DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP, is pleased to announce the addition of the Honorable Walter F. Skrod (Ret.) as “of counsel” to the firm.

Judge Skrod joined the firm on January 31, 2022, after serving nearly seven years as a New Jersey Superior Court Judge in Bergen County. He brings extensive experience to DeCotiis, offering his expertise in the areas of alternative dispute resolution, mediation, and arbitration, as well as consultation with public and private sector clients. Judge Skrod also consults on trial presentations, and is available to manage litigation as a special master and offer guidance to the firm regarding complex matters.

Judge Skrod’s addition to the firm will extend DeCotiis’ purview to a new practice area, Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”). With costs of litigation and overburdening court systems, the ADR Practice Group will allow parties to work toward a voluntary and consensual agreement.

The firm’s ADR Practice Group is comprised of a diverse group of attorneys who focus their practices in various areas of litigation, as well as corporate, labor and employment, real estate, construction, environmental and healthcare law. They include trial and transactional lawyers, a former judge, court-appointed mediator and arbitrator.

The ADR practice area encompasses mediation, arbitration and other creative alternatives to formal legal proceedings. The attorneys in the ADR Practice Group develop sophisticated strategies for conflict management and resolution by placing an early and comprehensive focus on the business and personal relationships, transaction details, and other relevant factors that have contributed to a dispute. An effective resolution through ADR should uphold the rights of all parties, meet their objectives, preserve relationships, and avoid the time and expense associated with traditional litigation.