James Montano
James Montano, formerly with McCullough Ginsberg Montano & Partners, joined Wilson Elser as a partner in the Florham Park office. His practice includes toxic tort, mass tort and products liability. He has represented multinational Fortune 500 companies in matters with multibillion-dollar potential liabilities, as well as independent small business owners, according to the announcement. Montano also assists clients with commercial and business litigation, including alternative dispute resolution. Montano earned a B.S from the University of Connecticut (1993) and his J.D. at Rutgers Law School (1996). “Jim is an accomplished and innovative attorney who takes on the most challenging cases and invariably finds ways to win,” said Carolyn O’Connor, regional managing partner of Wilson Elser’s Florham Park office. “He adds significantly to our environmental and toxic tort litigation capabilities.”
Greenblatt Pierce Promotes Michele Morgera
Michelle Morgera
Greenblatt, Pierce, Funt and Flores promoted Michele Morgera to partner. She handles criminal defense, including white-collar defense and corporate investigations, in the firm’s Haddonfield office. Morgera previously was an assistant prosecutor in the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, where she served as chief of the Grand Jury Unit, chief of the Career Criminal Unit, chief of the Fugitive Section, chief of the Major Crimes Unit, and police legal advisor. She has conducted more than 100 jury trials and supervised thousands more, the announcement said. She earned her B.A. from LaSalle University, law degree from Rutgers Law School, and a master’s in public administration from Rutgers University in Newark. Managing partner Ronald L. Greenblatt, said in a statement that Morgera ”has helped our criminal defense practice become known throughout the region. We know she will continue to serve our clients while upholding the highest standards in legal representation.”
Former ABC Attorney Barata Joins Chiesa Shahinian
Lisa R. Barata [Photo Credit: 2020 Steve Hockstein/HarvardStudio.com.]
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi brought on
Lisa R. Barata
after a 25 years with the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. She is counsel in the real estate, development and land use group in West Orange. She will advise clients on the regulatory environment surrounding the manufacture, wholesale distribution and retail sale of alcoholic beverages. Working for the state, she served as a deputy attorney general in the ABC and counsel to the division director
. She was also
legislative liaison to the state Attorney General’s Office. Before that she served in the division’s Enforcement Bureau
.
She is a graduate of the University of Delaware and the Widener University/Delaware Law School, and is licensed in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“During my tenure with the ABC, [Chiesa Shahinian's] attorneys were known to me as collaborative, creative thinkers and tenacious advocates for client interests. I am delighted to begin this new chapter in my career working alongside such well-respected problem solvers,” Barata said in a statement.
Einhorn Barbarito Adds Associate Jillian P. Freda
Jillian P. Freda
