Michael S. Stein

Michael S. Stein is the firm’s chair and managing partner and serves as a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He specializes in general commercial litigation, chancery litigation, legal ethics, and appellate advocacy. He has substantial trial and appellate experience in both state and federal courts, concentrating his practice primarily on complex and sophisticated corporate, business and probate disputes. He also serves as an advisor to the firm’s corporate clients on a wide variety of matters, including partnership and shareholder disputes, intellectual property rights, antitrust matters, professional malpractice, chancery litigation, legal ethics, land use and restrictive covenants.

Clients come to Mike for matters big and small, knowing that he will roll up his sleeves, sweat the details, always make himself available to offer careful and thoughtful counsel from beginning to end, and be fully prepared to aggressively try the case should settlement efforts prove unsuccessful. In addition, Mike is routinely engaged as counsel and local counsel by major multinational AmLaw 100 firms to meet their regional litigation needs. The combination of Mike’s years of experience, his work ethic, his knowledge of New Jersey’s judicial culture, and, most importantly, the depth and strength of the Firm’s litigation bench makes him a go-to litigator in New Jersey for major “bet the business” litigations.

Mike is proud of the results he has achieved for clients, some of which are noted here and in the "Experience" tab of this biography.  Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.

Reported Decisions

• Sipko v. Kroger, Inc., 251 N.J. 162 (2022)
• In the Matter of Robertelli, 248 N.J. 293 (2021)
• Deborah Heart & Lung Center Virtua Health, No. MER-L- 1865-11 (N.J. Super. Ct. Law Div.), No. A-002307 (App. Div.) and No. 083422 (Supreme Court)
• In re Earle Asphalt Co., 198 N.J. 143, 966 A.2d 460, 461 (2009)
• Kiken v. Kiken, 149 N.J. 441, 694 A.2d 557, 557 (1997)
• Sipko v. Koger, Inc., 214 N.J. 364, 70 A.3d 512, 514 (2013)
• In re Estate of Payne, 186 N.J. 324, 895 A.2d 428, 429 (2006)
• Strahan v. Strahan, 402 N.J. Super. 298, 953 A.2d 1219, 1222 (App. Div. 2008)
• Sun Coast Merch. Corp. v. Myron Corp., 393 N.J. Super. 55, 922 A.2d 782, 784 (App. Div. 2007)
• Puder v. Buechel, 183 N.J. 428, 430, 874 A.2d 534, 534-35 (2005)
• Syncsort Inc. v. Sequential Software, Inc., 50 F. Supp. 2d 318, 321 (D.N.J. 1999)
• Fancaster, Inc. v. Comcast Corp., 832 F. Supp. 2d 380, 388 (D.N.J. 2011)

Honors & Recognitions

Selected for inclusion in the list of:

• Benchmark Litigation, Local Litigation Star - Litigation, 2016
• Best Lawyers, Commercial Litigation, 2013-2025, Appellate Practice, 2024-2025, Closely Held Companies, 2025 and Family Businesses Law, 2025
• Chambers USA, Leading Individual New Jersey Litigation: General Commercial, 2013-2024
• New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2012-2024
• Martindale Hubbell, AV Preeminent lawyers

The Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings list is issued by Martindale-Hubbell. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://www.martindale.com/ratings-and-reviews/.

The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html.

The Best Lawyers list is issued by Woodward/White, Inc. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com/About/MethodologyBasic.aspx.

The Chambers USA ranking list is published by Chambers & Partners. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://chambers.com/about-us/methodology.

The Local Litigation Star list is published by Benchmark Litigation, the Delinian Group. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://benchmarklitigation.com/Methodology/UnitedStates

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Community & Professional

• Member, Editorial Board, New Jersey Law Journal
• Member, Vineyard Power Cooperative’s Advisory Committee
• Past Member, Professional Responsibility Rules Committee
• Past Member, Civil Practice Rules Committee
• Past Chair, District II-B Ethics Committee
• Supreme Court Approved Mediator
• Past Chair and Member, Montclair Cooperative School, Board of Trustees