Christopher P. Massaro is a member in the firm’s Litigation, Real Estate, and Tax, Trusts & Estates Departments. Christopher also serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Estates and Trusts Litigation Practice Group.

Experience

He has successfully resolved a variety of state and federal court matters for both individuals and businesses. Although most of his cases are addressed in New Jersey, Christopher has also litigated matters in other states throughout the country.

During his career, Christopher has represented clients in disputes involving the following areas:

• Probate/estate/trust litigation
• Commercial litigation
• Contract litigation
• Shareholder litigation
• ERISA litigation
• Construction and surety litigation
• Bankruptcy litigation
• Employment litigation
• Professional malpractice
• Land use

Representative Matters

Christopher has litigated and successfully resolved various probate, trust and estate matters. Some examples include disputes involving will contests and interpretation, undue influence, testamentary capacity, tax issues and breaches of fiduciary duty by executors and trustees.  He also regularly advises beneficiaries, executors and trustees with respect to their rights and obligations outside of the litigation context. Although significant financial interests are usually the focus of trust and estate disputes, Christopher is also sensitive to the emotional impact these cases often have on litigants.

Christopher has also obtained favorable results in a variety of other matters, such as the following:

• Obtained a court order barring a subordinated lender from interfering with the repayment of an $8 million loan held by a commercial lender;
• Prevented the majority shareholders of a closely held corporation from wrongfully terminating a minority shareholder who was serving as the corporation’s president;
• Invalidated a shareholder vote conducted by a large, private corporation that would have authorized the sale of all corporate assets in violation of the shareholders’ agreement and the interests of several shareholders;
• Obtained partial summary judgment against a national health insurance company on behalf of a medical practice in a case involving ERISA benefit claims. The remainder of the suit was subsequently settled on favorable terms for the medical practice;
• Successfully defended appeals on behalf of hospitals involving claims of professional malpractice;
• Settled a successor liability claim involving employment discrimination on terms that were favorable to the successor entity;
• Member of the trial team that obtained a multimillion-dollar judgment for a large commercial landlord in the U.S. District Court concerning a dispute with a commercial tenant;
• Co-authored an appellate brief in a case involving land use/environmental issues, which was ultimately decided in favor of our client and culminated in a published appellate court opinion [In re New Jersey Dep’t of Envtl. Prot. ex. rel. Christ Church, 414 N.J. Super. 592, 999 A.2d 1168 (App. Div. 2010)]; and
• Served as the attorney for the West Caldwell Zoning Board of Adjustment after having previously served as the Chairman of the Board.

Networks & Affiliations

Christopher is a member of the New Jersey and Bergen County Bar Associations and serves on several committees, including the Probate Litigation & Guardianship Committee. He is also a graduate of the Morris Pashman American Inn of Court, which is a professional association designed to enhance trial practice skills. In addition, he serves as a volunteer mentor for the students at New York Law School and has acted as a judge for the New Jersey State Bar Association’s high school mock trial program on numerous occasions. Prior to joining the firm, Christopher served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Howard H. Kestin of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.

Education

Christopher graduated summa cum laude from Montclair State University and New York Law School. While attending New York Law School, Christopher was a member of Law Review.

Honors & Awards

Recognized for the quality of his legal work and professionalism in the areas of Litigation, Commercial Law and Trusts and Estates, Christopher has been awarded the top rating of AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the premier directory of legal professionals.

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court in any state. 

See Award Methodology.