RUTTER & ROY - Key Persons
Christine Roy joined the firm in 1999 and became partner in 2007, at which time the firm changed its name to Watson, Stevens, Rutter & Roy, LLP. In 2016, the firm announced a new name change and is now formally known as Rutter & Roy, LLP.
As Rutter & Roy has evolved, its practice areas have remained consistent since the firm represented its first pipeline company in 1950. True to its deep roots established in Central New Jersey, the firm remains focused in the areas of energy, infrastructure and environment.
Christine A. Roy joins firm, becomes a partner in 2007.
Christine Roy is Rutter & Roy's Managing Partner. In this role, along with responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the firm, she concentrates her practice on environmental, energy and infrastructure matters. Her particular focus is on regulatory and commercial activities connected with linear construction and large-scale development projects in New Jersey. Clients have included several interstate natural gas pipeline companies as well as a major electric transmission company. She is also a rare female thought leader and senior strategist in an overwhelmingly male legal field.
Christine has extensive experience in project planning, jurisdictional determinations, condemnation/eminent domain, environmental permitting, pipeline and utility law. She is particularly knowledgeable concerning regulatory issues unique to New Jersey such as the Green Acres diversion regulations, Farmland Preservation, conservation restrictions and the No Net Loss Reforestation Act. Additionally, Ms. Roy has guided clients through the conversion process in connection with lands that are encumbered by Section 6(f) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program administered by the National Park Service.
From a broader perspective, Christine's role is that of a high-level strategist and risk manager for her clients. She has spent her legal career counseling clients on how to identify, plan for and navigate through the various regulatory processes that may be implicated by their projects. This experience has afforded her the judgment to assist clients with the right strategies and milestones as well as manage its interaction with regulators in order to minimize cost and minimize and eliminate risks.
Christine is particularly skilled at anticipating problems -- understanding what regulators will want -- and knowing what actions a client needs to take to either avoid or effectively address a potential issue. She also has an exceptional long-standing network within regulatory agencies, which helps create a collaborative working environment.
Construction projects are complex undertakings. Completing them on time and on budget is essential, and Christine's role is to distill these massive projects down to their essence, ensuring all facets come together as intended for her clients.
Aside from the actual physical process of construction, major projects must also navigate a labyrinth of legal, political and administrative issues and challenges. You can't simply build a transmission line - you must deal with dozens of stakeholders that it affects, all of whom have their own agendas, processes and public responsibilities. Christine works at the nexus of all these challenges. She utilizes a combination of technical legal expertise, personal relationships with regulators and strategic analysis to help ensure that her clients' projects keep moving forward. Whether the challenge at hand is a complex permitting regulation, a public hearing or an unavoidable lawsuit, Christine excels at helping her clients get their projects built on time.
Christine earned her J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law and her B.A. degree from St. Mary's College.
Edward L. Webster joins firm, becomes a partner in 1966.
Job Titles:
- Counsel to
- Member of the New Brunswick Bar Association
- Professional Affiliations
is Of Counsel to Rutter & Roy with more than 30 years of legal experience. Mark's practice focuses on complex real estate transactions, and he represents clients in the areas of land use, zoning, planning and redevelopment. He has represented various pipeline and railroad clients, appearing before numerous planning boards and zoning boards of adjustment in New Jersey.
Mark has a strong background in land acquisition, drafting settlement, purchase, easement agreements, as well as reviewing title and drawings associated with interstate natural gas pipeline projects. He also has extensive knowledge in the siting, construction and modification of compressor stations and other above-ground facilities.
Professional Affiliations:
Mark is a member of the New Brunswick Bar Association (serving as President from 1995 to 1996), Middlesex County Bar Association and New Jersey State Bar Association. He is also a member of the International Right of Way Association, New Jersey Chapter 15 (2003 - present).
Michael K. Rutter joins firm, becomes a partner in 1982.
joined the firm in 1978. He has over 35 years of experience, focusing on pipeline law, condemnation and real estate law, and environmental law. He has extensive litigation experience in those areas, as well as railroad law, insurance law and probate.
Mike has filed over 200 Condemnation complaints in state and federal court. He also has over 25 years of experience dealing with NJDEP Green Acres diversions and vast experience acquiring easements over farms preserved by the Farmland Preservation Program.
Mike served as a presiding commissioner in condemnation actions brought before the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Middlesex County from 1987 until 2009. These appointments are made by the Court. These actions involved the taking of lands by the State, Middlesex County and various municipal entities and authorities. Among the many matters in which Mike has served as presiding commissioner, the most noteworthy is The Housing Authority Of The City Of New Brunswick, Acting As Redevelopment Agency vs. Suydam Investors, L.L.C., et al. which led to a New Jersey Supreme Court opinion setting down the valuation procedure to be followed in the condemnations of allegedly contaminated properties.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Member of the New Jersey State Bar Association
Monica N. Stahl is a Senior Associate who concentrates her practice in project planning and consulting. In this role, she works with clients engaged in large-scale, linear construction projects to identify environmental issues and regulatory programs (including Green Acres diversion regulations, farmland preservation programs and conservation restrictions) that are or may be triggered by the project.
Because environmental and regulatory issues are major factors in both the scheduling and the final cost of linear projects, Monica's role is essential in ensuring that work is completed on time and under budget.
Elements of her work include in-depth review of title materials, drawings and appraisals to ensure that all potential issues are identified, the preparation of very detailed milestone schedules, and navigating the client through the environmental permit application process and land acquisition process through negotiation and condemnation.
Prior to joining the firm, Monica worked with a large Philadelphia firm, where she practiced corporate law, including extensive drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts and other commercial agreements. As a result of this training, she has a particular ability to notice important details deep within complex documents. For example, she will spot an indemnification provision and negotiate a carve-out or an exception to limit her client's exposure.
A problem-solver by nature, Monica brings a unique, effective skillset that clients prize in her day-to-day work. She is, unsurprisingly, extremely detail-oriented, managing the review and revision of all title work, drawings and appraisals for real estate acquisitions in connection with linear projects that require a very thorough, precise and careful read of all relevant documents. Monica is also exceptionally responsive and strives to keep clients informed of project status, on a regular basis.
Among her professional affiliations, Monica is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association .
Monica earned her J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where she was editor of the Seton Hall Law Review. While in law school, she served as an intern for the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law in Trenton. She earned her B.A. degree from Rutgers University, Rutgers College.
Professional Affiliations:
Monica is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
Monica is a graduate of Rutgers University (Rutgers College, B.A., 1997) and Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., 2000), where she was a member and editor of the Seton Hall Law Review. While in law school, she served as an intern for the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law in Trenton.
is Of Counsel to the firm. Rick concentrates his practice on real estate, commercial litigation and other litigation matters on behalf of individual and corporate clients. He primarily handles real estate transactions for the firm's interstate natural gas pipeline clients.
Richard Scott is a Partner with Rutter & Roy. He joined the firm shortly after passing the bar and has remained here ever since. He has in-depth experience in pipeline law, condemnation, environmental law and real estate law, and currently focuses his practice on complex permitting issues, Green Acres diversions, land and water conservation fund conversions, condemnations and various litigation matters.
As a practitioner, Rich works closely with clients to guide them through the regulatory intricacies required for projects, particularly those involving linear construction. He also works closely with third-party experts such as environmental consultants, engineers and relevant stakeholders.