NAGEL RICE - Key Persons
Andrew J. Nees is an associate at Nagel Rice. Andrew concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions and civil litigation.
Prior to joining Nagel Rice, Andrew served as law clerk for the Honorable Joshua D. Sanders in the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division, Family Part.
Andrew attended college at Arizona State University, Tempe, where he graduated summa cum laude with his Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Thereafter, Andrew graduated from Seton Hall Law School, where he served as an SBA Senator and received awards for his excellent work competing with the interscholastic Mock Trial Team.
In his free time, Andrew coaches the Seton Hall Law Mock Trial Team and serves on the Board of Directors for the Optimum Health Institute of San Diego, a non-profit organization.
Andrew O'Connor is a partner at Nagel Rice and focuses his practice on serious personal injury, mass tort litigation, and business litigation.
Bradley L. Rice is a trial attorney who focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation, class actions, and personal injury matters. He has extensive experience in federal and state courts, as well as before the American Arbitration Association and FINRA. Throughout his career, Brad has represented both public and private companies and individuals in litigations throughout the U.S. in a variety of complex commercial and securities litigation matters. In addition, he provides strategic advice regarding litigation, risk management solutions, and general counsel services to small companies.
Prior to joining Nagel Rice, Brad was an associate at O'Melveny & Myers, LLP where he specialized in securities ligation and complex commercial litigation.
Brad graduated from Rutgers School of Law - Newark in 2008, where he was the Research Editor for the Rutgers Law Review. While in law school, Brad served as a legal intern for the Honorable Kenneth Levy in the New Jersey Superior Court, Chancery Division. Prior to law school, Brad attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he obtained a bachelor of science in Industrial and Labor Relations.
Brad is admitted to practice in New Jersey (2008), New York (2009), and the United States District Courts for District of New Jersey and the Southern District of New York. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association.
Bruce H. Nagel is widely regarded as one of the leading trial attorneys in the New York metropolitan area. A graduate of Cornell University and New York University School of law, Bruce has devoted his practice to complex litigation including serious personal injury, class actions, medical and legal malpractice, business and partnership disputes, and estate litigation.
He has tried over 200 cases to verdict , the vast majority of which were jury trials. His clients include the State of New Jersey, Fortune 500 companies, Hollywood celebrities, sports figures, prominent families throughout the world, and the guy next door. Bruce prides himself in representing many of the leading law firm in New York and New Jersey, as well as numerous Judges in a variety of matters.
His many high profile cases have been featured on Nightline, Good Morning America, Today Show, CNN, CNBC and every major network. Among his headline cases are the Short Hills Mall carjacking death case, the cyberbullying suicide of a middle schooler, sexual abuse cases against the Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Church, Rockefeller University Hospital, and many other institutions, Paramus Bus crash, class actions against leading insurance companies establishing eating disorder medical coverage for 3.5 million insureds, and Amtrak 33 train derailment.
The New Jersey Law Journal have listed his settlements and verdicts as the highest in New Jersey for many years, including many which are the highest in New Jersey history. These include $225 million settlement in natural resource damage litigation; $200 million class action settlement against Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey for out of network insurance reimbursement; $49 million jury verdict in auto/motorcycle accident; $24 million jury verdict in medical malpractice case; $21 million settlement in workplace accident; $19.5 million settlement in bus accident case; $14.2 million jury verdict in breach of fiduciary duty case; $13 million settlement in premises liability case; and $10.25 million settlement in sexual abuse case.
Bruce has the distinction of garnering nearly $2 billion in settlements and verdicts. In addition to his trial accomplishment, Bruce has appeared before the New Jersy Supreme Court 16 times and the Delaware Supreme court, en banc, and has significantly molded the law of trial practice, class action, consumer fraud, and medical malpractice.
Bruce has received many accolades for his significant impact on the legal profession including being named a Top 10 Super Lawyers in New Jersey many years, and named in Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in New York City, and Best Lawyers in New York Metropolitan area. His litigation prowess has been publicly noted by a former White House counsel, the national legal correspondent for a major network, and the chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Christopher Lobozzo is an associate at Nagel Rice. Chris concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, sex abuse, and commercial litigation.
Diane Elizabeth Sammons is a partner at Nagel Rice and has more than 25 years' experience as a litigator. Diane started her career as a criminal prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. After establishing an array of trial victories there, she began work at one of the largest commercial firms in the state, focusing on mass complex tort cases (including the DES' litigation, tobacco litigation and fetal-alcohol syndrome), commercial litigation, insurance and white-collar criminal defense work. She joined Nagel Rice in 1990.
In 2001, she became part of a team representing national and international victims in an Austrian ski train disaster against European companies. Diane's efforts have contributed to several significant jurisdictional victories over multi-national corporations.
Diane also secured a successful result for several Austrian anti-nuclear organizations who sought to close a nuclear power station on the southern border of the Czech Republic. Her work in securing documentation through the Freedom of Information Act was a resource to her clients who had been struggling for years to secure basic safety documents from the Czech Republic.
In 2003, she was appointed co-lead counsel of a 19-member team of attorneys in a multi-district litigation in a claim against corporations who profited from the transatlantic slave trade. She has served as a lead attorney in the international suit seeking damages for the victims of apartheid in South Africa.
In 2004, Diane was installed as Chancellor of the Episcopal Church of Newark, where she serves as special legal advisor to the Bishop and oversees all legal matters for the 113-church Diocese, including employment, real estate, transactional work, clergy discipline, ecclesiastical law and litigation.
Diane has been a frequent guest on radio and talk shows speaking about some of her cases. Such appearances include, CNN (March 30, 2002); CN8 "Real Life" (June 5, 2002); CN8 10:00 News (May 1, 2002); Channel 9 10:00 News (May 1, 2002); Rundshau, German television show (January 8, 2003); Africa Today, South African morning show (June 2002); National Public Radio (2002); BBC (2002): Voice of America (2002); National Public Radio, "Tavis Smiley Show" (2003); National Public Radio, "Morning Edition" (2004); Bloomberg News "Simply Put" (April 2004), WOR (2002); WNET (2002); WCTZ (April 2004).
Greg Kohn is a partner at Nagel Rice and specializes in complex civil litigation cases, including professional malpractice, personal injury, class actions, wrongful death, products liability, and commercial litigation. He has extensive experience representing clients in both state and federal court.
Greg has tried many jury trials to verdict and has recovered over $85 million in settlements and verdicts in all types of personal injury matters including automobile accidents, wrongful death cases, slip and falls, and other catastrophic injury cases. Recently, Greg settled a worksite injury case for $21 million involving a paralyzed 21 year old and a worksite death case for $5 million. Greg has also obtained a multi-million award in a dispute between a hedge fund and its placement agent as well as represented a large company in responding to government subpoenas. Greg and his partner, Bruce Nagel, obtained a $14.2 million jury verdict after a five week trial for the former CEO of a major telecom company against his former financial advisor for breach of fiduciary duties. Greg also handles medical malpractice cases, involving misdiagnoses, wrongful birth, and delayed cancer diagnosis. Greg recovered $7.15 million in a wrongful birth case due to the doctor missing a deleted chromosome.
Greg is also responsible for e-discovery for the firm. His background in computer science allows him to understand not only the legal aspects of e-discovery, but the technology behind it as well. As a member of the Sedona Conference, Greg is able to participate in shaping the guidelines for e-discovery practice. Greg recently was part of a panel discussing how attorneys' obligations under Rule 34 have really changed. He is also one of the authors of "The Sedona Conference Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 Primer" and "The Sedona Conference WG1 Primer on Managing Electronic Discovery in Small Cases."
Greg was admitted to practice law in New York, New Jersey, the District of New Jersey, the Southern District of New York, the Third Circuit and the Seventh Circuit. He is a member of the New York, New Jersey, and American Bar Associations.
Greg has been named to Super Lawyer's Rising Stars list from 2012-2020 and the Super Lawyer's list in from 2022-2023.
Jay J. Rice is the managing partner of the firm in which he founded in 1983 with his boyhood friend Bruce Nagel.
Jay has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation, including business litigation, class actions, mass torts, chancery, securities, construction litigation, professional malpractice, and estate litigation. He is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney and has tried numerous cases in state and federal courts to conclusion. By way of example, Jay has: (1) obtained a $16.5 million settlement in In re Ski Train Fire in Kaprun, a disaster which caused the deaths of 155 persons and which resulted in a settlement which included compensation from the Austrian Government; (2) obtained an $11 million estate litigation settlement; (3) obtained a $7.1 million judgment for a homeowner based upon the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act; (4) argued on behalf of Dairy Stores the landmark commercial libel case before the New Jersey Supreme Court, successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in All the Way Towing which established the standard for the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in Balducci v. Cigna (legality of fee agreement) and In re Tannen as to the enforceability of irrevocable trusts in matrimonial litigation . Jay has also been engaged by many attorneys as expert witness in numerous professional liability cases and he has been appointed by the courts as Arbitrator, Mediator, Special Fiscal Agent or Receiver in numerous matters.
Jay has served as Lecturer for ICLE and New Jersey State Bar Association in the following: 1989: Lecturer on "Restrictive Covenants" for the New Jersey State Bar Association; 1990: Lecturer on the "Corporate Deadlock Statute" for the New Jersey State Bar Association; 1991: Lecturer on "Law Firm Dissolution" for the New Jersey State Bar Association; 1991: Lecturer on "The Corporate Deadlock Statute" for ICLE, 1993; Lecturer on "Successfully Litigating the Closely-Held Corporate Dispute when Those in Control Have Engaged in Fraudulent Mismanagement" for the Essex County Bar Association, 1993; Lecturer on "Litigating Fraud and Mismanagement Disputes in Closely Held Corporations", ICLE, 1995; Lecturer on "Marketability Discounts in Sales of Closely Held Stocks" for the New Jersey State Bark Association, 1999; Lecturer on "Law Firm Break Ups - Ten Years after Norris" for the New Jersey State Bark Association, 2003; 2011 "Trust and Matrimonial Alimony Issues," and 2012 "Secrets of Success in Equity Jurisprudence; and 2019 Legal Malpractice Update."
Additionally, Jay has authored "Equity Procedures" for New Jersey Practice, Vol. 19, Chapter 4 (1993) and "Responsibility of Insolvent Corporation for Environmental Cleanup", New Jersey Law Journal, September 25, 1986.
Jay was also a member of the New Jersey District Ethics Committee For District V (1994-1999); a member of the New Jersey Lawyer Editorial Board from 1996 through 2008; founder and manager of the Essex County Chancery Division Early Settlement Program; and the recipient of the 1995 Essex County Bar Association Pro Bono Chancery Achievement Award.
In 2013, Jay was selected to the "Fellows of the American Bar Foundation." Jay has served and continues to serve in many philanthropic endeavors including President of the Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel; President of the Jewish Community Housing Corp.; Member of the Executive Board of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest; Member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Community Foundation of MetroWest; and President of the Gates of Israel Foundation of Temple Sharey-Tefilo Israel.
Jay was included in the Super Lawyer's list as one of New Jersey's Top 100 attorneys in 2007-2011, 2013-2023, and one of New Jersey's Top 10 Attorneys in 2012.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Co - Chair of the Family and Small Business Law Committee of the Business Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association
Lori Mayer is a partner of Nagel Rice LLP and handles a broad spectrum of business and real estate matters, including estate planning. She has extensive transactional experience in stock and asset acquisitions representing both buyers and sellers, business start-ups, secured and unsecured financing transactions representing both borrowers and lenders, and real estate purchases, sales, and leases, including rooftop solar leases, representing buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants. Lori also has broad experience representing established businesses in matters such as trade contracts, employment contracts, non-compete and other restrictive covenants, general business governance, ongoing and changing relationships among the owners of a business, and trademark screening, registration, and licensing.
Lori has lectured for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education on landlord-tenant issues. In 2011, she lectured on Comprehensive Roadmap to Handling Commercial Landlord Tenant Issues and in 2010 she lectured on Handling Current Commercial Landlord Tenant Issues. Lori is also the author of "Landlord Consents: Reasonableness, Good Faith, and Remedies," New Jersey Lawyer, December 2009 and "New Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act: Wider Discretion and Greater Risks for Managers of Endowment Funds," New Jersey Lawyer, April 2010.
Lori is Co-Chair of the Family and Small Business Law Committee of the Business Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Lori graduated from Georgetown Law and served as an Editor of the Georgetown Law Journal.
Michael J. Paragano is a partner at Nagel Rice. He concentrates his practice in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions and civil litigation.
Randee Matloff is a partner at Nagel Rice and has 30 years of experience representing clients in complex litigation and appellate practice. She practices in both the state and federal courts and has more than a dozen published decisions to her credit. Randee has successfully handled several class actions, including a trio of landmark ERISA class actions against major health insurers, which established coverage for 4 million individuals for the treatment of eating disorders as well as the recovery of millions of dollars of wrongfully denied benefits. She has also successfully handled sever class actions against Horizon BlueCross BlueShield of New Jersey for out of network coverage. In addition, she litigated a class action in the Southern District of New York arising out of a catastrophic fire on a Ski Train in Kaprun, Austria which resulted in a $16.5 settlement. She has also been involved in litigating small business break-ups, construction litigation, insurance coverage disputes, product liability cases, personal injury matters and disputes arising from trusts and estates. Most recently she was involved in a dispute involving the construction of a trust which was a matter of first impression resolved by the New Jersey Supreme Court. She also second chaired a residential construction case which resulted in a $7 million consumer fraud judgment against the builder.
Randee graduated from Rutgers University with Highest Honors and Rutgers Law School. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She is admitted to practice in New Jersey, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit. Randee was chosen to Super Lawyers in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Robert Solomon is a partner at Nagel Rice and has over 30 years of experience representing clients in a wide range of areas including personal injury, complex commercial litigation, class actions and appellate practice. Class action cases include a $160 million class action settlement involving ERISA claims and under reimbursement of surgery center fees where he was appointed co-lead class counsel, a nationwide class action against an entertainment business where he was appointed class counsel and a $7.5 million nationwide class action settlement against a major bank involving consumer fraud. Robert has also litigated and successfully resolved numerous multi-million dollar personal injury matters including medical malpractice and wrongful death. In addition, Robert has been at the cutting edge of business and commercial disputes, including winning a $4.5 million judgment against a major real estate developer after a lengthy trial.
Robert is a former adjunct professor at Seton Hall Law School where, for many years, he taught all aspects of New Jersey practice and the New Jersey Court Rules.
He has been selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list every year since 2008 and has been chosen as one of the Top 100 attorney in the New Jersey Super Lawyers list every year since 2010.
Robert was a law clerk to the Honorable Freda L. Wolfson, U.S. District Court Judge, District of New Jersey. He was admitted to practice in New Jersey and the United States District Court, District of New Jersey in 1990, the United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit in 1997, and the United States Supreme Court in 2014.
Robert has argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court and has 21 published opinions in state and federal court involving diverse and important legal issues. See, e.g., Finkelman v. Nat'l Football League, 236 N.J. 280 (2019); Escobar v. Mazie, 460 N.J. Super. 520 (App. Div. 2019); Finkelman v. Nat'l Football League, 877 F.3d 504 (3d Cir. 2017) and Couri v. Gardner, 173 N.J. 328 (2002).