Founded by Vincent Apruzzese and Frank McDermott, two dynamic lawyers, who would become President of the State Bar Association and President of the New Jersey Senate
In 1965, Vincent J. Apruzzese and Frank X. McDermott forged a bond and founded a law firm that would become one of the Pre-eminent law firms in the United States. Assembling a team of experienced and dedicated specialists, Apruzzese McDermott was chosen to serve as labor counsel to the energy sector, pharmaceutical industry, construction companies, banks, airlines, transportation and health care industries, to name a few. Vince Apruzzese and Frank McDermott’s reputations grew to become, arguably, the most prominent management-side labor lawyers in the State of New Jersey. Vincent J. Apruzzese ultimately became President of the New Jersey State Bar Association, as well as a leader in the American Bar Association and National College of Trial Attorneys. Frank X. McDermott, became a powerful political force in the State, serving both in the General Assembly and Senate of the New Jersey State Legislature, ultimately becoming Senate President. Senator McDermott possessed that now rare ability to “reach across the aisle” to make progress through compromise.
As the practice flourished, the firm added corporate, transactional and land use specialists to fulfill its clients’ non-labor and employment needs. With the enactment of the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Act, the firm further expanded its practice into the public sector. Over the past five decades the firm has continued to provide legal services designed exclusively for management, in both the private and public sectors. Its clients have ranged from Fortune 500 companies to emerging business enterprises and individual developers; state and local government entities and authorities; universities, community colleges and local school districts; transportation, theatre and entertainment companies.
To meet its clients’ needs, Apruzzese McDermott has continuously expanded its pool of legal talent by recruiting the best and the brightest attorneys to service its clients. For example, it recruited Maurice J. Nelligan, first Executive Director of the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission; Francis A. Mastro, supervising attorney for the NLRB and later in-house counsel to Ingersoll Rand Corporation; Robert T. Clarke of the Public Employment Relations Commission; Barry Marell, Director Emeritus and past Chair of the Corporate and Business Law section of the New Jersey State Bar; Melvin Gelade, State Commissioner of Labor. Mark J. Blunda from Sills Cummis and Lisa Barre-Quick, formerly of Mudge Rose. It has since acquired attorneys who formerly served as judicial clerks in the Appellate, Chancery and Law Divisions, as well for an Assignment Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court.
Half a century later, the firm remains consistently listed among the Best Law Firms in America, First Tier, by U.S. News and World Report in multiple practice area. It has been given the highest rating for legal knowledge and ethics (AV) by Martindale-Hubbell and has also been listed in its publication “Bar Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers.” Every year, members of the firm have the distinction of being selected for Best Lawyers in America, New York Area Superlawyers, New Jersey Superlawyers and New Jersey’s Rising Stars. Apruzzese McDermott attorneys have also been called upon to serve the public interest as Judges of the Superior Court of New Jersey, the Commissioner of Labor, University and not-for profit philanthropic Trustees.
While Senator McDermott, Frank Mastro and Jim Murphy have departed, they, and others, have left an indelible mark on this law firm, along with an institutional wisdom that provides our clients with subject matter knowledge, ingenuity and integrity. Hundreds of year of legal experience have been handed down from one generation to the next. But the core philosophy of Apruzzese McDermott remains unaltered: Serve with integrity, as a trusted advisor, to help your client achieve its ultimate goal.