Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Since becoming an attorney in 1985, I have experienced the area of Elder Law grow from what was an occassional question about powers of attorney and guardianships, to a full-blown specialized practice area. It hit home when I saw the practical effects of poor planning when my wife became executor of her uncle's estate. The estate left a large sum of money to a severely disabled person, who was then in danger of losing all of his benefits--including his apartment in a specialized home.

Lawyers have to spend time finding out, not only about the individual client, but about his or her family, taking a "holistic" approach to the preparation of these documents, and helping with these issues.

Mr. Sokol was admitted to the Bar in December of 1980, after having graduated from the Cumberland School of Law in May of 1980. In September of 1980, Mr. Sokol was employed with McOmber & McOmber, P.C. as a law clerk and upon passing the Bar in December of 1980, he became an Associate with the office, eventually being elevated to Partner in 1986.

In working at McOmber & McOmber, Mr. Sokol has been principally involved in commercial litigation and advising corporate and public clients on strategic approaches to commercial disputes. His commercial litigation emphasis has been focused on manufacturing issues, specifically, commercial code and warranty litigation, dealer agreements, termination and arbitration. Another portion of Mr. Sokol's practice involves both public and private employment litigation and arbitration. Mr. Sokol has represented public entities in employment litigation since 1980, both in the courts and through the various administrative processes in New Jersey. Mr. Sokol has defended both public and corporate clients against allegations of discrimination, whistle-blowing, workplace harassment and various other allegations. He also has experience in the field of education law in New Jersey, representing boards of education and an educational service commission in tenure proceedings, labor scope proceedings, labor arbitration, negotiations and other hearings before the Commissioner of Education.

Other areas of concentration include representation of contractors, architects and owners, both public and non-public, throughout the construction process, including the drafting of construction agreements, as well as construction litigation and arbitration, addressing issues such as change order disputes, scheduling disputes, delay damages, liquidated damages, latent and patent defects, contractor termination, professional malpractice and construction lien law.

Mr. Sokol has also developed expertise in the areas of real property litigation through his representation of title insurance companies. He advises and represents landlords in lease drafting and negotiation and in causes of action seeking possession and rent. Mr. Sokol has also represented zoning boards of adjustment and applicants for the development of gas stations, banks and other commercial projects. Finally, Mr. Sokol has experience in representing banking institutions in collection actions, including mortgage foreclosures, and has defended lenders against liability claims.

Mr. Sokol was born and raised in Monmouth County, specifically Freehold, its County seat, where his father was an attorney for approximately 30 years. He currently resides in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Mr. Sokol is a long time volunteer for Western Monmouth Habitat for Humanity as an attorney and also volunteers in representing the Colts Neck Reformed Church, where he is a member with his family.

Trial and Appellate Practice Areas:

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration, Prosecution and Defense
Primary Concentrations:

Construction:
Drafting and litigation of construction, architect and construction management contracts; litigation and arbitration addressing change orders, scheduling, delays, liquidated damages, latent/patent defects, termination, professional malpractice, liens.


Banking and Finance:
Note and personal guarantee defaults and collections; residential and commercial mortgage foreclosures; defense to lender liability claims.


Manufacturing:
Distributor/dealer agreements, dealer termination arbitration, warranty litigation, commercial code provisions applicable to purchase and sale of goods.


Title Litigation:
Boundary line disputes, competing title interests, conflicting lien priorities.


Employment Litigation and Arbitration:
Employment agreements, statutory protections, e.g. civil rights, conscientious employee, hours and wages, leave laws, workplace harassment.


Education:
Budget appeals, civil litigation, hearings before the Commissioner of Education, construction bidding, expulsion hearings, tenure charges, scope proceedings and hearings before the Public Employment Relations Commission, labor arbitration, appeals to the Appellate Division and Supreme Court of New Jersey.


Landlord/Tenant:
Summary dispossession actions, lease negotiation and drafting, rent collection.


Zoning, Planning and Land Use Development:
Counsel to land developers in connection with applications, including residential subdivisions and industrial and commercial projects; appearance before local Planning and Zoning Boards of Adjustment representing applicants, objectors and neighborhood associations; litigation on behalf of developers and objectors.


Non-Profit:
Representation of various non-profit organizations including religious institutions, civil education foundations, and philanthropic associations.

ROBERT KENNY, ESQ., CPA, C.F.E.: Mr. Kenny engages in tax audit defense on a contingent fee basis and in business formation, estate and tax planning in Princeton, New Jersey. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner, a CPA in New York State, and a member of the Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan and New Jersey bars, the United States Tax Court, and the Federal District Courts for the District of New Jersey and the Northern District of Illinois and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. He is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in American Law. He has served as chapter president of Tax Executives Institute and board member of the Princeton Corridor Rotary and currently President of the Mercer County Chapter of the NJSCPA; he is also a member of the Princeton Bar Association and the tax committees of the New Jersey Bar Association and State Society of CPA's. He serves as a Contract Arbitrator for the New Jersey Superior Court and is an Adjunct Professor at Rider University, The College of New Jersey, and was an instructor in the federal Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) program teaching Legal Formation and Taxation. He has also been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law and a Visiting Professor of Business Law at Sanda University, Shanghai, China. He has contributed to many professional publications including the Journal of Taxation, the Journal of State Taxation the Interstate Tax Report and the Tax Executive.

Mr. McOmber is a third generation attorney and a lifelong resident of Monmouth County. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts and a Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law, in Washington, D.C. In 1998, he was admitted to New Jersey and Federal District Court Bars and joined the firm of McOmber & McOmber, which was established by his parents, Richard and Adrienne McOmber, in 1974. He was promoted to partner in 2001. In 2004, Mr. McOmber moved to Red Bank with his wife, Dr. Nathalie Zenian McOmber, a general dentist who also practices in Monmouth County.

Mr. McOmber's primary areas of practice are civil litigation, land use and education law. He represents a number of municipal and regional boards of education and has handled extensive litigation and appeals on their behalf. He has successfully counseled many national corporations regarding complex development applications in New Jersey, including self-storage facilities and financial institutions. He has litigated favorably on behalf of corporations and public institutions regarding matters of public concern and attention. A number of his cases involving significant matters of law have been reported.

Mr. McOmber is a member of the St. Stepanos Armenian Apostolic Church in Elberon, New Jersey. He is an active participant in Armenian philanthropic organizations in the northeast. Amongst these activities, Mr. McOmber serves as master of ceremonies of an annual Armenian genocide remembrance program presented each April in New York City's Times Square. Regular speakers at this event include national senators and congressman. Mr. McOmber also serves as Secretary of the Kaboom Fireworks Committee, a non-profit organization, and helps organize the largest Fourth of July fireworks display in New Jersey.

Primary Practice Areas:

Business:
Formation and representation of business entities including corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships.


Civil Litigation:
Collection actions, employment litigation, prosecution and defense litigation on behalf of individuals and corporations.


Education:
Civil litigation, charter school litigation, expulsion hearings, tenure charges, opinion letters, scope proceedings and hearings before the Public Employment Relations Commission, appeals to the Appellate Division, special education law including due process, emergent relief petitions, attendance at I.E.P. meetings, Section 504 actions and enforcement of administrative orders in Superior Court.


Landlord/Tenant:
Summary dispossession actions, lease negotiation and drafting, rent collection.


Non-Profit:
Representation of various non-profit organizations including civil education foundations and philanthropic associations.


Title Litigation:
Boundary line disputes, competing title interests, conflicting lien priorities.


Zoning, Planning and Land Use Development:
Counsel to land developers in connection with applications, including residential subdivisions and industrial and commercial projects; appearance before local Planning and Zoning Boards of Adjustment representing applicants, objectors and neighborhood associations; litigation on behalf of developers and objectors.