Cooper Levenson, P.A.

Cooper Levenson attorneys have more than a half-century of experience in property valuation law.  Garry Roettger, a former Deputy Attorney General for the State of New Jersey, leads the Tax Appeals Practice Group.

Garry is an expert trial lawyer, with extensive experience preparing and trying major property tax and condemnation (eminent domain) matters in New Jersey trial courts. He has numerous reported decisions to his credit in the New Jersey Tax Court and at the Appellate Division.

Representative cases include Ocean County v. Landolfo, 132 N.J. Super. 523, 528, 334 A.2d 360 (App. Div. 1975). Loveladies Property Owner Association. v. Raab, 430 F. Supp. 276 (D.N.J.1975) aff'd 547 F.2d. 1162 (3d Cir. 1976). Loveladies Property Owners Association, Inc. v. Raab, 137 N.J. Super.179, 348 A.2d 540 (App. Div. 1975). Southern Ocean Landfill, Inc., v. Mayor and Council of Ocean Twp. 64 N.J. 190, 314 A.2d 65 (1974). State of New Jersey by Commissioner of Transportation v. Applegate, 107 N.J. Super 159, 257, A.2d 717 (App .Div. 1969). City of Atlantic City v. Ginnetti, 17 N.J. Tax 354 (Tax 1998). Atlantic City v. Boardwalk Regency, 19 N.J. Tax 164 (App. Div. 2000). Society of the Holy Child Jesus v. City of Summit, 23 N.J. Tax 528, 530 (Tax 2007), rev'd. 418 N.J. Super. 365 (App. Div. 2011).

He is the author of numerous articles and manuals in the fields of condemnation and tax appeals. Topics include “Condemnation Practice; a Manual for New Jersey Attorneys,” published by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, “Preparation of Your Expert Witnesses for Trial” (“Preparing for Their Cross-Examination”), published by the American Bar Association, Litigation Section, “A Condemnation Case: Getting Your Money's Worth,” published by Trial Magazine, “Just Compensation: Frustration of an Owner's Plans,” published in Condemnation Appraisal Practice, vol. II by the American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers.

At Cooper Levenson, we believe our future rests in our collective ability to embrace change and leverage diversity through our leadership, employment, and continued community support. We believe that diversity is critical to our business strategy, our relationships with our clients and employees and will improve our competitiveness and prospects for long-term success.

The firm is a member of the New Jersey Law Firm Group, which is comprised of New Jersey Law firms, corporate legal departments, governmental agencies and public interest organizations that recognize the importance and advantages of diversity in not only serving the needs of clients but also in enhancing the legitimacy and public image of the legal profession. Each year, this organization provides a fellowship, a job fair, mentor programs and roundtable discussions at each of New Jersey's law schools to demystify the recruitment process and to encourage participation in the group's programs.

Cooper Levenson is also a member of the Minority Counsel Program of the American Bar Association, Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession. The mission of this organization is to promote diversity in the legal profession through education and by building relationships between corporations and lawyers who are racially and ethnically diverse.

Committed to diversity issues since its very inception, firm founder, James Cooper was a member of President Kennedy's Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, having litigated civil rights cases in Mississippi in 1966. One of our attorneys was the first woman president of the Atlantic County Bar Association. While in law school, another of our attorneys served as the National Executive Director of the National Black Law Students Association, which presided over all Black law student associations around the country.

Cooper Levenson is proud of this commitment to diversity among its clients, its employees and its community support.