Justin P. Kolbenschlag Joins Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C. as Partner in the Firm’s Bell Works Office in Holmdel, New Jersey
Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C. is pleased to announce that Justin P. Kolbenschlag has joined the firm as partner in the Litigation, Employment Law, Criminal Defense and Governmental and Internal Investigations, and Cannabis & Hemp Law practices as of October 12, 2021. He is based in the firm’s Bell Works office in Holmdel, New Jersey. Prior to joining Pashman Stein, Kolbenschlag was a solo practitioner at Kolbenschlag Law, LLC, which he formed after serving as partner in the litigation department at a prominent New Jersey law firm.
“We welcome Justin to our firm and are excited to have him as part of our team,” said Pashman Stein managing partner Michael S. Stein. “2021 has been a year of tremendous growth for our firm and Justin further deepens our litigation, employment law, criminal law, and cannabis bench.“
A highly skilled litigator, Kolbenschlag has successfully represented a wide range of clients in a variety of employment and business litigation matters in the state and federal courts of New Jersey. Justin’s experience includes complex litigation matters on behalf of financial institutions, multinational corporations, public entities, small businesses, and individuals. His significant business litigation experience includes restrictive covenant (non-compete) litigation, breach of contract actions, real estate and specific performance disputes, fraudulent transfer claims, consumer fraud act litigation, professional liability litigation, construction litigation, and landlord/tenant matters.
Kolbenschlag’s employment law experience includes representing both employees and employers in all aspects of employment law in state and federal courts and before administrative bodies, such as the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. He currently provides a voice to victims of workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful discharge, unlawful retaliation and hostile work environment. He aggressively advocates for employees who are being mistreated in the workplace and compassionately counsels employees who have been terminated or offered severance packages.
In addition, Kolbenschlag has significant experience defending employers in claims of wrongful discharge, unlawful employment practices, discrimination, harassment and wage and hour disputes. He counsels corporate clients on a broad range of issues including termination, employee discipline, wage and hour policies, disability accommodation and requests for leave, and the drafting of employee handbooks. Kolbenschlag also conducts harassment training seminars for employees, management and human resource professionals. He works closely with principals and upper level management of employers of all sizes to audit the client’s employment practices and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance and minimize the risk of costly employment litigation.
A member of Pashman Stein’s Cannabis & Hemp Law practice group, Kolbenschlag has experience advising existing medical marijuana operators and representing applicants poised to enter various aspects of the medical marijuana industry. In both the medical marijuana and hemp spaces, he provides multifaceted legal guidance to business entities and individuals focused on managing risk and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Kolbenschlag represents individuals and corporate clients in federal and state criminal investigations, as well as in connection with grand jury investigations, subpoenas, search warrants, and in regulatory and administrative inquiries. He was a member of the legal team along with partners Raymond M. Brown and Gregg H. Hilzer that successfully defended U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez in Federal District Court against unfounded allegations of public corruption and bribery brought by the federal government.
“I am excited to bring my practice to Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, a dynamic law firm that shares in my commitment to legal excellence, justice, and equality,” said Kolbenschlag. “I am especially inspired by the firm’s impactful work in advocating for social, racial and economic justice through the Stein Public Interest Center, which aligns with the values of my plaintiffs’ employment practice. It is an honor to join such distinguished colleagues at a powerhouse firm while maintaining my Monmouth County roots.”
Kolbenschlag earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, in 2007 and his B.A. from the University of Delaware, cum laude in 2003.
Kolbenschlag is admitted to practice in New Jersey and the United States District Court, District of New Jersey. He is a member of the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey and the New Jersey Association of Justice and serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Preferred Behavioral Health Group.
About Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
Pashman Stein Walder Hayden is a full-service law firm with a reputation for professional excellence. Headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey with offices in Monmouth County, New Jersey and Westchester, New York, the firm serves a diverse client base including Fortune 500 companies, emerging growth entities, businesses, other law firms, governmental entities, and individuals throughout New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. Recent honors include being named Law Firm of the Year-Finalist (2021) and, for the fourth year in a row, awarded Appellate Litigation Department of the Year (2021), by the New Jersey Law Journal; recognized by 2021 Chambers USA Guide as one of the top law firms in New Jersey in the fields of General Commercial Litigation and White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations; named a Regional Powerhouse in 2018 by Law360; and named 2020 Pro Bono Law firm by the New Jersey State Bar Association. For more information, please visit www.pashmanstein.com.
Our firm is proud of the results it has achieved for clients, some of which are noted here. Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.