Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts


Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

1125 Atlantic Avenue, Third Floor, Atlantic City, New Jersey 08401

Established: 1957

Practice Areas

  • Trial and Appellate Practice
  • State and Federal Courts
  • Negligence
  • Insurance Defense
  • Product Liability
  • Workers' Compensation
  • Environmental Law
  • Professional Liability
  • Employment Law
  • Dram Shop
  • Premises Liability
  • Mass Tort
  • Casino
  • Health/Hospital
  • Bedbug Liability Defense

About Us

Attorneys who comprise this department are in fact TRIAL attorneys. Each case is analyzed by the Chairman of the department and an active trial attorney, in an effort to identify those matters which are most likely to be tried and those which are most likely to settle. The approach, however, in the handling of each case is the same, unless directed otherwise by the client. The basic philosophy of this firm is to require our adversary to react to us, as opposed to us reacting to them. This is done by taking a positive, aggressive approach in the discovery process and the obtaining of information from outside sources. This sets the tone for the handling of the claim and immediately signals to our adversary that, whether it is a case to be settled or tried, he knows that he has his work ahead of him.

Geographically, the Tort Litigation Department handles litigation for our insurance clients and self-insured statewide in the 21 counties of New Jersey, six Pennsylvania counties, and the greater Las Vegas area. The attorneys of the department routinely try cases involving automobile, fall down, false arrest, libel, slander, medical malpractice, construction, and UIM and UM declaratory judgment actions.

In addition, since the inception of casino gambling in Atlantic City, we have provided legal representation to various casino properties. Each of these properties has its own risk management and legal departments with which we interface on a daily basis.

Therefore, we have gained more than 20 years of extensive experience in providing legal advice to all departments of these casino operations including security, construction, facilities, operations, and personnel.

Excess Exposure Liability
Professional Liability
Insurance Coverage
Bed Bug Liability
Environmental Insurance Coverage
Liquor Law and Restaurant Liability
Premises Liability
Products Liability
Wrongful Employee Discharge
Auto and Truck Liability
Construction Litigation Claims
Environmental and Toxic Tort
Uninsured Motorist, Underinsured Motorist, and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Arbitration and Litigation

Additional Locations

  • Cherry Hill, New Jersey
  • Cherry Hill Plaza, Suite 205
  • 1415 Route 70 East
  • Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08034
    • Telephone: 856-795-9110
    • Fax: 856-795-8641
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • 3016 W. Charleston Boulevard, Suite 195
  • Las Vegas, Nevada 89102
    • Telephone: 702-366-1125
    • Fax: 702-366-1857

Client Information

Representative Insurance Clients

Personnel Information

Partners


Louis Niedelman

Atlantic City, NJ

Practice Areas
  • Construction Defect
  • Construction Litigation
  • General Defense
  • Professional Malpractice
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1969
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1969
Memberships:
  • New Jersey Defense Association
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • International Association of Defense Counsel
Certifications:
  • Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney
Education:
  • Temple University, B.A., 1966
  • Villanova University, J.D., 1969

Jerry Busby

Las Vegas, NV
Practice Areas
  • Premises Liability
  • Automobile
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
Admitted
  • Nevada, 1984
Memberships:
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Brigham Young University, B.S., 1981
  • Arizona State University College of Law, J.D., 1984

Russell L. Lichtenstein

Atlantic City, NJ

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment
  • Employment Law (Management Side)
  • Employment Litigation
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1981
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1981
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1981
Memberships:
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Certifications:
  • Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney
Education:
  • Temple University, B.A., 1978
  • Western New England College School of Law, J.D., 1981

Amy E. Rudley

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2004
  • Pennsylvania
Education:
  • University of Delaware, B.A., 2001
  • Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, J.D., 2004

John A. Talvacchia

Cherry Hill, NJ
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1992
  • Pennsylvania
Education:
  • Rutgers University, B.A. Economics, 1989
  • Rutgers University School of Law, J.D., 1992

Brian D. Barr

Cherry Hill, NJ
Practice Areas
  • Insurance Coverage
  • Environmental Coverage
  • Toxic Torts
  • General Defense
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Malpractice
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1989
  • Pennsylvania, 1989
Education:
  • Gettysburg College, B.A., 1986
  • Rutgers University, J.D. (with honors), 1989

Justin D. Santagata

Atlantic City, NJ

Years of Experience: 10

Practice Areas
  • Labor and Employment Law
  • Insurance
  • Self-Insured Defense
  • Corporate Governance
  • Shareholder Disputes
  • Appeals
  • Landlord and Tenant Law
  • Government Representation
  • Public Records Litigation
  • Federal Litigation
  • State Election Law
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2009
  • New York, 2010
Additional Biographical Details:

Adjunct Professor, Benjamin N. Cardoza School of Law, Yeshiva Univeristy (2015-Present)

Memberships:
  • New Jersey State and New York State Bar Associations
Education:
  • The George Washington University, B.A. English, 2005
  • The Catholic University of America, J.D., 2008
  • Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, LL.M., 2014

Chrystale B. Hewitt

Cherry Hill, NJ
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1998
  • Pennsylvania
Education:
  • The Catholic University of America, B.A., 1994
  • The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D., 1998

Frank P. Menaquale

Cherry Hill, NJ
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1987
  • Pennsylvania
Education:
  • Coastal Carolina University, B.S., 1983
  • Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D., 1987

Victor P. Wasilauskas

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2000
Education:
  • Liberty University, B.S., 1995
  • Regent University School of Law, J.D., 1999

Of Counsel


Michael Mitrovic

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • Pennsylvania, 1980
  • New Jersey
Education:
  • The Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 1974
  • New York University, M.A., 1975
  • University of Richmond School of Law, J.D., 1978
  • Columbia University, M.I.A., 1979

William H. Kohler

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • Pennsylvania, 1986
  • New Jersey, 1987
Education:
  • Rutgers University, B.S., 1978
  • Dickinson School of Law, J.D., 1986

Pooja Kumar

Las Vegas, NV
Admitted
  • Nevada, 2013
Education:
  • University of Nevada, B.S., 2005
  • Albany Law School, J.D., 2010

Bard S. Shober

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 1991
Education:
  • James Madison University, B.S., 1984
  • Rutgers University School of Law-Newark, J.D., 1991

Associates


Anthony M. Imbesi

Cherry Hill, NJ
Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2013
Education:
  • Bucknell University, B.A., 2010
  • Villanova Law School, J.D., 2013

Katlin Trout

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2021
Education:
  • Stockton University, B.S., 2016
  • Rutgers University School of Law-Camden, J.D., 2020

Christopher R. Versak

Atlantic City, NJ

Admitted
  • New Jersey, 2022
Education:
  • Louisiana State University, B.S., 2018
  • Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, J.D., 2021

CL News & Blogs

Service Areas

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA 60 miles

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