Family Law

• Divorce
  Starr Gern Partner Jonathan Lerner and Of Counsel, Lynn B. Norcia will each be presenting programs at the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators (NJAPM) 6th Annual Civil and Divorce Mediation Program on Friday, June 4, 2021, 9:30am to 4:00pm.
• Child Support
  Our firm represents either parent in paternity/putative actions. Whether you are seeking to prove or disprove parentage, seeking to establish paternity for purposes of child support or to define parental rights, we can help. We can arrange DNA testing to settle the question of paternity and assist in resolving parenting and financial issues regarding the child.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  She was previously employed: (a) with the Sekas Law Group, LLC as a Senior Associate handling Personal Injury, Commercial and Residential real estate, Complex Commercial Litigation, solely handling Commercial Loan closings for a financial institution and other matters; and (b) at Wanda M. Akin & Associates, for six years, as a Senior Associate, working on a wide variety of cases including Criminal Defense, Civil litigation, Personal Injury, Family Law (Marital Disputes, Child Custody and Support issues), Employment Law, Estate Law, Landlord/Tenant Law, Contracts and solely handled the Real Estate transactions for the firm.
• Adoption
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
• Guardianship
  Ronald Davison is a litigation attorney with over 50 years of experience representing clients in complex business and estate litigation matters both on the trial and appellate levels in State and Federal courts. He has served as a court-appointed estate administrator, receiver, guardianship attorney and attorney-trustee. Mr. Davison has lectured on many subjects in continuing legal education programs on such topics as challenges to wills, trusts and gifts and business valuations in business divorce cases. He has served for many years as a volunteer mediator for the General Equity and Probate Parts of the Chancery Division of the Superior Court. He was chairperson of the District Ethics Committee and of the District Fee Arbitration Committee, both appointments by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
• Spousal Support
  Our attorneys, Bruce M. Pitman, Charles F. Vuotto, Jr., Alona Magidova and Lynn Norcia have been approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts as Qualified Family Law Mediators. Charles is certified by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (“AAML”) as an arbitrator of family law matters. All four attorneys have extensive experience in family law having practiced matrimonial law for many years or, having extensive experience in DCPP matters. So, if you are getting divorced, thinking of getting divorced, or find the divorce process expensive, slow, and hurtful, there is another way. As mediators and arbitrators, we can help you and your spouse resolve your issues of alimony, dividing your property, child support, and parenting issues, in a non-adversarial setting by assisting you and your spouse to reach a resolution that fits your family's particular needs.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  She has appeared in Federal, State and Municipal courts on both civil and criminal matters. Her experience includes receiving a Not-Guilty verdict after a two-week criminal jury trial in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Hudson County, Trial co-counsel in a First Degree Attempted Murder/Kidnapping trial, in Essex County and in a Murder trial in Hudson County. She also has years of experience arguing pre-trial motions in both civil and criminal matters as well as negotiating favorable settlements and dispositions and has drafted appellate briefs on behalf of New Jersey Association for Justice (NJAJ) as Amicus Curiae.
• Wrongful Death
  $750,000.00 settlement in a wrongful death action filed on behalf of an 87 year old man who was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident, and died of a stroke which developed subsequent to his injuries. **Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
• Sex Crimes
  $550,000.00 settlement on behalf of a victim of sexual assault in an inadequate security case at a university campus. **Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
• Fraud
• Assault
• Murder
• Restraining Order
• Kidnapping

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  In the latest edition of Best Lawyers in America (New York Metro Area), four of our attorneys were once again selected in their respective fields of specialty: (1) Ira M. Starr in real estate, corporate law, and business organizations; (2) Amos Gern in plaintiffs personal injury and medical malpractice; (3) Ronald L. Davison in commercial litigation; and (4) Charles F. Vuotto, Jr. in family law.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  Starr, Gern Partners Ira M. Starr, Amos Gern, Ronald L. Davison and Jonathan J. Lerner, and Of Counsel Charles F. Vuotto, Jr. have been included in the 2022 New Jersey Super Lawyers lists issued by Thomson Reuters. The attorneys represent four (4) practice areas including Mergers & Acquisitions, Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice: Plaintiff, Business Litigation and Family Law.
• Business Disputes
  At Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, we are known for our strategic approach to business disputes. Our clients are consistently pleased at the efficiencies our strategies offer, even in complex cases. Finding strategic leverage in any business legal challenge are based on your business needs. Our firm has the talent and technology to handle any opponent. In addition to representing national and international businesses, we level the playing field by providing small and mid-sized businesses with representation at the same level of sophistication enjoyed by larger corporations.
• Business Transactions
  Stephen Urbinato was recently elected to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Transactional Inn of Court of Morris and Essex. The Transactional Inn is an organization dedicated to teaching and mentoring attorneys in the area of business transactions.
• Trade Secrets
• Unfair Competition

Employment Law

• Workers Compensation
  However serious the accident and resulting injuries, the personal injury attorneys at Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, P.C., when possible seek full compensation and damages for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and lack of access to medical care because of insurance coverage battles with health, auto insurance or workers' compensation carriers.
• Wrongful Termination
  To find out if you have a legal claim for wrongful termination, speak to an experienced New Jersey employment lawyer at Starr, Gern Davis & Rubin.
• Employment Discrimination
  Prior to joining the firm, Shelley practiced in her own firm, Shelley L. Stangler P.C., with offices in Springfield, New Jersey and New York City. She focuses her practice in civil rights, personal injury, public entity liability, special education and employment discrimination matters. She is committed to holding the government accountable for misconduct, and is intimately familiar with the law concerning police, corrections, and school misconduct. She has won appeals before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, overturning lower court rulings in significant jail suicide and special education cases. She is an accomplished trial attorney, having tried multiple premises liability, motor vehicle and civil rights cases before juries. She has handled several significant excessive force and unlawful prison condition cases.
• Employment Contract
  Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, P.C., counsel employers and employees in all aspects of employment law. In addition, we represent labor unions, as well as executives involved in severance pay and employment contract negotiations and disputes.
• Non-compete Agreement
  Restrictive Covenant and Trade Secret Litigation: We help employers, employees and former employees when disputes arise over restrictive covenants, trade secrets and non-compete agreements. We also undertake preventive planning for business clients.
• Severance Agreement
  Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin, P.C., counsels employers in all aspects of employment law. Our New Jersey lawyers assist in the development of employee handbooks and policies. The firm provides guidance to clients in making decisions about discipline and termination of employees, as well as in wage and leave issues. We draft employment agreements and covenants and help companies take sufficient steps to identify and protect information that gives them an edge over competitors. SGD&R attorneys prosecute employees and other persons who anonymously post confidential information or defamatory statements on the Internet. For example, we prevailed on behalf of a public bio-pharmaceutical company in the first appellate decision in the nation that establishes the standard for revealing the identity of an anonymous poster. The law firm represents companies in stock option litigation, recently prevailing for another public company, defeating a $15 million claim for stock options in federal court and on appeal. Our clients also include executives involved in severance pay and employment contract negotiations and disputes.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers have released the 2013 "Best Law Firms" rankings, providing a comprehensive view of the U.S. legal profession that is unprecedented both in the range of firms represented and in the range of qualitative and quantitative data used to develop the rankings. The third edition of these rankings features law firms given consistently impressive performance ratings by clients and peers. Achieving a high ranking is a special distinction that signals a unique combination of excellence and breadth of expertise. Starr, Gern, Davison & Rubin achieved a Tier 1 Ranking in Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Litigation and a Tier 3 Ranking in Real Estate Law. Amos Gern and Ira Starr also received individual recognition as Best Lawyers in their respective fields.
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
• Real Estate Transactions

Health Law

• Personal Injury
• Medical Malpractice
  The attorneys in Starr Gern's medical malpractice, hospital and nursing home negligence groups have obtained verdicts and settlements that rank among the highest in the state
• Auto Accidents

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  The State of New Jersey has some of the most complex tax and inheritance laws in the country. We advise our taxation and estate planning clients about their options within the current tax environment, helping position them for success by minimizing their liabilities.
• Wills
  Successfully prosecuted and defended numerous contested will and trust cases, including the defense of an executor and co-trustee of an $80+ million estate. **Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
• Trusts
  Tier 1 recognition is reserved for the highest scoring firms during the annual review process. Six of our attorneys were once again selected in their respective fields of specialty: (1) Ira M. Starr in real estate and corporate law; (2) Amos Gern in plaintiffs personal injury and medical malpractice law; (3) Ronald L. Davison in commercial litigation and trusts & estates litigation; (4) Stephen R. Urbinato in business organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships); Charles F. Vuotto, Jr. in family law; and (6) Bruce M. Pitman in family law. Selection for Best Lawyers is based on an exhaustive and rigorous peer-review survey comprised of more than four million confidential evaluations by the top attorneys in the country. The publication has been described by The American Lawyer as “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”
• Probate

Finance Law

• Tax Law
  Tax Planning and Civil and Criminal Tax Litigation: We offer tax planning for individuals and businesses and defend clients in proceedings instituted by the IRS and the New Jersey Division of Taxation.