Steven Adler 

Co-chair, Employment Department, Healthcare Litigation Group; former co-chair, General Litigation Department
Mandelbaum Barrett PC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

My proudest professional achievement has been consistently being selected as a New Jersey Super Lawyer and by Best Lawyers in America for well over a decade in the labor and employment fields because it is recognition from my peers concerning my abilities and confirmation that I have treated my adversaries professionally or they never would have voted for me.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

It will come as no surprise that the most disruptive change facing the legal industry in the coming year will be the continued integration of artificial intelligence with our daily activities. From analyzing judicial rulings and summarizing document productions and meetings, to assisting with litigation strategy and deposition preparation, AI is rapidly transforming how attorneys and clients approach legal matters. As its capabilities evolve, lawyers can no longer afford to ignore its implications.

Christine Amalfe 

Partner
FBT Gibbons LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Being sworn in as the 127th president of the New Jersey State Bar Association in May 2025 stands as the capstone of my career. Serving as president for the 2025–2026 term gave me the privilege of spending a full year listening to colleagues across the state, collaborating on issues that matter to the profession and advocating on behalf of New Jersey’s lawyers. I was truly honored to have served.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence is poised to reshape legal practice in ways that are truly exciting. The increased availability of AI tools will empower lawyers to work more efficiently without sacrificing the quality of counsel their clients deserve. But disruption only becomes progress if the profession meets it head-on — legal professionals must embrace this evolving technology, develop thoughtful best practices, and ensure that innovation ultimately serves both the bar and the clients we represent.

Guillermo Artiles 

Partner and chair, Government Affairs Practice
McCarter & English LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

I’ve had a few proud moments in my career, including clerking for the Honorable Esther Salas out of law school and working for the last two governors of New Jersey. However, I am presently enjoying the opportunities afforded to me as an equity partner at McCarter & English — it’s a special place.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

All the AI talk, however terrifying it may be, is real. It is already disrupting the traditional ways in which work product is delivered to clients. Thankfully, practices that rely heavily on strategic relationships, such as lobbying, will be the last to be impacted.

What was the best career advice you’ve ever received (or what’s your best advice for the next generation)?

The best advice I’ve ever received was from Judge Salas and her mother, who always said: “You are better than no one, but no one is better than you.”

Anne Babineau 

Shareholder and senior counsel – special projects, Real Estate and Redevelopment Group
Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer PA

What is your proudest professional achievement?

I am most proud of the completed public-private redevelopment projects on which we have served as counsel. These initiatives have transformed unsafe and environmentally damaged areas; generated significant new jobs and municipal revenue; employed tools that allowed redevelopers to attract private investment; achieved affordable housing goals; and created stronger communities where people can live, work and play in urban and suburban areas, often served by mass transit.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

In the coming year, divisiveness and rancor will likely continue to spill over into the hearing rooms where competing public objectives are debated. The redevelopment process depends on airing different perspectives, listening to one another and reaching consensus on what is good for the community. That work becomes more difficult when participants fail to show respect for members of the public and public officials, making civility and thoughtful engagement more important than ever.

David Badie 

Partner
Frier & Levitt LLC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Honestly, my proudest achievement is simply being a lawyer. I am a first-generation American and a first-generation lawyer. My parents came to this country with little to nothing, sacrificed everything, and gave my sisters and me a great life. All I ever wanted was to make them proud and prove that their sacrifices meant something. This career is their legacy as much as mine.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

AI stands as the primary disruptor across the legal sector. In law firms, generative AI drives unprecedented productivity gains and challenges “business as usual.” It simultaneously fuels demand for specialized services in AI regulation, IP ownership, bias mitigation and technology-driven litigation. In the healthcare space, where I practice, AI integration in clinical and administrative tools heightens federal and state regulatory tensions around transparency, liability and privacy.

William Barrett

CEO and partner
Mandelbaum Barrett PC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

More than any transaction, award, or business milestone, I am most proud of building a firm and a culture where talented people can grow, succeed, and make a meaningful impact. Watching Mandelbaum Barrett evolve into a nationally recognized firm while remaining grounded in relationships, mentorship and service has been incredibly rewarding. The greatest measure of success is seeing the people around me achieve things they once thought were beyond their reach.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence will continue to transform how legal services are delivered. Routine legal tasks will become more automated, increasing efficiency and changing client expectations. However, I believe the greatest value lawyers provide has never been drafting documents, it is judgment, strategy, creativity and trusted counsel. The firms that thrive will be those that embrace technology while continuing to invest in relationships and delivering thoughtful advice for clients.

Joseph Boccassini 

Firmwide managing partner
McCarter & English LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

My proudest professional achievement is being entrusted with this role by my colleagues and helping build a team that works every day to maintain our culture of excellence, integrity, compassion and innovation while we pursue continued success in a dynamic industry. Our unified, “one firm” approach has enabled us to weather many storms over our 180-year history, and I am extremely proud of that resilience.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

While the growing use of AI has, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the industry, the most important consideration for us is our talent structure – and the steps we must take in order to continue to recruit, retain and develop best-in-class talent across the board within a profession that is being shaped in real time by the expanded use of AI and other technologies.

Jennifer Borek  

Managing partner
Genova Burns LLC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Becoming managing partner of Genova Burns is the greatest honor of my career — not because of the title, but because it reflects more than two decades of helping build this firm. As the first woman to serve in this role in our 35-plus year history, it’s both humbling and meaningful. What makes me proudest, however, is helping foster a culture where talented lawyers collaborate, mentor one another, and earn clients’ trust by solving their most complex challenges.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence will continue to shape the legal industry, but the biggest disruption won’t be AI itself, it will be how lawyers choose to use it. The firms that succeed will leverage AI to improve efficiency while giving attorneys more time to exercise judgment, think strategically and strengthen client relationships. Technology will evolve, but wisdom, empathy, integrity, and trusted counsel will remain the qualities that distinguish exceptional lawyers.

Gary Botwinick

Co-managing partner
Einhorn, Barbarito, Frost, Botwinick, Nunn & Musmanno PC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Building a firm culture that attracts and retains exceptional lawyers. Individual victories matter but creating an environment where talented people can build meaningful careers, serve clients at the highest level and develop into leaders is a lasting accomplishment. Seeing colleagues grow professionally, earn the trust of clients and become leaders within the firm has been among the most rewarding experiences of my career.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence will continue to transform how lawyers practice, but its greatest impact may be in how it changes the delivery of legal services. AI can enhance efficiency, improve access to information, and support better decision-making. The firms that successfully integrate technology while preserving the human elements of legal practice, judgment, relationships and trust, will be best positioned for the future.

Frank Cannone  

Business Department, Northeast chair
FBT Gibbons LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

To be part of the core leadership team that arranged for the Jan. 1, 2026, combination of Gibbons PC with Frost Brown Todd LLP, creating FBT Gibbons LLP, one of the nation’s leading middle-market law firms, with more than 850 attorneys operating out of 26 states. It was a culmination of a career focused on, among other things, transforming the N.J.-headquartered Gibbons PC into a middle-market powerhouse, which now, as FBT Gibbons, proudly operates nationally from N.Y. to California.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

As with the rest of the economy, the integration of AI into the practice of law, in particular with corporate matters. It will ultimately be beneficial to our industry and our clients.

What was the best career advice you’ve ever received (or what’s your best advice for the next generation)?

Client comes first.

It’s easy to say but hard to do well. If you can do it, though, your clients and your practice will thrive.

Michael Caplan 

Chief operating officer
Lowenstein Sandler LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Helping scale firms while keeping their culture intact. Before joining Lowenstein, I helped an AmLaw 100 firm grow from $700 million to $2.5 billion in revenue over a decade, with 400-plus staff supporting more than 1,000 attorneys. While I’ve been at Lowenstein, revenues rose from $390 million in 2023 to over half a billion in 2025. I’m proudest of driving that growth while staying true to a collaborative, transparent culture.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

AI is transforming the industry, forcing firms to rethink data, rate structures, hiring plans and profitability models. We’re finding responsible ways to leverage AI, so our lawyers and business professionals spend more time on innovation and client service. The other major disruptor is the lateral partner market, as competitive national firms race to become destination firms for key practices.

William Caruso 

Partner; managing director
Archer & Greiner PC; Archer Public Affairs

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Helping lead the movement to legalize cannabis in New Jersey and co-chairing the most successful ballot question campaign in state history. The campaign brought people together from every sector to create a model regulatory system, launch a thriving new industry, and most importantly, end the senseless criminalization of so many New Jerseyans.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

I believe the continued disappearance of regional mid-sized law firms through mergers and acquisitions will be the most disruptive change. Rising business costs and economies of scale are driving this trend. It limits employment opportunities for lawyers and reduces clients’ ability to find affordable, accessible legal services that meet their needs.

Timothy Corriston

Managing partner
Connell Foley LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

One of my proudest achievements as managing partner has been expanding Connell Foley’s footprint, both geographically and across our practice areas. During my tenure, we have grown our Commercial Litigation, Tax, Real Estate and Corporate practices through strategic hiring of talented attorneys and opening offices in key markets. Earlier this year, we debuted our Restructuring and Bankruptcy practice, and opened an office in Wilmington, Del.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

AI will be the most disruptive force in the legal industry this year. As AI enables attorneys to serve clients more efficiently, clients are challenging hourly billing and seeking fixed-fee or success-based arrangements. The conversation has also shifted from whether firms use AI to why they are not using AI. At Connell Foley, we’re working with clients to develop fee structures that reflect AI-driven efficiencies while preserving the value of effective client service and tailored solutions.

Anthony Coscia

Partner
Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP

What was the best career advice you’ve ever received (or what’s your best advice for the next generation)?

For the next generation, it remains vitally important to listen and understand every side of a complex issue. The leaders of tomorrow are those who can synthesize competing perspectives and find collaborative, practical solutions.

Max Crane 

Managing partner
Sill Cummis & Gross PC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

While it is difficult to choose just one, as Sills’ managing partner for almost 20 years, I consider it significant to have helped build and sustain a law firm culture where talented lawyers can build their practices, do excellent work and provide clients with practical, strategic advice that integrates the world of business and law. I am also grateful for the many professional relationships I have had the privilege to build and maintain over the years; the people have always made it worthwhile.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Generative AI and other advanced technologies will continue to be integrated into the delivery of legal services, and law firms must continue adapting to how these tools can best serve clients and the firm. I believe this technology will enhance the delivery of legal services, but will not replace sound judgment, experience or a deep understanding of our clients and their business objectives.

Michael Critchley 

Founder and partner
Critchley & Luria LLC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Much of what I perceive as professional accomplishments cannot be discussed because of confidentiality reasons. However, one matter I handled as an attorney dealt with issues affect the life of Bruce Jackson. I was fortunate enough to be able waive my fee and obtain a $5 million settlement with the state of New Jersey. This settlement amount ensured Bruce a secure economic future. Hopefully, my role in this matter contributed in some small way to making Bruce’s life a little better.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

AI replacing many of the functions a lawyer presently performs.

What was the best career advice you’ve ever received (or what’s your best advice for the next generation)?

If you don’t have a passion for the law, choose another profession. Passion for the practice of law cannot be acquired by attending a CLE course or from reading a book. You either have passion for the law or you don’t.

Paul da Costa

Partner
Sarno da Costa D’Aniello Maceri Webb LLC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Securing a $10 million settlement this year in a medical malpractice case involving the death of a 3-year-old physically and intellectually disabled child is one of my proudest achievements for various reasons. The $10 million settlement is likely the largest wrongful death settlement for a disabled child in New Jersey history. It reflects my inherent belief that the law should not place less value on disabled individuals; rather, disabled individuals have immense value in their existence.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

I foresee AI to be the most disruptive change in the legal industry. AI will impact the legal industry both on a macro and micro level. It will continue to gain momentum in its implementation in the practice of law. The change, however, will include law firms and attorneys recognizing its inherent risks and not just the potential capacity for more productivity and revenue.

Christopher Dasti

Managing partner
Dasti & Staiger PC

What is your proudest professional achievement?

My proudest professional achievement is the firm we have built. When I say “we,” I mean my partner, our attorneys and our staff. I am incredibly proud of the practice that we have created and the people that we help. There is no greater reward than helping our clients and friends. I am just so lucky that we have established ourselves in our community and strive to make a positive impact not only our client’s lives but in the community.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence is the great unknown. Technology is moving so fast that it can feel impossible to keep up. I think the implementation of AI both in our daily lives as well as every profession, not only the legal profession, is something that everyone is trying to manage and it’s meant to implement all of our lives hopefully for the better, but it is certainly going to change the way in which the world interacts. This is something that everyone is trying to implement responsibly.

Edward Deutsch

Co-managing partner
McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP

What is your proudest professional achievement?

Co-founding McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP with Jim Mulvaney and watching it grow into a respected, multi-office firm has been my proudest professional achievement. Seeing the next generation of leaders, including my daughter in our New York City office, build on that foundation and carry the firm’s legacy forward has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

What do you foresee as the most disruptive change in the legal industry in the coming year?

Artificial intelligence will continue transforming how legal services are delivered. The firms that succeed will be those that use AI to improve efficiency and client service while recognizing that technology cannot replace sound judgment, strategic thinking or trusted client relationships. The challenge will be balancing innovation with professional responsibility.

What was the best career advice you’ve ever received (or what’s your best advice for the next generation)?

Your reputation is your most valuable asset. Work hard, be prepared, keep your word and treat everyone with respect. Legal knowledge opens doors, but integrity, professionalism, and the trust you earn from clients and colleagues are what sustain a successful career over the long term.

2026 NJBIZ Law Power List Index:
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