Joel M. Ellis, Attorney

Joel M. Ellis is a partner of the firm. He concentrates his practice in condominium and cooperative law, real estate tax appeals, land use, corporate law, and litigation relating thereto. In addition, he has had substantial experience in class-action cases and condemnation actions. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey (1967), New York (1986), Massachusetts (1988), and Ohio (1967) and before the U.S. District Court New Jersey and the United States Supreme Court.

He has served as municipal attorney to the Borough of Fort Lee and the Borough of Waldwick and was appointed as special counsel to represent the Borough of Fort Lee and the Township of Teaneck in real estate tax appeals. Mr. Ellis has also had extensive experience in representing property owners for all classes of property throughout the state.

In addition, he has vast experience in all areas of community association representation, counseling condominium and cooperative corporations and homeowner associations. This involves a variety of legal services including assessment collection, document interpretation, rules enforcement, transition representation and all aspects of litigation, including claims against Sponsors involving construction defects and other financial claims.

Mr. Ellis, a graduate of Rutgers University, earned his law degree from Western Reserve School of Law (1967). Prior to entering private practice, he was the judicial law secretary to the Hon. Theodore Rosenberg, Superior Court of New Jersey. Mr. Ellis joined the firm as a partner in 1990. Prior to 1990, he was a partner for many years in a Hackensack law firm.

Mr. Ellis is a member of the Community Association Institute and currently serves on its Legislative Action Committee. He has lectured in the field of condominiums and cooperatives and tax appeals. He participated as a panelist of the impact of the Cooperative Recording Act on lenders, sponsored by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and as a speaker at a Condominium Cooperative seminar, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the Community Association Institute.

Mr. Ellis has also authored an Article published by the Practicing Law Institute in a handbook on cooperatives and condominiums, relating to developments in the area of real estate valuation.

Mr. Ellis acts as a mediator on the Early Settlement Panel of the New Jersey Superior Court. He has also been certified by the Community Association Institute as having attended and completed mediation training.

Mr. Ellis previously served as President of the New Jersey Mental Health Association.