New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
based American law firm with additional offices in New York, Palo Alto, New Jersey, Utah, and Washington, D.C. The firm has approximately 350 attorneys and has been described as "well connected" politically within New Jersey.
History
The firm was founded in 1961 and was based in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the List of municipalities in New Jersey, most populous City (New Jersey), city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat, seat of Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and the second largest city within the New Yo ...
. One of the firm's founders was Newark-born Alan V. Lowenstein who was also a leader of Newark's charter reform movement. In the early 1980s, it had 67 lawyers and a staff of 150, but moved to
Roseland, New Jersey
Roseland is a borough in western Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 5,819,
In 1994, firm attorney Faith Hochberg became the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey. In 2003, the firm promoted African-American David L. Harris, a one-time "radical", to head its litigation department. In 2004, the firm represented creditors in the reorganization of Interstate Bakeries, the maker of
Wonder bread
Wonder Bread is a brand of sliced bread which originated in the United States in 1921 and was one of the first to be sold pre-sliced nationwide in 1930. The brand is currently owned by Flowers Foods in the United States.
History
The Taggart B ...
,
Twinkies
A Twinkie is an American snack cake, described as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Inc. (), having been formerly owned by private ...
,
Devil Dogs
The Devil Dogs were an American, New York-based garage punk band, started in 1989 by Andy Gortler (guitars), Steve Baise (bass) and Paul Corio (drums).
Two members of the Devil Dogs (Gortler and Baise) had been members of the Rat Bastards whe ...
; this case was considered to be one of the largest bankruptcy proceedings in the country.
The firm handles legal work relating to real estate auctions and decisions about whether a business should go public. On one occasion, attorneys tabulated stockholder votes
In 2008, the firm opened an office in
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a region in Northern California that serves as a global center for high technology and innovation. Located in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it corresponds roughly to the geographical areas San Mateo Count ...
, California, to expand its law practice in venture capital and technology. In 2009, the firm had offices in New York City and
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto.
The city was ...
, while maintaining its office in Roseland, New Jersey. In 2014, the firm opened its Washington, D.C., office. In 2017, Lowenstein moved its Roseland office to new facilities.
In 2018, the firm conducted an internal investigation of the
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks (often referred to as the Mavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Dallas. The Mavericks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Southwest Division. The ...
and uncovered "numerous instances of sexual harassment and other improper workplace conduct within the Mavericks organization" over the preceding two decades.
Recognitions
In 2019, the National Law Journal ranked Lowenstein 145th in the United States based on size. The firm placed 103rd on The American Lawyer's 2022 Am Law 200 ranking. On the 2021 Global 200 survey, Lowenstein Sandler ranked as the 144th highest grossing law firm in the world.
Staff
Thirty-six of the firm's lawyers (across 11 practice areas) are listed in "Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business."
Controversies
* In 1988, a judge ordered one Lowenstein attorney to step in to replace an ill lawyer for a reputed organized-crime leader, since Lowenstein had been involved in pre-trial work on the case. The lawyer defied the order, claiming that he couldn't do it because it would require reading a 27,000-page transcript, litigating without having established a relationship with the jury, and having to interrupt his work with five other clients. Attorney Matthew P. Boylan told the judge "I refuse" and this statement resulted in a contempt of court charge, including fines, and a running battle covered in newspapers. The contempt charge was upheld through appeals, and the firm ended up paying the fines.
* In 2000, a respected 45-member law firm broke up and 14 lawyers defected to Lowenstein Sandler. These defections led to a lawsuit against Lowenstein by the other firm's ex-partners. Lowenstein settled the case on the eve of the trial.
* Zulima V. Farber, a Lowenstein partner who became New Jersey's attorney general, resigned in 2006 after an investigation found she had acted improperly by aiding a companion during a routine traffic stop.
* In 2006, the firm agreed with a state supreme court committee decision to ban attorney advertising using the term ''Super Lawyer'' as promulgated by a local magazine.
* In 2010, Judge Ellen Koblitz of the New Jersey Superior Court found that the firm, along with co-counsel
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (known as Paul, Weiss) is an American multinational law firm headquartered on Sixth Avenue in New York City. By profits per equity partner, it is the fifth most profitable law firm in the world.
...
, had filed and prosecuted frivolous litigation involving
Ronald Perelman
Ronald Owen Perelman (; born January 1, 1943) is an American banker, businessman and investor. MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, his company, has invested in companies with interests in groceries, cigars, licorice, makeup, cars, photography, ...
's in-laws and ordered the firms to pay $1.96 million in attorneys' fees to the defendants. However, on appeal, this decision was overturned and the sanctions order reversed.
Notable lawyers and alumni
*
Matthew Boxer
Matthew Boxer was the New Jersey State Comptroller. Matthew Boxer was sworn in as New Jersey's first independent state comptroller on January 17, 2008 after the recreation of the office in 2007. He served in this position until the end of his te ...
, former New Jersey State Comptroller
*
Zulima Farber
Zulima Farber (born 1944) is the former Attorney General of New Jersey and the first Latina (Cuban) to serve as Acting Governor of New Jersey. She was appointed Attorney General in 2006 by Governor Jon Corzine and resigned on August 31, 2006. She ...
, former
New Jersey Attorney General
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limited ...
(2006)
* Faith Hochberg, former United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey (1999-2015)
* Elie Honig, former assistant United States attorney
* Shavar Jeffries, Newark politician
* Kei Komuro, law clerk, husband of former Japanese princess
Mako Komuro
, formerly , is a former member of the Japanese imperial family. She is the eldest child of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko, niece of Emperor Naruhito, and granddaughter of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. ...
*
Paul Matey
Paul Brian Matey (born March 29, 1971) is an American attorney who is a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Prior to Matey's judicial service, he was a partner in the White Collar Criminal Defe ...
, judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
*
Rob Menendez
Robert Jacobsen Menendez Jr. (born July 12, 1985) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey since 2021. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jer ...
, member of the United States Congress, son of Senator
Bob Menendez
Robert Menendez (; born January 1, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Jersey, a seat he has held since 2006. Gale Biography In Context. A member of the Democratic Party, he was fir ...
*
Lewis J. Paper Lewis J. Paper (born October 13, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician, attorney, and author.
Biography
He was born in Newark, New Jersey, the son of Dorothy and Sidney Paper. He is a 1968 graduate of the University of Michigan at An ...
, author
*
Christopher Porrino
Christopher S. Porrino (born October 20, 1967) is an American trial lawyer who served as the Attorney General of New Jersey from 2016 to 2018. Porrino is currently a partner of Lowenstein Sandler, and chair of the firm's Litigation Department.
...
, former Attorney General of New Jersey (2016-2018)
*
Ted Wells
Theodore V. "Ted" Wells, Jr. (born April 28, 1950) is an American lawyer who works in the field of criminal law. A litigation partner at the New York law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, Wells has been selected by the Nationa ...
, criminal defense lawyer
*
Freda L. Wolfson
Freda Linsenbaum Wolfson (born May 20, 1954) is the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Early life and education
Born in Vineland, New Jersey,United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (in case citations, D.N.J.) is a federal court in the Third Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to th ...