Being a lawyer allows me to fulfill my desire to help people while constantly being challenged to keep up with changing laws, many of which I have had the good fortune to mold through cases I have handled and my drafting of legislation and regulations. I could not be more pleased to be able to counsel my clients about their business and personal issues in an attempt to avoid problems and, when necessary, advocate for them in lawsuits and before regulatory agencies.
Mr. Goodman focuses his practice in commercial litigation, with a particular concentration in real estate and real estate brokerage issues and municipal law. His experience also encompasses antitrust suits and corporate shareholder and partnership disputes. Throughout his career, a number of Mr. Goodman’s cases have resulted in published opinions that set precedents in New Jersey.
Mr. Goodman is approved by the State of New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Real Estate Commission as a New Jersey Real Estate Continuing Education Instructor. He lectures frequently to the real estate brokerage community and other industry organizations throughout the state, and has written extensively on topics related to real estate brokerage law.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Honors & Awards
- Recipient of the Middlesex County Bar Association Lawyer Achievement Award (2010)
- Recipient of the Rutgers University Alumni Meritorious Service Award (2006)
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America© (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) in the Appellate Practice (2012 – 2025), Litigation - Real Estate and Commercial Litigation (2012 – present) practice areas
- Selected by Best Lawyers® (a trademark of Woodward/White, Inc.) as Woodbridge "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation - Real Estate (2024 and 2016)
- Listed in New Jersey Super Lawyers (a Thomson Reuters business) in the Real Estate, Appellate and Business Litigation practice areas (2011 – present)
- Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rated AV® Preeminent (a trademark of Internet Brands, Inc.) (1988 – present)
- Listed in Benchmark Litigation (published by Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC) as a Local Litigation Star - New Jersey in the Antitrust, General Commercial and Securities practice areas (2013 – present)
- Following law school graduation, honored with the Eli Jarmel Memorial Prize for public interest litigation
Please visit our Award Methodology page for a description of the standard or methodology on which these accolades are based. Attorney Advertising: No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Representative Matters
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
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Conley v. Guerrero (2017), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that an attorney who sends a notice of disapproval of a residential sales contract prepared by a real estate licensee to the broker(s) during the three-day attorney-review period must send it by email, fax, overnight mail or personal delivery
- Timber Glen Phase III, LLC v. Township of Hamilton (2015), in which the Appellate Division held that a municipality does not have the authority under the Licensing Act to impose licenses and licensing fees for residential apartment units that provide tenancies for 175 days or more
- Zaman v. Felton (2014), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that, where a real estate licensee purchases a house that is in foreclosure with the seller having the right to buy back the property and continue to live there through a lease, the transaction may create an equitable mortgage but it is not subject to In re: Opinion 26 or the Consumer Fraud Act
- In re: Opinion 26 (1995), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that buyers and sellers of residential real estate can receive assistance from real estate and title agents during the closing process, as has been the practice in South Jersey, and do not have to retain a lawyer as has typically been done in North Jersey
- RE/MAX v. Wassau (2000), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that real estate salespeople are employees for purposes of workers’ compensation
- H.I.P. v. K. Hovnanian (1996), in which Mr. Goodman successfully represented a developer regarding an advocacy group’s claims that a development did not comply with the Fair Housing Act
- Mortgage Bankers Association of NJ v. NJ Real Estate Commission (1995), in which Mr. Goodman served as lead counsel. Following a 12-year court battle, the Appellate Division ultimately held that real estate licensees can receive a fee for providing mortgage-related services
- Reyes v. Egner (2010), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that a broker for a short-term summer rental is not liable to a tenant who was in the unit for nine days and then fell where a step was higher than the construction code permitted and there was no required handrail on the steps, and the broker therefore is not subject to the same duty to warn visitors as a broker in an open house situation
- Exit A Plus Realty v. Zuniga (2007), in which the Appellate Division held that real estate listing agreements are not automatically void, but are only voidable based upon the equities of the case if a real estate licensee violates the Real Estate Licensing Act
- CBTR v. Twin Rivers Homeowners’ Association (2007), in which the New Jersey Supreme Court held that homeowners’ associations’ policies regarding expressional activities will be upheld if they are reasonable but may be subject to constitutional scrutiny if they are unreasonable
- Danvers Motor Co. v. Ford Motor Co. (2005), in class action antitrust suit, the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals held that dealers challenging Ford’s nationwide incentive and satisfaction program stated particularized harm by alleging payments against their will and relinquishing control of dealership operations to satisfy constitutional standing requirements
- New Jersey Association of REALTORS® v. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (2004), in which the Appellate Division held that a regulation requiring deed notices concerning environmentally contaminated sites be sent to the Association for distribution by its members to the public was void ab initio because it violated the New Residential Off-Site Conditions Disclosure Act
- Gordon Development Group v. Bradley (2003), in which the Appellate Division held that there only is one attorney-review period for both the buyer and the seller in a residential real estate transaction in New Jersey that begins when the fully executed contract has been delivered to both the buyer and the seller
- Danvers Motor Co. v. Ford Motor Co. (2002), in which the United States District Court held that class action antitrust plaintiffs must have particularized injuries to have Article III standing under the United States Constitution
- Inter-City Tire and Auto Center v. Uniroyal (1988), in which Mr. Goodman successfully defended a distributor in an antitrust suit who allegedly had conspired to monopolize a certain market and fix prices
- G&W v. Borough of East Rutherford (1995), in which Mr. Goodman prevailed before the Appellate Court in an antitrust action precluding his client from competing for business in a certain municipality
- Liberty Lincoln Mercury, Inc. v. Ford Marketing Corp. (1993), in which the United States District Court held that an automobile dealers association can participate in case as amicus curiae if the individual dealership that was a party in the lawsuit was not adequately represented by counsel and the association will not be an advocate for one of the parties
- State v. Arace Brothers (1989), in which Mr. Goodman represented a trade association and certain individual defendants against allegations by the Attorney General that over the course of 25 years, the defendants had allocated public contracts among themselves in violation of the Antitrust Act
- New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), in which the United States Supreme Court rendered a landmark decision circumscribing the scope of searches and seizures in public schools
- The Hospital Center at Orange v. Cook (1981), in which the Appellate Division held that a hospital is barred from suing indigent patient for fees where the hospital failed to advise a patient she was eligible to apply for free medical care under a federal program for which the hospital already had received funding
Uniquely NJ
- New Jersey REALTORS®; Special Counsel
- United Way of Hunterdon County; General Counsel; Past President
- New Jersey State Bar Association; Real Property Trust and Estate Law Section; Civil Trial Bar Section; Antitrust Law Special Committee
- Middlesex County Bar Association
- New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys
- Hunterdon Medical Center (Former Trustee)
- Hunterdon Healthcare System; Former Trustee; Executive Committee; Committee on Trustees; Strategic Planning Committee, past Chair; Quality Committee, past Chair
- Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Fund of the Bar of New Jersey (Past Chair)
- New Jersey Supreme Court Professional Responsibility Rules Committee (Former Member)
- Rutgers Law School Newark-Alumni Association (Past President)
More Activities & Experience
- American Bar Association: Litigation Section Real Estate, Condemnation and Trust Litigation Commitee; Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section
Presentations & Speaking Engagements
- Sponsor: NAIOP New Jersey, March 6, 2023
- Sponsor: NAIOP New Jersey, February 27, 2023
- Presenter, New Jersey Legal and Regulatory UpdateSponsor: Triple Play REALTOR® Convention & Expo, December 8, 2021
- Sponsor: New Jersey REALTORS®, December 9, 2020
- Speaker, Latest Legal Resources and FormsSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS®, October 26, 2020
- Sponsor: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, October 7, 2020
- Presenter, Legal Issues You Have to Understand to Stay Out of Real Estate Brokerage Jail!Sponsor: Triple Play REALTORS® Convention, December 4, 2018
- Speaker, Commission ClaimsSponsor: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education Hot Topics in Residential Law, October 17, 2018
- Presenter, REALTOR® PaloozaSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS®, September 21, 2018
- Sponsor: Monmouth Ocean Regional REALTORS®, June 25, 2018
- Sponsor: Eastern Bergen County Board of REALTORS, June 20, 2018
- Presenter, The Fair Housing ActSponsor: Passaic County Board of REALTORS®, April 12, 2018
- Presenter, Real Estate License Law: Bill A2726/S430Sponsor: New Jersey Realtors®, February 13, 2018
- Presenter, The Top Legal Issues To Understand If You Want To Stay Out Of Trouble!Sponsor: Callaway Henderson Sotheby's International Realty, January 24, 2018
- Presenter, Legal Issues to Understand to Stay Out of Real Estate Jail!Sponsor: Christy's Special Properties Real Estate, Mercer County Association of REALTORS®, RE/MAX Central, Core Association of REALTORS®, and Nexus Association of REALTORS® Brokers and Managers, 2018
- Sponsor: New Jersey, New York & Pennsylvania Association of REALTORS®, December 5, 2017
- Sponsor: Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS/Metro Centre Association of REALTORS, December 1, 2017
- Presenter, The Top Ten Legal Issues for Managers and BrokersSponsor: Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS®, November 10, 2017
- Presenter, Complying With the Fair Housing Act and Law Against DiscriminationSponsor: Terrie O'Connor Realtors, September 18, 2017
- Presenter, The Top Legal Issues To Understand If You Want To Stay Out Of Trouble!Sponsor: Cape May County Association of REALTORS®, Christy's Special Properties Real Estate, Mesina Realty Group, RE/MAX Diamond Realtors, Ward Wright Sotheby's International Realty, and Burlington Camden County Association of REALTORS®, 2017
- Sponsor: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, October 26, 2016
- Presenter, The Top Legal Issues To Understand If You Want To Stay Out Of Trouble!Sponsor: Burlington Camden County Association of REALTORS®, Mercer County Association of REALTORS®, RE/MAX Tri County, Tri-State REALTORS® Convention, 2016
- Presenter, Ethics in MediaSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS®, 2016
- Presenter, Key Issues To Understand If You Want to Avoid Lawsuits (And Sleep At Night!)Sponsor: Passaic County Board of REALTORS®, Turpin Realty, RE/MAX First Realty, Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS®, 2016
- Presenter, The New Statewide Residential Contract of SaleSponsor: Ocean County Board of REALTORS®, 2016
- Presenter, Commercial Brokerage DocumentsSponsor: Monmouth County Association of REALTORS®, 2016
- Presenter, Complying With the Fair Housing Act and Law Against DiscriminationSponsor: RE/MAX Central and RE/MAX Real Estate Ltd., 2016
- Presenter, Key Issues You Have To Understand If You Want to Avoid Lawsuits (And Sleep At Night!)Sponsor: Triple Play REALTORS® Convention, December 12, 2015
- Presenter, The New Statewide Residential Contract of SaleSponsor: Triple Play REALTORS® Convention, December 9, 2015
- Presenter, Every Question You Ever Wanted Answered About Real Estate BrokerageSponsor: Heritage House Sotheby's International Realty, 2015
- Presenter, Key Issues to Understand If You Want to Avoid Lawsuits (And Sleep at Night)!Sponsor: Burlington Camden County Association of REALTORS®, Gloucester Salem County Association of REALTORS®, North Central Jersey Association of REALTORS®, Ward Wight Sotheby’s International Realty, Terrie O'Connor Realty, and RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay, 2015
- Presenter, Complying With the Fair Housing Act and Law Against DiscriminationSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS® Diversity Forum, October 29, 2015
- Presenter, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Rules and the New Statewide Residential Contract of SaleSponsor: Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty, 2015
- Presenter, The New Statewide Residential Contract of SalesSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS® webinar, 2015
- Presenter, Key Issues You Have To Understand If You Want to Avoid Lawsuits (And Sleep At Night!)Sponsor: Mercer County Association of REALTORS® and RE/MAX of New Jersey, 2015
- Presenter, The Ten Hottest Issues You Have to Understand to Avoid LawsuitsSponsor: Monmouth County Association of REALTORS®, Ocean County Board of REALTORS®, Prominent Properties Sotheby's International Realty, and Cumberland County Board of REALTORS®, 2015
- Panelist, Comprehensive Ethics for CRE BrokersSponsor: Social Media & Technology Seminar, NAIOP NJ, April 17, 2015
- Speaker, The Hottest Issues You Have to Understand to Avoid Lawsuits!Sponsor: REALTORS® Triple Play Convention, 2014
- Sponsor: New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, October 16, 2014
- Presenter, The Latest Legal Issues You Need to Know to Stay Out of Trouble!Sponsor: Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS® and RE/MAX Tri County, 2014
- Presenter, The Ten Hottest Issues You Have to Understand to Avoid LawsuitsSponsor: Town and Country Properties, Eastern Bergen County Board of REALTORS®, Passaic County Board of REALTORS®, North Central Jersey Association of REALTORS®, Turpin Real Estate, Mercer County Association of REALTORS®, and RealSource Association of REALTORS®, 2014
- Presenter, New Jersey Real Estate Brokerage Litigation UpdateSponsor: New Jersey Law Journal CLE Program, 2013
- Presenter, Ethics in AdvertisingSponsor: REALTORS® Triple Play Convention, 2013
- Presenter, New Jersey Real Estate Brokerage Litigation UpdateSponsor: New Jersey Law Journal, December 7, 2013
- Presenter, Avoiding The Unauthorized Practice of Law and Understanding Attorney ReviewSponsor: New Jersey Association of REALTORS® webinar, September 2013
- Presenter, New Jersey Real Estate Commission RegulationsSponsor: Middlesex County Association of REALTORS®, 2013
- Presenter, The Ten Hottest Issues You Have To Understand to Avoid LawsuitsSponsor: Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty; Terrie O’Connor Realty; Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS®; Brokers and Managers; RE/MAX Brokers Council, 2013
- Presenter, Legal Update SeminarSponsor: Middlesex County Association of REALTORS®, 2013
- Presenter, The Latest Legal Issues You Need To Know to Stay Out of Trouble!Sponsor: Cape May County Association of REALTORS®; Middlesex County Association of REALTORS®, 2013
- Presenter, The Latest Legal Issues You Need To Know to Stay Out of Trouble!Sponsor: Tri-State REALTORS® Convention; Atlantic City and County Board of REALTORS®, 2012
- Sponsor: NAIOP NJ, 2012
- Presenter, Navigating The Legal Minefield In A Challenging Real Estate MarketSponsor: Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty; Turpin Real Estate, Inc., 2012
- Presenter, The Latest Legal Issues You Need To Know To Stay Our of Trouble!Sponsor: Heritage House Sotheby's International Realty and Mercer County Association of REALTORS®, 2012
- Presenter, New Jersey Real Estate Brokerage LitigationSponsor: New Jersey Law Journal Continuing Education for Attorneys, 2011
- Presenter, New Jersey Legal UpdateSponsor: Tri-State REALTORS®’ Convention, 2011
- Presenter, Navigating The Legal Minefield In A Challenging Real Estate MarketSponsor: Mercer County Association of REALTORS®; Burlington Camden County Association of REALTORS®; Atlantic City and County Board of REALTORS®, Cape May County Association of REALTORS®; Ocean City Board of REALTORS®, 2011
- Presenter, Navigating The Legal Minefield In A Challenging Real Estate MarketSponsor: Passaic County Board of REALTORS®; Cumberland County Association of REALTORS®; RealSource Association of REALTORS®; RE/MAX of New Jersey, 2011
- Presenter, Managing The Legal Minefield of Being A BrokerSponsor: RE/MAX of New Jersey, 2011
- Presenter, Understanding the Risks of Using Social MediaSponsor: New Jersey REALTORS® webinar, October 2010
- Presenter, Are You Ready for the New World of Rebates?Sponsor: New Jersey Association of REALTORS® webinar, May 2010
- Presenter, Don't Fall Short: Are You Prepared for Short Sales?Sponsor: New Jersey Association of REALTORS®, April 2009
- Presenter, Don't Be Afraid of Short SalesSponsor: New Jersey Association of REALTORS®, October 2008
Publications & Alerts
- NJ.com, August 13, 2024
- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Client Alert, August 7, 2024
- Law360, July 31, 2024
- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Client Alert, May 21, 2024
- New Jersey Law Journal, May 13, 2024
- New Jersey Realtor®, September/October 2021
- New Jersey Realtor®, June 2021
- NJRealtor.com, February 2021
- New Jersey Realtor®, November/December 2020
- New Jersey Realtor®, May/June 2019
- New Jersey Realtor®, May/June 2019
- Author, New Jersey Real Estate Brokerage LawNew Jersey Law Journal Books (ALM) (2011-2019)
- Author, Should You Use and Sign Seller Disclosure Statements?New Jersey REALTOR®, July/August 2018
- Designated REALTOR®, June 2018
- Author, Broker Who Procures Bona Fide Buyer Denied Commission Where Tenant Exercises Right of First RefusalGreenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP 2018 Real Estate Update: Trending Issues & Topics of Interest, February 2018
- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Client Alert, February 2018
- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP Client Alert, March 2017
- Author, A Question of SecurityNew Jersey Realtor®, April 2016
- New Jersey REALTOR®, November/December 2015
- New Jersey REALTOR®, October 2015
- New Jersey REALTOR®, August 2013
- New Jersey Lawyer, December 2012
- New Jersey REALTOR®, January/February 2012
- New Jersey REALTOR®, September 2011
- New Jersey REALTOR®, June 23, 2011
News
- August 15, 2024
- August 17, 2023
- August 18, 2022
Departments
Practice Groups
Education
Rutgers University School of Law, Newark, J.D., 1977
Rutgers College, B.A., cum laude, 1973
Bar Admissions
- New Jersey, 1978
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 1978
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 1986
Clerkships
- Former law clerk to The Honorable Eugene L. Lora, Presiding Judge, New Jersey Appellate Division (1977-1978)
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Please visit our Award Methodology page for a description of the standard or methodology on which these accolades are based. Attorney Advertising: No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.