate Judge for the District of New Jersey. After graduating law school, Robert served as a law clerk to the Honorable Anthony M. Massi, J.S.C., in the Civil Division of the New Jersey Superior Court, Mercer County. Mr. Banas is licensed to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Mr. Bernstein, has over 35 years of experience in navigating through the complexities of estate law and elder law. His main office is in Parsippany, New Jersey. However, he has satellite offices from Bridgewater, New Jersey to Mahwah, New Jersey, in Bergen, Essex, Union, Passaic, Morris and Somerset counties for the convenience of his clients. His practice extends into the specialty areas of special needs planning and guardianships as well as same-sex estate planning. Mr. Bernstein is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and a member of the Trust and Estates and the Elder Law and Disability Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He is a former deputy attorney general of the state of New Jersey where he represented the Division of Taxation. Mr. Bernstein is admitted to practice in the States of New Jersey and New York.

Ms. Edwards is the founder of Edwards Estate & Elder Law in Watchung, New Jersey. Practicing law for 24 years, she has focused on estate and elder law for the last 18 years. She serves a variety of clients of all ages, and all levels of wealth, and health. Ms. Edwards’s passion is to compassionately navigate crisis and think outside the box to create plans to provide her clients with peace of mind that if and when a health crisis or death happens, their dignity, wishes, and assets are preserved. Ms. Edwards often creates plans and makes recommendations for her clients’ long-term care utilizing what she refers to as her “medicine cabinet of resources” to fully inform her clients on their options for living and care. She zealously advocates for her litigation clients to resolve their legal issues, and protect elders who may be taken for granted, or worse, taken advantage of. Ms. Edwards holds a B.A. in Political Science from High Point University, a M.S. in Justice from The American University, and a J.D. from Seton Hall University. She was admitted to New Jersey in 1999 and the Supreme Court of the United States in 2012. Ms. Edwards is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Trust and Estates and the Elder Law and Disability Sections of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Ms. Ershow-Levenberg is a Partner of the Law Firm Fink Rosner ErshowLevenberg Marinaro LLC in Clark, NJ. She advises people who are aging, people with disabilities, and those who are caring for them. Clients seek Ms. Ershow-Levenberg’s advice to save their family home, pay for long-term nursing care, and to make arrangements to protect loved ones using trusts, wills, powers of attorney and guardianship. Special Needs Planning and Medicaid planning as well as probate and estates are a major part of her practice. She has been in the elder law field since 1995. Ms. Ershow-Levenberg was recognized by the Union County Bar Association in 2022 with its first Hon. James LaCorte Trusts, Estates and Elder Law Award She has always been an active mentor for young lawyers especially those who are starting their businesses. Ms. Ershow-Levenberg has been Certified (C.E.L.A.) in Elder Law since 1999 by the National Elder Law Foundation, the accrediting body which is recognized by the New Jersey Supreme Court and the American Bar Association and is a member of the National Academy of Elder law Attorneys (NAELA). She is the co-author with Peggy Sheehan-Knee of the Lexis-Nexis Practice Guide: NJ Elder Law, first published in 2008 with annual updates. Also, she has been selected each year as a “New Jersey Super Lawyer” in elder law by NJ Monthly Magazine/NJ Superlawyers Inc. Ms. Ershow-Levenberg has published articles on elder and disability law and is a frequent lecturer on elder law issues to professional and community groups. She received her B.A. magna cum laude from Douglass and her J.D. from Rutgers Law School-Newark. Ms. Ershow-Levenberg has been in practice in New Jersey since 1985.

 Ms. Koulosousas, is an Elder Law, Trusts and Estates attorney who assists her clients by crafting and implementing personalized estate plans. These include simple wills, complex trust structures, and everything in between. Part of Her planning and preparation services includes advising for individuals with special needs.  Ms. Koulosousas helps these clients by preparing special needs trusts and assisting trustees in the administration of these trusts. She represents clients in guardianships, including complicated, contested hearings and assists appointed legal guardians as to their ongoing obligations.  Ms. Koulosousas advises clients on asset preservation strategies for long-term care planning, including Medicaid planning and Medicaid applications. She represents clients in probate litigation, including will contests and fiduciary litigation.  Ms. Koulosousas also handles estate administration and serves as advisor for executors, trustees, guardians, and other fiduciaries. She herself has served as a court-appointed attorney, trustee, and guardian. She is admitted in New York and New Jersey.  Ms. Koulosousas’s practice has a particular focus on the needs of Greek American families. She is fluent in Greek and works closely with several professionals in the USA and in Greece to offer her clients full service, cross-border representation.

Mr. Lalas started in the insurance industry in 2004. He’s worked for several well-known corporations over the years but found his home as an Independent Agent based in Flemington NJ where he works to serve his clients instead of companies. In addition to NJ, He is licensed in: NY, PA, NH, NC, SC, FL, and NV. Mr. Lalas has spent the last 10 years dedicated to helping seniors navigate the “Medicare Maze” successfully. Through a fact-finding process along with education of their existing financial exposures, he will provide solutions which cap their costs and help bring peace of mind to his clients. As an Independent Agency, he works with all the major Insurance Carriers and offers all the plans available: Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage, drug plans along with dental, vision and hospital indemnity plans.

Ms. Tomlin is a partner at Hanlon Niemann & Wright, P.C. She focuses her practice on estate planning and estate administration for families who have a family member with a disability, creation of first party special needs trusts and third-party supplemental benefits trusts, guardianship, and accessing services from the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Division of Developmental Disabilities. She serves as a court appointed attorney to those alleged to be incapacitated and Court Appointed Guardian ad Litem. While in law school, Ms. Tomlin volunteered with the Domestic Violence Project and served as the Associate Managing Editor of the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion. As a City Year Greater Philadelphia AmeriCorps Member, she spent a year tutoring in inner city schools. She volunteers her time with the Monmouth County SPCA. Ms. Tomlin is a graduate of Bucknell University and Rutgers University School of Law. She holds an L.L.M. in Taxation from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. Ms. Tomlin is an Adjunct Faculty member of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Graduate Tax Department. She is also a member of the Elder Law Section and Disability Section and the Tax Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and a member of the Monmouth County Bar Association Chancery Practice Committee. Ms. Tomlin frequently lectures on a variety of disability-related legal topics.

Mr. Coppola  has been an avid conservationist his entire life. He holds a BS in Biology from North Carolina State University and MBA from Wake Forest University. Mr. Coppola has worked in many diverse research environments, from Microbiology / Marine Biology labs working with free swimming phyto and zooplankton to Entomology Labs working with honeybees and Trachael mites. He supplements his diverse background with advanced certifications, licenses and continually seeking out continuing education in support of his environmental profession. Professionally, Mr. Coppola is the founder of GreenWorks Environmental, LLC (GWE), an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) investigative and correction firm that coined the phrase “Healthy Starts at Home”. GWE is known for their practical approach to managing how the Built Environment collides with the Natural Environment. In fact, Their M.O.M. Services help property owners’ deal with the three most common issues degrading IAQ: Moisture, Odor & Mold. Degraded IAQ is the Firm’s focus where most of their clients suffer ill health effects from degraded IAQ.

Mr. Lieberman is a founding member of Lieberman Blecher & Sinkevich with over 30 years of environmental and land use legal experience. He was a former state Deputy Attorney General, who represented the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Mr. Lieberman regularly uses his regulatory experience in advising property owners, industrial operators, gas station owners, dry cleaner operators, and many other companies, individuals, and governments of their environmental compliance responsibilities and issues. He has represented developers and community organizations before planning and zoning boards throughout New Jersey. These cases have involved use variances, land use board approvals, storm water issues, septic design issues, cell tower cases and billboard cases. Mr. Lieberman has represented neighbors in noise, flooding, and odor disputes, and many oppositions to proposed warehouses throughout New Jersey. He served as the Vice Chair, and then as Chair of the Board of Consultors for the State Bar’s Real Property, Trust, and Estate Law Section and is currently an active member of that organization. Mr. Lieberman serves on the Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee. He is also currently associate counsel for the Association of Planning Board and Zoning Boards of Adjustment. Mr. Lieberman is the Chair of the Princeton Flood & Storm Water Commission. He also serves as a Board Member of Sustainable Princeton, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Ms. Paist-Goldman has more than 25 years of experience in water resource engineering with a particular focus in stream and wetland restoration and mitigation design. She is the principal and owner of Rippled Waters Engineering, LLC based in New Jersey. Her firm specializes in water resources engineering services for a variety of projects. She is an experienced hydrologic and hydraulic modeler and has worked extensively on design and analysis using a variety of hydrologic and hydraulic programs including HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, and HydroCAD. Ms. Paist-Goldman’s design expertise includes wetland restoration and mitigation; stream restoration; bridge repair and replacement; and dam repair, replacement, and removal. Specifically related to riverine systems, Ms. Paist-Goldman has extensive expertise with stream restoration, large woody debris, natural channel design and bioengineering stabilization techniques. Ms. Paist-Goldman has designed restoration projects of all sizes ranging from a few hundred feet to several miles of stream. These projects are planned for use as mitigation banks or serve as mitigation for development onsite. Working closely with restoration ecologists and landscape architects, Ms. Paist-Goldman has designed a variety of stream and wetland habitats including creation, enhancement, restoration, and preservation with a focus on sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Mr. Poling, President of PEA, has over 40 years of experience in the environmental consulting field and actively participates on every project we complete. This includes not only management but he often times is intimately involved in completion of tasks because of 1) his extensive technical background and training, 2) his vast experience in the environmental and consulting fields and 3) his attitude that each project is a reflection of himself. Besides his extensive education and training, He holds a multitude of licenses and certifications in the environmental consulting field. Those licenses include Licensed Site Remediation Professional (NJDEP) and Indoor Environmental Consultant (NJDH&SS).

Mr. Ash, CRE, joined Carlin & Ward in 2019 bringing 15 years of experience in real estate law for public projects to the representation of property owners in eminent domain acquisitions. Now a partner at Carlin, Ward, Ash & Heiart, LLC, his practice focuses on real estate litigation and trial advocacy in eminent domain matters and tax appeals. He collaborates with experts in various disciplines including real estate appraisers, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants. Mr. Ash is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a certified civil trial attorney, handling all aspects of condemnation valuation jury trials, commissioner hearings, and tax appeals in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Court, Tax Court, Supreme Court, and United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Southern District of New York. In 2018, he was awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which only about 50 are practicing attorneys. Mr. Ash has been recognized as “Rising Star” and Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain 2012 through 2022. He earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers University and his J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

Ms. Brennan concentrates her practice in the fields of redevelopment, land use, and eminent domain. She handles transactional and litigation matters, as well as entitlements. She has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting redevelopment agreements and associated documents and legislation. Ms. Brennan has also drafted and defended zoning and land use ordinances. She has successfully challenged land use board decisions in both New York and New Jersey, and has successfully defended redevelopment designations and agreements in Superior Court in New Jersey. Ms. Brennan has also counseled businesses and communities related to aviation and airports regarding compliance with federal and state environmental regulations, including the development of OSHA-required coursework for airport employees. Before she was an attorney, Ms. Brennan was a duty manager for a major airline. Ms. Brennan founded the Land Use and Redevelopment Committee of the Essex County Bar Association and is a member of the Aviation Law Committee of the New Jersey Bar Association and the Air and Space Law Committee of the NYC Bar.

Mr. Pollock is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Lawyer. This certification is bestowed by the Court upon select attorneys who demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in a specific area of law or practice and have been recognized by their peers as having sufficient skills and reputation in the designated area of law, among other requirements. Mr. Pollock also teaches trial practice and other related courses for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). In client references provided to Chambers USA, Mr. Pollock has been called “an excellent trial lawyer” who is a “very zealous advocate,” and who is “relentless, personable, intelligent and creative.” He has also been noted as someone with a “significant depth of experience and knowledge in environmental law” who also “is very knowledgeable about insurance.”

Mr. Sokolove is a nationally recognized flood causation / flood damage attorney with over 45 years’ experience representing businesses, individuals, developers, communities, and nonprofit organizations in a wide range of legal and regulatory matters involving flood insurance, flood risks, floodplain management, sea level rise, wetland regulation, lender liability and eco-development. Bob heads up the firm’s Flood Litigation Team, the only one of its kind in the country, made up of lawyers and paralegals dedicated to the pursuit of flood claims on behalf of individuals and entities which have suffered flood losses. Mr. Sokolove regularly litigates multi-party environmental disputes, inverse condemnation matters, and flooding and wetland related cases across the United States. Mr. Sokolove represents developers and communities in connection with the creation of sustainability and environmental projects on a for-profit-basis, and assisted in the creation of over seven billion dollars’ worth of saleable wetland and habitat credits through the development of the wetland mitigation banking concept. Mr. Sokolove has also represented some of the largest lending institutions in the country with respect to flood risk and portfolio analysis. In mid 2024, Mr. Sokolove and members of his Flood team obtained what is believed to be the largest flood litigation award in the country, ($23 million) against a municipality, which caused flood damage to four separate plaintiffs. Mr. Sokolove’s ability to leverage his knowledge and experience into tangible positive results for clients has made him a coveted speaker at conferences, a respected expert witness, and a published writer on subjects involving flood insurance and revenue creation through green initiatives. His clients include some of the largest developers and organizations in the country. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Sokolove holds a Certificate in hydraulics and hydrology from the University of California at Davis, which is extremely helpful when litigating flood matters and advising lenders, municipalities, developers, and real estate entities.

Mr. Ash, CRE, joined Carlin & Ward in 2019 bringing 15 years of experience in real estate law for public projects to the representation of property owners in eminent domain acquisitions. Now a partner at Carlin, Ward, Ash & Heiart, LLC, his practice focuses on real estate litigation and trial advocacy in eminent domain matters and tax appeals. He collaborates with experts in various disciplines including real estate appraisers, engineers, planners, and environmental consultants. Mr. Ash is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a certified civil trial attorney, handling all aspects of condemnation valuation jury trials, commissioner hearings, and tax appeals in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Court, Tax Court, Supreme Court, and United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and Southern District of New York. In 2018, he was awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which only about 50 are practicing attorneys. Mr. Ash has been recognized as “Rising Star” and Super Lawyer in Eminent Domain 2012 through 2022. He earned his B.A. degree from Rutgers University and his J.D. degree from New England School of Law.

Ms. Baillie’s practice focuses on land use in all its variety, including development applications, redevelopment plans and projects, affordable housing, land preservation, objector work, planning and zoning, and land use-related litigation. She represents both municipal clients (land use boards) as well as private clients, uniquely positioning her to understand both the public and private sides of the land use process. Before discovering her passion for land use, Ms. Baillie worked for many years as a transactional corporate attorney in New York City. Ms. Baillie holds law degrees from the University of Chicago Law School and Cambridge University in England, from where she originally hails.

Mr. Chou is a member of the Corporate, Foreign Direct Investment, Life Sciences, Renewable Energy & Sustainability, Real Estate, Land Use, Environmental and Commercial Leasing practice groups at Hill Wallack LLP. He concentrates his practice in areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate, environmental permitting, renewable energy projects, commercial real estate transactions, commercial leasing, construction contracts and land development matters. Mr. Chou has represented domestic and foreign companies, public entities and non-profits in a wide variety of commercial, environmental, renewable energy, leasing and land use matters. He has also represented foreign entities in various corporate matters related to their investments and transactions in the United States. Mr. Chou is admitted to practice in the State Courts of New Jersey (2000) and Pennsylvania (2000) and the U.S. District Court of New Jersey (2000). He received his law degree from Rutgers Law School. Following law school, Mr. Chou served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Lawrence M. Lawson, Assignment Judge of Monmouth County. He is a graduate of the Honors College of the University of Georgia. Mr. Chou is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.

The main focus of the Condemnation, Redevelopment, and Eminent Domain Group is property valuation litigation and representing private property owners in challenging the government’s right to take private property by the use of the power of eminent domain (also known as condemnation) and prosecuting inverse condemnation claims. Mr. Duggan regularly represents clients whose highway access and property rights have been revoked or taken by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, county agencies and utility companies, and has experience in handling all aspects of eminent domain, including relocation assistance, modification of highway access, and litigating the amount of just compensation. He represents property owners in urban redevelopment projects and pipeline cases, and he has experience in both state and federal courts. Mr. Duggan also prosecutes real estate tax appeals for banks, developers, automobile dealerships, condominium and homeowners’ associations, shopping centers, and commercial property owners and is a member of the Firm’s Flood Litigation, Development & Mitigation Group. He has been awarded the CRE® designation by the Counselors of Real Estate®, an international group of real estate professionals recognized as leading advisors in complex real property matters with approximately 1,000 members worldwide, of which less than ten percent are practicing attorneys (www.cre.org). Mr. Duggan is a frequent speaker and author on topics related to bankruptcy, eminent domain and tax appeal matters. He earned his M.B.A. degree from Seton Hall University and his J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.

Mr. Krauser is actively engaged in a wide range of commercial, industrial and vacant land assignments. He specializes in appraisals for tax appeals, condemnations, litigation and open space/land preservation. Mr. Krauser also provides corporate clients and institutional investors with an array of real estate consulting services for properties located throughout New Jersey and New York. He prepares and reviews appraisals, market studies and feasibility assignments to evaluate acquisition and disposition opportunities as well as for financing, tax appeals, bankruptcy proceedings, condemnation and asset management purposes. In addition, Mr. Krauser reviews large portfolio assignments throughout the U.S. pertaining to office, multifamily, industrial and retail properties. He joined Newmark Valuation & Advisory in 2017, when the firm acquired several affiliate offices of Integra Realty Resources (IRR). At the time of the acquisition, he was serving as a senior managing director in IRR’s Whippany office. Additionally, Mr. Krauser is qualified as an expert witness before the New Jersey Tax Court, New Jersey Superior Court, Federal Bankruptcy Court and various planning boards, commissioner hearings and county tax boards.

Mr. McNally has extensive experience in land-related litigation and transactions. Mr. McNally has been retained by a number of title insurance underwriters to litigate title claim matters on behalf of owners and lenders. He has also been retained by individual and corporate clients to address boundary line disputes. Mr. McNally has been appointed by the Superior Court of New Jersey to act as a boundary line commissioner. He has handled all aspects of commercial real estate transactions including but not limited to preparation and negotiation of contracts, assistance with due diligence, negotiation of loan documents, compliance with lender instructions and analysis of insurable and marketable title. Additionally, Mr. McNally focuses on the representation of industry professionals, such as architects and engineers. Mr. McNally is well-versed on the organization of legal entities and provides counsel to clients about the responsibilities of directors and officers. He is also a Rule 1:40 Qualified Mediator included on the roster of court-appointed mediators in the State of New Jersey. In July 2021 he joined with Paige M. Bellino, Esquire to form McNally & Bellino, LLC. Mr. McNally has been a speaker on title claim issues for New Jersey Land Title Association as well as having served as a panelist for several seminars concerning complex real estate transactions, title insurance coverage and claims and boundary issues. He has been an adjunct professor at Villanova Business School teaching a course in real estate law since the Spring 2024 semester. Mr. McNally appeared as a panelist at the 2023 and 2024 Survcon events in Atlantic City sponsored by the New Jersey Society of Professional Land Surveyors. During the 2024 Survcon event, he spoke on two separate panels; one on preparing and negotiating contracts and the other on surveyors serving as experts in litigation. Mr. McNally and his partner Paige M. Bellino successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in Green Knight v. Calderon, 252 N.J. 265 (2022) which resulted in an interpretation of the tax sale law favorable to their client. Mr. McNally is a member of the New Jersey Land Title Association, the Pennsylvania Land Title Association, the Cape May County Bar Association, an affiliate member of the Cape May County Association of Realtors and an affiliate member of the NEXUS Board of Realtors.

Mr. White has over 35 years of experience in engineering, ranging from compliance and industrial wastewater and air treatment system evaluations to remedial study/design projects. Mr. White works with clients across a variety of industries, including iron and steel, utilities, specialty chemicals, food and food additive processing, and petroleum refining. He has expertise in industrial wastewater and stormwater regulatory review and implementation support under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Mr. White earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Gorneau is responsible for offering innovative green infrastructure/low impact stormwater solutions that enable new applications and raise the bar on performance, cost effectiveness, and verification. He previously served as national manager of ACF Environmental/Ferguson Waterworks and as regional vice president for FABCO Industries where he was responsible for engineering design, specification, and installation of manufactured stormwater management systems. Mr. Gorneau earned a BS degree in Biological Systems Engineering and an MS degree in Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln which provided the necessary knowledge for him to launch his career into the technical sales and specified engineered products industry. He spent the subsequent time since graduation gaining experience and expanding his knowledge of the industry on a wide variety of civil and environmental engineering design projects for private and public sector clients. Mr. Gorneau is a registered professional engineer in Maine and New Hampshire, and he is a Maine certified stormwater inspector. He has been a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), serving as section president in 2014.

Mr. White has over 35 years of experience in engineering, ranging from compliance and industrial wastewater and air treatment system evaluations to remedial study/design projects. Mr. White works with clients across a variety of industries, including iron and steel, utilities, specialty chemicals, food and food additive processing, and petroleum refining. He has expertise in industrial wastewater and stormwater regulatory review and implementation support under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program. Mr. White earned a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and an M.S. degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Attorney/Shareholder, ScottHulse
Matt Armendariz is a real estate, corporate finance/lending, and general business attorney. An experienced lawyer, he advises a variety of clients on real estate, leasing, commercial lending/secured transactions, and general corporate and business matters.

His practice areas include Real Estate and Water Rights, Finance/Lending, and Corporate and Business Transactions. Matt’s real estate practice focuses on the representation of a diversity of clients, including owners, developers, homebuilders, investors, utilities, and financial institutions. In addition, Matt has extensive experience with commercial lending and general business and corporate transactions in a variety of industries.

Prior to joining ScottHulse, Matt worked in the corporate finance practice group at the Dallas office of a multinational, Vault Law 100 firm. There, his practice concentrated on a broad range of acquisition and commercial lending transactions including the representation of agent banks and commercial borrowers in connection with asset- and reserve-based financings within many different industries, including the upstream energy space.

Matt has been named a “Texas Rising Star” from 2017-2020 by Thomson Reuters. Matt is a member of the Texas Bar, the New Mexico Bar, the American Bar Association, and the Texas Young Lawyers Association.

Matt earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) from Stanford Law School where he was an associate editor for the Journal of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. He was also a member of the executive board of the Stanford Latino Law Students Association (SLLSA). He received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Yale University.

Of counsel, Montgomery & Andrews Law Firm
Stephen S. Hamilton is a trial lawyer with 36 years of experience in a wide range of civil litigation. His practice is currently primarily concentrated in the fields of condemnation and eminent domain, real property rights, commercial litigation, the representation of governmental entities and personal injury defense. He also is an experienced mediator of litigated cases.

Partner at Antus & Patton LLP of Midland, Texas
An experienced oil and gas attorney, Ryan Hetrick received Board Certification in Oil, Gas, and Mineral Law from the Texas Board of Legal Specializations in 2016. His practice focuses on providing clients with accurate and timely title opinions, as well as due diligence for their acquisitions and divestitures. He has considerable experience in oil and gas title issues, and has rendered countless Surface, Drilling, Division Order and Acquisition Title Opinions. Mr. Hetrick regularly advises and assists clients with interpreting and drafting deeds, assignments, and all other manner of instruments affecting title.

Melissa Martin is an associate attorney in ScottHulse’s transactional and litigation sections. Ms. Martin is a legal generalist whose practice focuses on real estate, corporate and securities, probate and estate planning, and business litigation. Prior to joining ScottHulse, Melissa Martin served as corporate and litigation counsel for a financial investment firm.

Ms. Martin earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence and Master of Arts in International Relations from the American University in Washington, DC. While in law school, she was a judicial extern at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Melissa Martin was also a member of the National Security Law Brief and researched international and domestic labor laws as a Research Fellow. While pursuing her master’s degree, she served as an Editor of the Journal of International Service.

Ms. Martin attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Anthropology with a minor in Middle Eastern and North African Studies. As an undergraduate, she was a research assistant for the UCLA Center for Middle East Development and a reporter for The Daily Bruin.

Quinn Scott Simons was born and raised in Santa Fe and is a fourth generation New Mexican. After attending undergraduate school at Colorado College (B.A. 1997), Quinn, an avid mountain climber, attempted an unclimbed route on a remote, 25,245’ peak in the Tibetan Himalayas. Due to an unexpected storm and highly technical climbing conditions at high altitude, Quinn suffered severe frostbite, costing him his fingers and feet. Undaunted by the challenges and adversity that ensued, Quinn started and ran a successful construction company in Santa Fe for several years, before moving to Kentucky to train horses.

After years in the horse business, Quinn reunited with his high school girlfriend, Veree, and chose to settle down and raise his family in Santa Fe. Quinn attended the University of New Mexico School of Law (J.D. 2013), and now maintains a successful law practice focused on construction and real estate law and litigation, general business law and litigation, and insurance law. He is licensed to practice in both New Mexico State and Federal courts with an emphasis on trial practice. 

Deputy General Counsel with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT)
Thomas L. Wyman is responsible for the Right-of-Way (ROW) Section of the legal department. The ROW Section provides legal support for all issues touching or effecting highway public ROW including acquisition of additional real property, access, fencing, public utility permits and ROW Use permits for private businesses, mobile cell towers and fiber-conduit facilities. The ROW Section also provides legal support for the Highway Beautification Act, enforcement and Outdoor Advertising permits covering billboards legible from the ROW and on-premises signs. Thomas has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering as well as his Juris Doctorate and has worked at the NMDOT for six years of his twelve years of practicing law. Thomas worked in ranching, construction and engineering for many years before law school.

Ms. Lemon has worked for the Surface Water Quality Bureau (SWQB) of the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) for 20 years. The mission of the SWQB is to preserve, protect, and improve New Mexico’s surface water quality for present and future generations. As Bureau Chief, She currently manages and oversees three technical teams that fulfill the state’s responsibilities under both the federal Clean Water Act and state Water Quality Act, such as developing and revising water quality standards, collecting and assessing water quality data, managing and reducing nonpoint source pollution, protecting and restoring wetlands, and implementing surface water protection regulations related to point source discharges. Ms. Lemon is a Board member for the national Association of Clean Water Administrators. Prior to joining the Department, She was a high school and middle school science teacher, outdoor educator, and dive master. Ms. Lemon earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s degree in Hydrology from the University of Arizona.

Ms. Russo Baca is the staff attorney and Ombudsman Program Director at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In both roles that she fulfills, her mission is to support and represent constituents in a fair and unbiased manner. As the Ombudsman Program Director, she guides the activities of the Joe M Stell Ombudsman Program, a statewide program that provides impartial adjudication information and procedural guidance to unrepresented water rights claimants in the State of New Mexico. Ms. Russo Baca also manages the Native American Water Right Settlements E-Repository. She contributes significantly to the Utton Center’s overall mission of providing objective research-based public service to New Mexico’s communities on energy, climate change, ecological conservation, food systems, and international natural resource management issues. Ms. Russo Baca undergraduate degree is in agroecology, and she holds both Indian Law and Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificates from the UNM School of Law. She has also served on the Tribal Law Journal as a staff member and editor and received the Dean’s Award upon graduation. During the Spring 2024 semester, she taught the inaugural Agricultural Law class at the UNM School of Law. Ms. Russo Baca is currently the Chair of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors, holding Position No. 1, At-Large.

Quinn Scott Simons was born and raised in Santa Fe and is a fourth generation New Mexican. After attending undergraduate school at Colorado College (B.A. 1997), Quinn, an avid mountain climber, attempted an unclimbed route on a remote, 25,245’ peak in the Tibetan Himalayas. Due to an unexpected storm and highly technical climbing conditions at high altitude, Quinn suffered severe frostbite, costing him his fingers and feet. Undaunted by the challenges and adversity that ensued, Quinn started and ran a successful construction company in Santa Fe for several years, before moving to Kentucky to train horses.

After years in the horse business, Quinn reunited with his high school girlfriend, Veree, and chose to settle down and raise his family in Santa Fe. Quinn attended the University of New Mexico School of Law (J.D. 2013), and now maintains a successful law practice focused on construction and real estate law and litigation, general business law and litigation, and insurance law. He is licensed to practice in both New Mexico State and Federal courts with an emphasis on trial practice. 

Ms. Bowman Bowman currently teaches water law, administrative law, natural resources and property at the University of New Mexico School of Law. Her work has been cited in the New York Times, and she is a sought after expert in infrastructure, water, energy and regulation who has been interviewed by PBS, CNN, and Democracy Now.  Ms. Bowman has extensive law and policy experience in local, state and federal government, as well as in the non-profit sector. Ms. Bowman has published widely on infrastructure, telecommunications and regulatory issues. She has consulted for the Kenyan Government, USAID, the United Nations, and the U.S. State Department. Before joining The University of New Mexico, she taught at the University of Tulsa, the American University in Cairo, Egypt during the revolution of 2011, as well as at the University of Mississippi, the University of Arkansas and Kabarak University in Kenya. In 2023, she published a book with Palgrave McMillan Digital Development in East Africa: The Distribution, Diffusion, and Governance of Information Technology.

Ms. Jones draws on extensive environmental compliance and enforcement experience to provide strategic counsel to energy and natural resources clients on environmental litigation and regulatory enforcement matters. Ms. Jones represents energy and natural resources clients in environmental litigation and regulatory compliance matters. She helps clients navigate complex environmental issues ranging from New Mexico water law matters to defending against government enforcement actions and counseling clients on regulatory compliance strategies.

Having served for nearly a decade as a trial attorney with the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, Ms. Jones gained unique insight into federal agency decision-making processes and enforcement priorities. This perspective allows her to anticipate potential regulatory hurdles and develop practical, collaborative approaches that align with clients’ legal requirements and business objectives. Ms. Jones’s experience spans the full spectrum of federal litigation and includes multiple oral arguments and complex e-discovery matters. She has worked on matters affecting the energy sector, including oil and gas operations, mining projects, and infrastructure development. She brings extensive experience negotiating resolutions among diverse stakeholders through consent decrees and settlement agreements.

Ms. Russo Baca is the staff attorney and Ombudsman Program Director at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In both roles that she fulfills, her mission is to support and represent constituents in a fair and unbiased manner. As the Ombudsman Program Director, she guides the activities of the Joe M Stell Ombudsman Program, a statewide program that provides impartial adjudication information and procedural guidance to unrepresented water rights claimants in the State of New Mexico. Ms. Russo Baca also manages the Native American Water Right Settlements E-Repository. She contributes significantly to the Utton Center’s overall mission of providing objective research-based public service to New Mexico’s communities on energy, climate change, ecological conservation, food systems, and international natural resource management issues. Ms. Russo Baca undergraduate degree is in agroecology, and she holds both Indian Law and Natural Resources and Environmental Law Certificates from the UNM School of Law. She has also served on the Tribal Law Journal as a staff member and editor and received the Dean’s Award upon graduation. During the Spring 2024 semester, she taught the inaugural Agricultural Law class at the UNM School of Law. Ms. Russo Baca is currently the Chair of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District Board of Directors, holding Position No. 1, At-Large.

Rin Tara began working at the Utton Center as a staff attorney in the fall of 2023. They graduated cum laude from the University of New Mexico School of Law in May 2023, where they earned a certificate in Natural Resources and Environmental Law. Upon graduation, Rin received the Honorable Pete Domenici Award for Environmental Excellence. In addition to their studies, they served as both an editor and a staff member for the Natural Resources Journal and a board member for the Environmental Law Society.

During their time as a law student, Rin worked as a research assistant for the Utton Center, as well as a legal intern in positions with the United States Department of the Interior Solicitor’s Office Water Resources Division, the United States Department of Agriculture Office of General Counsel, and the nonprofit organization, American Rivers. As staff attorney specializing in water policy and governance, Rin is primarily interested in questions of water management in the face of climate change. They have done work in riparian restoration, river connectivity, tribal water sovereignty, climate change adaptation, and water rights. Rin is delighted to continue research on these topics in the service of the state of New Mexico, through the Utton Center.

Mr. Moormann, PE, RA, earned a 5-year Bachelor of Architecture degree and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He is dually a licensed as a registered architect and a licensed Professional Engineer in the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other states and holds multiple professional affiliations and certifications. Mr. Moormann has spent a large portion of his 18+ year career involved in heavy construction and new building development in the New York City market under various capacities of geotechnical, excavations, demolition, remediation, and structural design works. Notable projects include MoMa Tower Verre; 432 Park Avenue; World Trade Center Towers 2, 3 & 4; 220 Central Park; Nordstrom Tower; and currently under construction 740 8th Avenue. Mr. Moormann has been directly involved with over 750 construction projects in the tri-state region. Additionally, he has held a technical director position in multiple engineering companies overseeing all special inspection operations. He is co-owner and principal of Ancora Engineering based out of mid-town Manhattan. Mr. Moormann also has his own private architecture and engineering practice focused on the local market around his New Jersey home.

CLM Engineering is a multi-faceted engineering firm offering construction management and engineering, and forensic investigations. Mr. Moskowitz is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Moskowitz earned his B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maine, his Master of Business Administration from the University of Bridgeport, his Master in Construction Administration from Columbia University, and his Certificate in Mediation from Quinnipiac College School of Law.

Ms. Mellor has over 30 years’ experience in building energy conservation. She recently retired from her position as Senior Energy Code Compliance Auditor with the Department of Buildings Bureau of Sustainability. In that capacity, she trained energy code inspectors and auditors, developed references and
training materials for the review of energy code-related construction documents and inspection reports, and oversaw the resolution of energy code infractions. Ms. Mellor hopes to pass along the knowledge gained from her experience to construction industry professionals and to the public.

Ms. Mellor has over 30 years’ experience in building energy conservation. She recently retired from her position as Senior Energy Code Compliance Auditor with the Department of Buildings Bureau of Sustainability. In that capacity, she trained energy code inspectors and auditors, developed references and
training materials for the review of energy code-related construction documents and inspection reports, and oversaw the resolution of energy code infractions. Ms. Mellor hopes to pass along the knowledge gained from her experience to construction industry professionals and to the public.

Founder of Grin Sustainability in 2013
Grin Sustainability is a full-service consulting firm specializing in the sustainable built environment. Collaborating with building owners in pursuit of green building certifications, sustainable design facilitation and high-performance building training. Mr. Rosen is a New York State registered architect, LEED Fellow, certified energy manager, certified Passive House consultant, and certified healthcare facilities manager with over 35 years’ experience in the design, construction, and operation of healthcare facilities. His undergraduate degree and master’s degrees were earned at The New York Institute of Technology in Architecture and Energy Management, respectively. Mr. Rosen is the immediate past vice chairman of the Indoor Environmental Quality Technical Advisory Group for USGBC National, and he is a past chairman of the Water Efficiency Technical Advisory Group. Locally, he serves as a board member for the USGBC-LI Chapter, as well as being a past board member for the AIA-Long Island Chapter, where he chaired the Sustainable Design Committee. Mr. Rosen is an adjunct professor in the School of Architecture and Design at the New York Institute of Technology, currently instructing students in Sustainable Design, Building Construction, Building Code, ADA, and Environmental Systems. Working with the Urban Green Council, he is actively training architects, engineers, contractors, and code officials about the new NYC Energy Conservation Code. To date, he has trained more than 2,000 architects and engineers in New York State about the nuances of the current energy code. Formerly, Mr. Rosen served as the Director of Sustainability for Northwell Health, a large non-profit health system in the Greater NYC area. While there he was responsible for initiating and coordinating the System’s Sustainability Initiatives. He successfully led his team to 20 LEED certifications including 3 at the Platinum Level and 4 at the Gold Level.

Mr. Arbuco, concentrates his practice on Medicaid Planning and Estate Planning. He believes it is crucial to plan for the future of yourself and your loved ones. Mr. Arbuco received a B.S. in Global Studies: Political Economy and Development and a B.A. in Italian Studies from the University of Arizona, graduating in 2016. He received a J.D. from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, graduating Cum Laude in 2021. Mr. Arbuco is admitted to practice law in New York. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) and the Westchester County Bar Association (WCBA).

Ms. Ball’s Law Offices are a practice that concentrates on elder law issues, matters affecting the developmentally disabled, trust and estate planning options, including will preparation, and estate administration. As a former Assistant District Attorney, She investigated home repair schemes against the elderly community. Ms. Ball has been appointed as guardian, guardian ad litem, court evaluator, and attorney for the alleged incapacitated person, as well representing clients in guardian proceedings involving elderly and disabled individuals.

Ms. Enea, concentrates her practice on Wills, Trusts and Estates, Medicaid Planning, Special Needs Planning and Probate/Estate Administration. She believes that it is never too early or too late to start planning for your future and enjoys working with individuals to ensure that their plan best suits their needs. An active member of the local bar associations, Ms. Enea was appointed to the Executive Committee of the Westchester County Bar Association (WCBA) Trusts and Estates Section. She is also the co-chair of the WCBA New Lawyers Section, treasurer of the Columbian Lawyers Association of Westchester County, and chair of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law and Special Needs Section Publications Committee and co-editor of the NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Section Journal. Ms. Enea is a past co-chair of the NYSBA Elder Law and Special Needs Section 2020 Fall Meeting and the Elder Law and Special Needs Section 2022 Summer Meeting.

Mr. Korsinsky, is a founding partner at Korsinsky & Klein, LLP. He manages the firm’s litigation groups and Health Care Department, which includes appearing before various courts as well as those matters before administrative tribunals at various government agencies. He concentrates and dedicates most of his time with construction litigation, Elder Law and Health Law matters. Mr. Korsinsky also represents nursing homes throughout New York State, advising them in all areas of reimbursement related issues. He has extensive experience in representing nursing homes in Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 Guardianship proceedings in an effort to obtain Medicaid eligibility for their residents. Mr. Korsinsky also advises and represents healthcare facilities in an effort to solve complex discharge planning problems. He has brought actions in New York State Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court to solve clients’ accounts receivables troubles. Mr. Korsinsky is recognized in New York State in the elder law and guardianship field. He has given numerous lectures to Nursing Home and Hospital Associations in an effort to have these entities streamline their nursing home admissions process and limit their potential liability from non-paying individuals.

Clients have turned to Ms. Laidlaw for 20 years on a broad range of trust and estate planning needs, including wills, trusts, guardianship, probate, and estate administration. She also works with clients in matters regarding elder law, special needs planning, Medicaid, long-term care asset protection, small business planning, and high net worth estate tax planning. Additionally, Ms. Laidlaw handles fiduciary litigation concerning trusts, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and related accountings.  She is a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), one of approximately 400 attorneys in the U.S. who hold this designation, as accredited by the National Elder Law Foundation and the American Bar Association. As an executive committee member of the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section, Ms. Laidlaw is one of an elite group of attorneys who help advocate and set policy on matters that impact the elderly and special needs community. She frequently lectures and educates on topics such as Medicaid as it relates to long-term care financing; special needs planning; and probate, estates, and gift tax issues. Ms. Laidlaw is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP). STEP, a global organization whose members come from 98 countries, is the global professional association for practitioners who specialize in family inheritance and succession planning.

Ms. Murdoch joined the Medicare Rights Center in 2014. As Director of Client Services, she oversees programmatic operations of the Client Services Department. This includes the national helpline; Medicare Rights Center’s participation in state ombudsman and technical assistance programs such as New York’s Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP), Community Health Access to Addiction and Mental Healthcare Project (CHAMP), the Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN), and Community Health Advocates (CHA); and Medicare Rights Center’s volunteer and intern program. Previously, Ms. Murdoch served as the Helpline & Volunteer Coordinator, managing helpline counselors who work directly with beneficiaries to advocate for access to care, services, and benefits available through Medicare and Medicaid. She has a B.S. from The University of Chicago and an M.S.W. from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to joining the Medicare Rights Center, Ms. Murdoch worked at Catholic Charities Senior Services in Chicago, coordinating community-based services and home care for older adults.

Mr. Polizzotto III practicing in Estate Planning & Administration, Litigation, Family Law, Elder Law, Real Estate, Financial Planning, and more.

Mr. Dax has been practicing law since 1978 focused on energy regulation and environmental permitting. His practice and client base has evolved with the dramatic shifts the energy industry has experienced over those four and a half decades. Mr. Dax has extensive experience in energy infrastructure development and regulation, environmental permitting and compliance, administrative law, local land use law, contract negotiation, government procurement, and appellate litigation. He is active in licensing renewable electricity generation, transmission and storage facilities and counseling developers, large energy consumers, investors and lenders in the energy and utility industries on regulatory and commercial strategies and compliance issues. Mr. Dax appears before federal, state, and municipal agencies with responsibility for energy regulation and environmental protection, and local land use control as well as in New York State and federal courts. After graduating from Columbia Law School he served as an assistant counsel to the New York State Public Service Commission and as an assistant counsel in the Office of Counsel to New York Governor Hugh Carey. He has been in private practice since 1983 and a partner in Hodgson Russ LLP since 2021.

Mr. Lang is a partner with Couch White LLP. He assists clients in matters before state and federal energy regulatory agencies and involving utilities and electric system operators, energy procurement options, generation development and siting, asset divestiture and acquisition, and other energy-related transactions. His clients include the City of New York, State University of New York, University of Massachusetts, Cornell University, numerous Fortune 500 companies, generation owners and developers, financial institutions, and other individuals and companies participating in energy markets. Prior to joining Couch White, Mr. Lang worked for the New York State Department of Public Service as a managing attorney and before that, as an assistant counsel. While with DPS, he successfully defended the New York State Public Service Commission in court challenges to PSC decisions, led staff teams in numerous rate cases, was instrumental in maximizing the value received by New York ratepayers from the divestiture of the New York public utilities’ nuclear, fossil-fueled, and hydroelectric generating facilities, and routinely advised the PSC on policy and other issues.

Sam M. Laniado is a partner with Read and Laniado, LLP. He graduated from New York University School of Law in 1976. He joined the staff of the NYS Department of Public Service (NYSDPS) in September 1976. Mr. Laniado represented Staff in environmental, transmission, and power plant siting proceedings pursuant to Articles VII and VIII of the PSL, the investigation of the extended outage at Consolidated Edison’s Indian Point II Generating Station, and the development of phase-in ratemaking principles to be applied when nuclear power plants were scheduled to enter rate base. His duties also included directly advising the NYSDPS on a wide range of legal, regulatory and environmental issues. Furthermore, he provided representation of the NYS Public Service Commission and the NY Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment in appellate litigation proceedings (Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules). Mr. Laniado also represented the Staff in cases involving electric rates as well as gas, telephone and water rate cases. He left the NYSDPS for private practice in December 1983. Mr. Laniado leads the Firm’s power plant and transmission line siting practice.

Zachary Perdek is an attorney with Read and Laniado, LLP. Mr. Perdek has represented clients before state and federal administrative agencies, including the New York State Public Service Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the New York Independent System Operator, and New York State and federal courts. He is active in administrative proceedings in matters involving the permitting and siting of renewable energy projects, gas and electric rate proceedings, cost- and market-based rate design, and regulation of competitive wholesale electricity suppliers. During his time in law school, Mr. Perdek served as the editor-in-chief of the Syracuse University Journal of International Law and Commerce, and as a member of the Class Act Committee. Mr. Perdek has had legal internships with NYSDEC Region 7 and the New York State Office of the Attorney General Environmental Protection Bureau, where he familiarized himself with New York State’s environmental regulatory regime, wrote enforcement petitions, and engaged in settlement deliberations. He graduated from Syracuse University College of Law with a J.D. and graduated from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Master of Professional Studies in Natural Resources Management.

Mr. Pond is a partner with Barclay Damon LLP. A former trial attorney in the Antitrust Division of the US Department of Justice, he primarily concentrates his practice on the interplay between regulation and competition in energy markets. Mr. Pond represents electric and gas utilities, pipeline companies, generators, and marketers in administrative proceedings before the NY Public Service Commission (PSC) and the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) as well as in commercial matters and proceedings before the NY Independent System Operator, Inc. (NYISO). He assists generators and transmission providers in connection with the siting of new facilities under Articles 7 and 10 of the Public Service Law and also advises generators, pipeline companies, and commercial landowners in obtaining lightened regulation from the PSC. He also obtains approvals for transfers of assets and ownership interests under the Public Service Law, counsels retail energy service providers in matters before the PSC, and assists electric-power marketers in obtaining market-based rate authority from FERC and in complying with FERC’s evolving regulatory requirements for market-based rate authority.

Mr. Noviello is an Attorney-at-Law, a Professional Engineer, and a Land Surveyor who enjoys teaching. In addition to teaching continuing education courses for Attorneys-at-Law, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Architects, he has taught real property law, survey law, alpine skiing, and, more recently, adaptive skiing. Mr. Noviello received his Masters of Engineering degree, his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, with honors, and his AAS degree in Engineering, all from Rochester Institute of Technology. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law-Newark. Mr. Noviello has maintained a professional engineering firm and a general practice law firm since 1984 and has practiced land surveying since 1991 including 10 years in industry and six years in government. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Mr. Noviello is a licensed Land Surveyor in New York and Connecticut. He is an Attorney-at-Law in New York and New Jersey State Courts, the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Court for the Southern District of New York, and the Federal Court for the State of New Jersey.

Mr. Feeney is responsible for project management, code consulting, engineering, and design on a wide range of industrial, commercial, educational, institutional, residential, and government sector projects. His experience in fire protection includes facility and campus-wide fire alarm and mass notification design, site fire water storage and distribution systems, fire and life safety code consulting, and special hazard fire protection design. He focuses heavily on industrial fire protection, including warehousing and high-piled storage, manufacturing, and hazardous materials storage and use. He has given several presentations on removal of AFFF foam extinguishing systems and engineering & design of replacement systems for ignitable liquid hazards, and has worked on projects both across the United States and worldwide. Mr. Feeney received a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manhattan College and a master’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He is a licensed Professional Engineer and certified Code Enforcement Official in New York State. He is involved in the SFPE (Society of Fire Protection Engineering) New York State Empire Chapter and is an active member of various professional organizations, including SFPE, NFPA, AFAA, and ICC.

Ms. Swan obtained her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a Management minor from Purdue University. She is a member of the NFPA 232 Technical Committee, a member of the Sustainability and Resilience Work Group of the SFPE Global Challenges Initiative, and a member of both the Storage and Manufacturing and Assembly Facilities Task Groups contributing to the development of NFPA 800. She also served as a member on the Advisory Panel for the development of the SFPE report Fire Testing of Resilient and Sustainable Building Materials. Ms. Swan’s technical expertise includes building and fire codes, suppression and fire alarm system design, nuclear fire protection, lithium-ion battery fire protection and safety, fire hazard analyses, hazardous material analyses, high-piled storage permitting, and performance-based inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems. She has specialized expertise in hazardous material analyses and lithium-ion battery fire hazard assessments, with extensive experience supporting industrial, storage, DOE, nuclear, high-rise, and lithium-ion battery facilities, as well as projects for the General Services Administration. In her role at RAN, Ms. Swan is responsible for code consulting, design, and field work across federal and private-sector projects throughout the United States.

Mr. Tamblin’s position in the firm requires him to acquire work, develop business relationships to further the company and manage projects. As a lead Professional Engineer, his responsibilities include comprehensive code analysis, designing fire protection systems, contract drawings and specifications, as well as project coordination and cost estimating. Mr. Tamblin’s education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the State University of New York at Buffalo, along with a Master of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland. With over 10 years of experience, Mr. Tamblin has worked in fire protection design on commercial, healthcare, industrial, higher education and residential buildings as well as Battery Energy Storage Systems. He has designed fire protection systems for these types of buildings, including fire alarm, fire pump, water supply, sprinkler/standpipe, water spray, hybrid and clean agent systems. His experience with existing buildings includes the documentation of as-built conditions for fire protection system plans to evaluate system reliability and code/standard compliance. Mr. Tamblin’s knowledge of National, State and NFPA Codes make him an expert in fire protection and life safety code analysis.

Mr. Fleischer is the founder and principal of Capital Environmental Consultants, Inc. He is an environmental scientist and professional wetland scientist with more than 15 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry. Mr. Fleischer has conducted wetland and ecological investigations at properties throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Long Island, and the Lower and Mid-Hudson Valley. His areas of expertise include all aspects of federal, state, and local wetland analysis including freshwater and tidal delineation, specializing in comprehensive determinations for routine, atypical, and problem wetlands. Mr. Fleischer has extensive experience developing solutions and providing strategic advice for a wide range of clients and projects. He holds a BS degree in Biology from SUNY New Paltz and an MS degree in Environmental Science from Pace University.

Mr. Scarborough joined Young/Sommer in 2023 and focuses his area of practice on energy, environmental, and land use law. Prior to joining, Austin worked at other law firms in the Capital Region, where he assisted clients on various energy, environmental, land use, and cybersecurity matters. He provides counsel on matters such as environmental compliance, due diligence, and obtaining permits and approvals at local and state levels. He also regularly presents on wetlands issues and updates at the state and federal level.

Dr. Schultz’s research focuses on the interaction between ecosystem functioning and plant community (diversity and composition). Her specialties include wetland ecology, ecosystem ecology, plant functional traits, and carbon cycling dynamics. She earned her Ph.D. degree in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University.

Mr. Sturm has been a practicing wetland scientist since he joined the firm in 2012 and has been a partner since 2019. He has delineated and/or assisted with delineating hundreds of acres of freshwater and tidal wetlands and has managed and conducted numerous surveys for endangered/threatened flora and fauna. In addition, Mr. Sturm conducts or assists with conducting environmental analyses such as air quality and sound level studies on a wide range of projects. He is a project manager in his own right but frequently provides technical assistance in terms of AutoCAD drawings and data collection. A graduate from Stony Brook University, Mr. Sturm obtained a B.S. degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and a B.A. degree in German Language and Literature. He currently holds the designation of Professional Wetland Scientist (PWS #3470). While not working he enjoys his time outdoors, often found birding and hiking throughout Long Island, as well as looking for owls and moths at night.