Cole Schotz P.C.

Managing Partners: Randi W. Kochman, Warren A. Usatine and Samuel Weiner

Number of partners: 118

Number of lawyers: 188

Firm Overview:

At Cole Schotz, lawyering is our art. We are a team of over 180 attorneys – a curated collection of top legal talent that work together to create a gallery of experience that we lend to the benefit of the firm's clients. The firm works with businesses and select individuals, many of whom have worked with the firm for decades.

Main Areas of Practice:

Bankruptcy & Corporate Restructuring:

The bankruptcy and corporate restructuring practice is a distinguished and nationally renowned group that handles complex in and out-of-court restructurings, state and federal insolvency proceedings and high stakes bankruptcy litigation. The firm represents debtors, creditors and other statutory committees, institutional creditors, asset purchasers, venture capitalists, secured parties, lessors and contract parties, equity holders, directors, court-appointed fiduciaries, plan sponsors, indenture trustees and bond insurers in regard to chapter 11 and chapter 15 matters.

Cannabis:

Cole Schotz has been at the forefront of the New Jersey cannabis industry. The firm guides clients through regulatory compliance, risk management, governmental affairs and licensing in connection with cannabis related uses. Its clients are located across the nation and include plant-touching, non-plant-touching and hemp and hemp-derived cannabinoid-based businesses, including CBD.

Corporate, Finance & Business Transactions:

The department provides practical advice regarding business matters from governance issues to complex corporate transactions. The team is experienced in many industries and market sectors, including, finance, venture capital, private equity, manufacturing, distribution, professional services, technology, pharmaceutical, health care, insurance and surety.

Construction:

The firm provides services for every phase of construction projects, both public and private, across the country. This includes the preparation and negotiation of complex construction contracts, advising on requisite insurance coverage, surety and bonding needs, labor laws and union participation, lien claims, risk management and environmental and OSHA compliance.

Employment:

Attorneys provide preventive counseling and guidance on a wide range of compliance issues and evolving statutory and common law requirements, including those related to wrongful discharge, discrimination, retaliation, sexual and other forms of harassment, family and medical leaves of absence, disability, substance abuse, wage and hour, and restrictive covenant trade secret and other related issues.

Environmental:

The environmental practice takes the helm in navigating the complexities of environmental law in all aspects of business — corporate transactions, litigation, financings, brownfield redevelopment, remediation project management, regulatory compliance counseling and enforcement defense, real estate acquisitions and leasing, and more.

Intellectual Property:

For years, the firm’s IP team has been partnering with clients to provide superior quality service at unmatched value. The firm’s attorneys have the experience and technical savvy to assist national and international companies with massive portfolios, and the patience and attentiveness to help individuals and small business owners turn an idea into something big.

Litigation:

Cole Schotz is one of the region’s largest, most experienced group of commercial trial lawyers. The litigation department has achieved success in hundreds of trials throughout both state and federal courts. The team also counsels clients on how to avoid litigation and frequently arbitrates and mediates as alternatives to litigation.

Real Estate:

The real estate department is renowned for its engagement in real estate matters throughout the United States. This includes the acquisition, sale, asset management, development, redevelopment, financing, leasing and environmental concerns of commercial, industrial, warehouse and multi-family residential properties. The firm also counsels on structuring strategic debt acquisitions and originations, debt restructurings and workouts, asset acquisitions, and dispositions and recapitalizations.

Restaurant & Hospitality:

The firm represents entrepreneurs, restaurant groups, celebrity chefs, craft brewers, and hotel owners operating in the competitive restaurant and hospitality space. The practice group brings together a multidisciplinary team of attorneys drawn from the firm’s corporate, real estate, tax, employment and IP practice groups to provide counsel at every stage of the business lifecycle.

Sports:

This industry group caters to athletes, sports-related organizations, arena and facility owners, manufacturers, suppliers and other operators. Attorneys provide advice on a wide range of issues involving corporate, finance, licensing, litigation, intellectual property, employment law, estate planning, tax, and real estate matters.

Tax, Trusts & Estates:

The team counsels individuals and businesses in a range of tax and estate planning strategies. Clients include owners of family businesses where succession planning and asset protection are linked, and individuals of substantial means who wish to take advantage of sophisticated tax planning techniques to retain and build their wealth for future generations.

White Collar Litigation & Government Investigations:

The firm counsels individuals and corporations, both US and foreign, in criminal or regulatory allegations arising from agencies, such as the US Department of Justice, state attorney generals, FBI, Securities & Exchange Commission, FINRA and local government agencies as well as private, public and quasi-public corporations.