Joseph J. Colao, Jr.

Jay Colao is a business attorney. He litigates business disputes and assists clients to avoid those disputes; manages crises; and addresses clients’ routine legal issues. He provides advice on such matters as choice of entity, governing documents, financing, employment, contracts, succession planning, franchising, licensing, real estate and proprietary information. Jay draws upon his 30 years of business litigation and counseling experience, along with the specialized knowledge of the firm's attorneys in other practice areas, to service his clients.

Jay litigates matters related to small and mid-size businesses before all levels of New Jersey state and federal courts, as well as the American Arbitration Association. He has extensive experience in matters involving shareholder/partner disputes and separation; unfair competition and business torts; employment and restrictive covenants; franchise, real estate interests and construction claims; and all facets of general commercial and contract law. Jay also has extensive experience litigating probate matters such as will contests, guardianships, and other contested trust and estate issues. Jay serves as a court-appointed attorney in performing a variety of duties for the court such as fiscal agent, provisional director, rent receiver, and attorney for alleged incapacitated persons in guardianship proceedings. He serves as an arbitrator in commercial/contract arbitrations.

Jay devotes substantial time to matters pending before various government entities on behalf of private parties and has litigated cases before courts and administrative agencies for both private and public entities. He has specific experience with matters involving redevelopment zones, business improvement districts, public contracts, the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, general prerogative writs and land use matters, as well as the Open Public Records Act. He presently serves as the attorney for the Borough of Spring Lake while previously serving as special counsel to Monmouth County and counsel to the Monmouth County Construction Board of Appeals.

Prior to joining Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, Jay was a shareholder at Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper, P.C.

Community & Professional

• Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member, Monmouth County Bar Association