Michael J. Lipari

Specialized Land Use Attorney Focused on Zoning, Redevelopment and Eminent Domain Strategy

Michael J. Lipari is Partner and Chair of the firm’s Land Use, Zoning, and Redevelopment Practice Group. He provides strategic counsel to developers, landowners, investors, and community associations throughout New Jersey. He has a proven track record of guiding clients through the intricacies of real estate development, from due diligence to project completion.

Michael’s diverse client base includes multi-family residential, commercial, mixed-use, transit-oriented, and industrial developers, as well as landlords, tenants, and redevelopment authorities. His comprehensive legal services cover every phase of a project, from acquisition and zoning compliance to procurement of entitlements through post-construction legal concerns.

Michael is well-versed in all aspects of redevelopment law, including negotiating and drafting redevelopment agreements and financial (PILOT) agreements that maximize benefits for redevelopers. He has represented numerous builders and developers before local land use boards throughout New Jersey, obtaining project approvals in many municipalities.

Michael’s extensive experience in the public sector includes serving as Zoning Board Attorney for the Borough of Lincoln Park and acting as Special Redevelopment Counsel for the Borough of Atlantic Highlands and Township of Belleville. In these roles, he advised municipal officials on redevelopment strategies, zoning issues, and legal compliance.

In addition to his real estate development practice, Michael is a trusted advisor to community associations, offering legal support on matters ranging from governance and compliance to complex land use issues. He has served as general counsel to homeowners associations (HOAs) of varying sizes, from small 5-unit condominiums to large 2,100+ unit communities. Michael is a skilled Land Use Counsel, handling the unique challenges that community associations face regarding zoning, land use, and redevelopment projects.

Michael brings invaluable hands-on real estate development experience to his practice. Before transitioning to law, he served as development project manager for a real estate development firm, where he oversaw the management and execution of large-scale residential, commercial, and mixed-use development projects. This background provides him with a practical understanding of the challenges developers face, enhancing his ability to offer practical, real-world solutions to clients.

Michael has also served as developer-appointed trustee for homeowners associations and as president of a 400+ unit HOA, further deepening his expertise in community association governance.

Michael earned his law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he was actively involved in the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board and provided pro bono tax assistance to low-income individuals at the Center for Social Justice. After law school, he clerked for the Honorable Mark A. Sullivan, Jr. (ret.), former presiding Judge and designated affordable housing Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Monmouth Vicinage, gaining invaluable judicial insight into real estate and land use matters.

With extensive experience in both private real estate development and public sector advisory roles, Michael offers a unique combination of legal expertise and practical development knowledge. Whether you’re a developer seeking to navigate zoning challenges, a community association in need of specialized legal counsel, or a municipality in search of redevelopment solutions, Michael provides comprehensive, results-driven legal services tailored to your specific needs.

Key Areas of Expertise:

• Real Estate Development & Redevelopment
• Zoning & Land Use Law
• Eminent Domain & Property Rights
• Community Association Law
• Financial (PILOT) Agreements & Long Term Tax Exemptions (LTTE) Law