Joseph A. Rutigliano

Joseph A. Rutigliano has handled the purchase and sale of fire apparatus, the planning, development and leasing of school buildings and the drafting and implementation of a school system-wide computerized student medical policy along with the drafting of student medical notification and consent forms. He has litigated cases involving school board tenure laws, attendance at public schools by non-residents, liability for fraudulent use of credit cards and matters involving persons who were sued civilly for actions which had previously been the subject of criminal litigation involving restitution.

As Assistant Counsel to the Township of Weehawken, Joseph defends the Township in connection with tax appeals heard at the State Tax Court and county board level, reviews and drafts Township responses to Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests, defends lawsuits/Orders to Show Cause relating to OPRA in the superior court, is involved in matters relating to New Jersey's Pay to Play laws and performs research and defense relating to any other matters assigned to him. Joseph also handles these types of matters for the firm's clients in all New Jersey municipalities other than Weehawken. Joseph has served as tax appeal counsel for the Township of North Bergen, the Town of West New York and the Borough of North Arlington.

Recently, Joseph has been involved in matters involving internet privacy and harassment or “cyber stalking”, as well as those involving the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. Joseph was instrumental in the planning and development of an interoperability system for North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue which was the subject of a federal earmark. This highly secure system uses cutting-edge technology and will make it possible for North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue personnel to communicate effectively in a mobile setting as well as to communicate with surrounding agencies and to convey information in real-time in response to everyday missions and major disasters. The system is currently being implemented in the five municipalities that make up North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue.

Joseph is a life-long resident of Hudson County. He graduated from Weehawken High School and earned his bachelor’s degree at Jersey City State College. He then attended New York Law School and received his Juris Doctor in June of 2001. Upon graduation he served as judicial clerk to the Honorable John A. Conte, J.S.C. in the Criminal Division of the Bergen County Superior Court. He passed the New Jersey Bar Exam and was sworn in to the New Jersey Bar in 2001, the District of Columbia Bar in 2002 and became a member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court in 2006.

After finishing his clerkship Joseph spent three years representing drivers in lawsuits involving injuries sustained as a result of automobile accidents, as well as managing the New Jersey state subrogation department of GEICO - a major, national automobile insurer.

Joseph’s family hails from Molfetta, Italy. His grandfather immigrated to America, and worked as a longshoreman until he could afford to bring his wife and children to live with him. They settled in Hoboken, New Jersey where Joseph was born in, what was then, St. Mary’s Hospital. He is a long-time resident of Weehawken, where he lives with his wife and two children.

Joseph has served as counsel for North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, the Township of North Bergen, the Union City Board of Education, the Town of West New York, the Borough of North Arlington, the County of Bergen, the County of Hudson, the Bergen County Improvement Authority and the Borough of Fort Lee, as well as for several other municipalities and numerous private clients. He has served as a member of the Weehawken Township Rent Leveling Board since 2003, is a lifetime, alumni member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International. He is a has been a member of the Hudson County Inn of Court and both the Hudson and Bergen County Bar Associations.

Judicial Clerkship:

New Jersey Superior Court, Bergen Vicinage, Hackensack, New Jersey

Honorable John A. Conte, J.S.C., Criminal Part

Lectures:

• Avoiding Costly Litigation, Hudson County School Boards Association, Board Presidents and Vice Presidents Roundtable (January 2008)

• Current Legal Issues in Education Law, Hudson County School Boards Association, Board Presidents and Vice Presidents Roundtable (January 2007)

• Current Issues in New Jersey Automobile Liability Law, GEICO Claims Managers Meeting (September 2004)

• New Jersey Auto Law Reform, GEICO Claims Managers Meeting (September 2003)

• New Jersey Statutory PIP Coverage, GEICO Claims Managers Meeting (November 2002)

Professional Associations and Memberships (past and present):

Bergen County Bar Association

Hudson County Bar Association

Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International, Alumni Member

Hudson County Inn of Court