On January 1, 2008, Paul A. Rowe, who has been the Managing Partner of the firm for 20 years, assumed the role of Chairman, and partners W. Raymond Felton and Mark H. Sobel have become Co-Managing Partners. Mr. Rowe, who was recently selected to the International Who's Who of Commercial Litigation and the International Who's Who of Business Lawyers, a prestigious group of 479 lawyers world wide, will devote greater time to his active commercial and family law litigation practices.
On his new role, Rowe comments, "Although I remain involved in the ongoing vision of the firm, I thought that it was in the best interests of the firm to turn over the management and policies of the firm to Ray and Mark."
Under Paul Rowe's leadership, the firm has grown to over 100 lawyers; a second office in Roseland was opened in March of 1997 and 16 attorneys now work there. The professional reputation of the firm and its lawyers has been significantly enhanced during Rowe's tenure as evidenced by the recognition of attorneys in select legal directories and their election to prestigious professional groups, the numerous leadership roles of GRSD lawyers in bar and industry associations, and the publication of books and articles written by GRSD lawyers.
The New Managers
The new Co-Managing Partners, Mark Sobel and Ray Felton, bring a wealth of experience and professional accomplishments to their roles. Both have been GRSD attorneys for years; Sobel joined the firm in 1980, Felton in 1981.
Both Sobel and Felton note that this management transition is meaningful. With the firm approaching its 100th anniversary, its growth has been attributable to development alongside their clients, not through the recent pattern of mergers among law firms. "Our pattern has given us stability and continuity," said Felton. And, in Sobel's assessment, "The successive younger generations of lawyers have been willing to take on precedent setting cases, maintain a focus on the mid market businesses and individuals they serve, with their sleeves rolled up, not worried about financial or internal volatility."
Mark Sobel is a partner in the Litigation Department and Chair of the Family Law Practice Group. He received his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1978 and worked as an Assistant Prosecutor in Essex County prior to joining the firm. Sobel is a Certified Matrimonial Attorney and has been involved in complex commercial litigation.
Sobel is the past chair of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association and Managing Editor of the New Jersey Family Lawyer, a national publication. Since 2001 and continuing to date, he has been included in The Best Lawyers in America in the Family Law category.
Ray Felton is a partner and Chair of the Corporate Department and concentrates his practice in the areas of corporate and securities law. He received his law degree from Rutgers Law School-Newark, where he served as Research Editor of the Rutgers Law Review. He has had extensive experience representing both buyers and sellers of small and medium-sized businesses as well as handling their financing transactions.
Felton is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the categories of Corporate Law, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Securities. He is also listed in Chambers USA - America's Leading Business Lawyers guide as a leading individual in the Corporate/M&A practice area.
Since 1990, Felton has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Section on Business Law of the New Jersey State Bar Association and served as chair of that Section from 2002-2004. He is the author of Organization and Sale of Small Businesses, published by ICLE in 1995, and updated biannually through 2002.
Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP has over 100 attorneys in four main practice departments: Litigation; Real Estate; Corporate; and Tax, Trusts and Estates. The firm has offices located in Woodbridge and Roseland, New Jersey. For more information, call Erin P. Faltin at 732-549-5600 or visit the firm's web site at www.greenbaumlaw.com.
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