Norris McLaughlin Welcomes Senior Counsel Phillips

[Photo Credit: Photos by Lynn Goodwin.]

Norris McLaughlin & Marcus in Bridgewater welcomed Karen E. Phillips as senior counsel in the executive compensation and employee benefits group. Phillips represents clients in connection with employee benefits and compensation-related aspects of corporate transactions, financing arrangements and public offerings, including negotiation, review and drafting of transactional documents, supervision of due diligence, and identification of issues arising under the Internal Revenue Code, ERISA and applicable federal securities laws and exchange regulations. She also advises clients on nonqualified employee compensation plans, and represents clients in connection with defined contribution retirement plans and defined benefit pension plans. Phillips received her LL.M. in taxation with distinction from Georgetown University Law Center, her J.D. from the University of Michigan, and her A.B. from the University of Chicago. She is a member of The Alumni Society and the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Smuro Joins Pashman Stein Walder Hayden's Family Law Group

Matthew Smuro

Pashman Stein Walder Hayden in Hackensack brought on board Matthew Smuro as counsel in the family law group. Smuro was previously the chair of the matrimonial department at Chamlin, Rosen, Uliano & Witherington in West Long Branch. Smuro represents clients in all phases of matrimonial litigation, arbitration and mediation, handling a range of matters including divorce, custody and visitation, alimony, equitable distribution, and child support. He also has significant experience resolving cohabitation disputes that center around the payment of alimony. Smuro earned his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law and his B.A. from Clemson University. Following law school, he clerked for Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Eugene A. Iadanza. Previously, he was a law clerk for the House Judiciary Committee and the Family Law Subcommittee with the South Carolina House of Representatives.

“I am pleased to join the Family Law Group at Pashman Stein, and to work alongside colleagues who are committed to providing empathetic support and smart counsel to our family law clients. My goal is to help each client move from one chapter of their lives into the next with understanding and guidance,” Smuro said in a statement.

Lehrer Joins McManimon Scotland

Alexander D. Lehrer joined McManimon, Scotland & Baumann in Roseland as an associate. He focuses on environmental and land use law, and has experience with CERCLA litigation, and representation of both municipal boards and representation of developers before planning and zoning boards. In 2009 Lehrer received his B.A. from Rutgers University with a major in history and minor in political science. In 2013, he received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. After graduation, Lehrer served as a law clerk in Union County Superior Court. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey state court and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

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Sills Cummis Adds Portantino

Sills Cummis & Gross added Philip A. Portantino as an associate in the employment and labor practice group. He is a resident of the firm's Newark office. Portantino represents and counsels employers in all areas of employment law. His litigation experience in state and federal court covers discrimination, sexual harassment, whistleblower status, retaliation, employment agreements, restrictive covenant and trade secret matters, contract issues, business torts, and wage and hour issues. He received his J.D., cum laude, from Rutgers Law School–Camden and his B.A. from The Catholic University of America. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.

Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark Welcomes Cioffi

Nicole A. Cioffi
[Photo Credit: © 2017 Scott Kahn. All Rights Reserved.]

Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark in Morristown welcomed Nicole A. Cioffi as an associate. Cioffi received her undergraduate degree from the Pennsylvania State University and her J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. While in college, Cioffi served as an intern with the Centre County Public Defender Office in State College, Pennsylvania, and also served as an intern in the Morris County Prosecutor's Office in the sex crimes/child endangerment unit.

During her final semester as a legal intern in law school and continuing since her graduation, Cioffi's practice has been solely dedicated to matrimonial and family law, where she represents clients in matters related to divorce, domestic violence, child custody, child support, parenting time, alimony and division of assets. She is admitted in New Jersey and the U.S. District Court of the District of New Jersey. She is a member of the family law and young lawyers sections of the New Jersey State and Morris County bar associations; the Somerset County Bar Association's Family Law Section; and the American Bar Association.