At Franzblau Dratch, P.C. we provide our clients with legal services in a comprehensive, yet cost effective manner, while at the same time reflecting and pursuing only the highest legal and ethical standards. While large enough to offer our clients a wealth of diverse experience and skill, Franzblau Dratch's goal is to provide close, hands on, attention to every client and matter entrusted to our care.

My entire life is marked by resilience, tenacity, service, and leadership. The totality of my personal and professional experiences informs the holistic, compassionate, and relentless work I do on behalf of my clients. In October 2018, I became New Jersey’s first undocumented female attorney, after a lifetime of stress but also support from my family and community. My parents crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in the late 1980’s when I was only one year old, and they brought me with them. I grew up in Mercer and Middlesex Counties (NJ) knowing and understanding I was undocumented, but it did not diminish my relentless commitment to higher education. Since 2005, I continuously and concurrently worked full-time, studied part-time, and publicly advocated for humane immigration reform and policies. In the process, I graduated from Middlesex County College, graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University–New Brunswick, and then became New Jersey’s first undocumented law school graduate when I graduated from Rutgers School of Law. Through my pubic advocacy, I have addressed hundreds of venues and crowds of various sizes and demographics on immigration topics while organizing and advocating for pro-immigrant federal and state legislation, like the DREAM Act of 2007 and the NJ In-State Tuition Bill of 2013. I also co-founded, the New Jersey Dream Act Coalition, New Jersey’s first statewide, grassroots immigrant-youth led organization. In collaboration with other organizations of young advocates, we successfully moved the state and then-governor Chris Christie to make in-state tuition for certain undocumented students at public colleges a reality. Now, after over a decade of advocating for New Jersey’s immigrant community, I am proud and privileged to represent and advocate for individual members of my community before state, federal, and administrative courts. Since 2005, I continuously and concurrently worked full-time, studied part-time, and publicly advocated for humane immigration reform and policies. In the process, I graduated from Middlesex County College, graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University–New Brunswick, and then became New Jersey’s first undocumented law school graduate when I graduated from Rutgers School of Law. Through my pubic advocacy, I have addressed hundreds of venues and crowds of various sizes and demographics on immigration topics while organizing and advocating for pro-immigrant federal and state legislation, like the DREAM Act of 2007 and the NJ In-State Tuition Bill of 2013. I also co-founded, the New Jersey Dream Act Coalition, New Jersey’s first statewide, grassroots immigrant-youth led organization. In collaboration with other organizations of young advocates, we successfully moved the state and then-governor Chris Christie to make in-state tuition for certain undocumented students at public colleges a reality. Now, after over a decade of advocating for New Jersey’s immigrant community, I am proud and privileged to represent and advocate for individual members of my community before state, federal, and administrative courts. I clerked for Eric M. Mark until becoming a licensed attorney. Here, I’ve worked on a wide range of traffic, criminal, immigration, and family matters, including: divorces, final restraining orders, and various affirmative and defensive applications for immigration relief, such as Special Immigrant Juvenile status, U-visas, asylum, cancellation of removal, adjustment of status, VAWA-related applications, waivers, etc. I also have accrued experience in appellate work with filings to the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. During law school, I gained experience providing direct client representation under the supervision of practicing law school faculty at Harvard Law School and Rutgers Law School. I also gained experience at two impact-litigation civil rights organizations. In the summer of 2015, I served as a Summer Legal Intern at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB) of Harvard Law School, the nation’s oldest student-run legal services organization. There, I represented indigent Boston residents facing eviction, many of them Latino immigrants, before the Boston Housing Court, and in wage theft cases before the Suffolk County Superior Court of Massachusetts. I also served as HLAB’s liaison to City Life/ Vida Urbana, one of Boston’s fiercest anti-displacement grassroots, community organizations. I served on the Rutgers Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic where I represented incarcerated youth in New Jersey’s juvenile justice system, as well as indigent young adults charged with minor criminal offenses in the Essex County Remand Court. Through the clinic, I also assisted a female inmate, convicted of a felony as an adult while only a child, secure an early release on parole. While in law school I also interned at Latino Justice PRLDEF in New York, and at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Jersey. At Latino Justice PRLDEF, I conducted census research that was ultimately used in an amicus brief for Evanwel v. Abbott. I completed a bilingual workers’ rights pamphlet for workers in New York City. And I researched and wrote memoranda of law on various matters, including but not limited to: international calling rates for prisoners in New Jersey, and professional licensing for undocumented young adults in New Jersey. At the ACLU-NJ, I conducted legal research and legal memoranda on issues like prisoner’s rights litigation, medicaid coverage of Hepatitis C medication, and First Amendment freedom of speech and expression.

Howard Lesnik is certified as a trial attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court. The New Jersey Supreme Court has certified Howard Lesnik as a board certified trial attorney. Only 2% of the 75,000 registered NJ lawyers meet the stringent standards of experience, education, and knowledge, to be recognized and achieve board certification by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Have questions? Need answers about an injury that occurred in New Jersey as a result of someone else’s negligence, or need to consult a criminal defense attorney in Mountainside NJ? Call Howard Lesnik at 908.264.7701 or email Mr. Lesnik at [email protected]. Mr. Lesnik is a Certified Trial Lawyer in New Jersey who brings his experience and knowledge of the laws of New Jersey to protect you and your family. Allow yourself time to heal from your injuries while your attorney handles the insurance company, and other legal matters concerning any exposure to criminal charges.

David E. Maitlin is a graduate of Rutgers College and Boston University School of Law. He is admitted to practice before the New Jersey courts and the New York courts. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and for the Southern District of New York. He is a member of the New Jersey and New York State Bars, and a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He served a judicial clerkship with New Jersey Appellate Division Judge Irwin I. Kimmelman. He is presently Vice Chair of the Essex County Ethics Committee. He concentrates his practice in real estate transactions as well as insurance, commercial and real estate related litigation.

Peter A. Greene has a B.A. and an M.S. degree from Columbia University as well as a J.D. degree from Rutgers Law School. He is a certified civil trial lawyer, and is a member of the New York County Lawyers Association and the New Jersey Bar Association. He was a Deputy Attorney General of the State of New Jersey for five years, representing the State Board of Medical Examiners and other professional boards. He was also a staff attorney for Ralph Nader’s Health Research Group in Washington, D.C. He is a member of the New Jersey, New York and Washington, D.C. bars. He has authored a chapter in a text on nursing malpractice defense. He has tried over 150 jury cases to a conclusion including 80 medical malpractice actions. He has also tried fire cases, ambulance and auto cases, as well as insurance coverages cases.