Steven R. Tombalakian

About Steven R. Tombalakian

Mr. Tombalakian has over 25 years of experience as an accomplished attorney advising clients on all aspects of commercial real estate, land use development and redevelopment matters. Mr. Tombalakian’s extensive transactional and litigation experience includes the representation of large, medium and small corporations as well as a specialty practice representing retail motor fuel clients.

As general counsel and local counsel to clients, Mr. Tombalakian routinely advises commercial property owners and developers throughout the increasingly complex development process, including initial property acquisition, financing, permitting/ approvals, construction and leasing. Recently, he was local counsel to a 75 million acquisition of a hotel which was fast-tracked successfully (contract to closing in less than two months).

A licensed Professional Engineer and Professional Planner, Mr. Tombalakian began his career with a consulting engineering firm where he worked on many civil and environmental engineering design and construction projects. This practical design, planning and construction experience underpins Mr. Tombalakian’s expertise in all aspects of real estate law, including environmental and municipal law.

Mr. Tombalakian is also an accomplished litigator, having successfully litigated high-profile land use and environmental matters at all levels, including the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. An expert in his field, Mr. Tombalakian frequently lectures for the National Business Institute on New Jersey zoning and municipal law, is a contributing author of the treatise New Jersey Zoning and Land Use, 2nd Edition (Juris Publishing, 2008) and author of articles on environmental law, as published in ABA State and Local Government News and the New Jersey Law Journal.

He has extensive experience handling complex environmental cases in federal, State and administrative courts, including claims involving CERCLA, RCRA, New Jersey Spill Act, TSCA, Clean Water Act, ISRA, Clean Air Act, wetlands, wastewater, solid waste, natural resource damages and related insurance coverage and alternative dispute resolution procedures (e.g., arbitration and mediation).

Also an active member of his community, Mr. Tombalakian served for 16 years on the Borough of Madison Planning Board and continues to serve as a Trustee for the Madison Main Street Foundation, which advocates for and promotes the Borough of Madison’s downtown commercial business district.