Archives: Team

William B. Savo is an accomplished and experienced transactional attorney who concentrates his practice in banking, municipal, commercial, real estate, wills, trusts and estates. He has represented governmental entities for more than 40 years, having been Attorney for Readington Township for 17 years, former Deputy Somerset County Counsel, counsel to Raritan Valley Community College, Attorney for Somerset Valley Sewerage Authority and former Readington Township Planning Board Attorney. He is currently Deputy Township Attorney for Bridgewater Township.

In June 2019, after four years of litigation and a trial that spanned eleven trial days from February to May, Essex County Chancery Division Judge Jodi Lee Alper issued a fully favorable verdict in favor of Mr. Schalk’s clients, the Board of Trustees of the First Presbyterian Church in Newark. In this highly contentious and unique litigation involving several centuries of church history, a Royal Charter from King George II in 1753, and a $20 million property adjacent to the Prudential Center in Newark, our clients and the congregation they serve were able to fend off outside Presbyterian entities interested in gaining control of this valuable property located in the heart of the business district in Newark.  The matter received the attention of the New Jersey Law Journal: https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2019/07/12/judge-rejects-challenge-to-autonomy-of-17th-century-church/.  On December 9, 2020, the New Jersey Appellate Division fully affirmed this decision in a comprehensive 26 page opinion.

Chris Corsini is a dedicated and effective attorney with deep roots in Central Jersey and experience in government at the federal, state, county, and local level.  Mr. Corsini specializes in the representation of government entities and is recognized as one of the foremost municipal general counsels in New Jersey.  He is presently the municipal attorney in the Township of Bridgewater, Borough of Middlesex, Borough of Flemington, and Township of Readington.  He assists in the management of Savo Schalk’s diverse municipal law practice and consults daily on a wide variety of issues affecting local governments throughout the state, including land use, procurement, law enforcement and emergency services, human resource management, Title 58 liability actions, open space acquisitions, shared services, matters involving the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and Open Public Records Act (OPRA), local government ethics, and many other areas of local municipal practice.

Mr. Corsini has developed a specialty in local government crisis management, guiding municipalities through difficult short- and medium- term adversity where quick, decisive action is required.  He has consulted on crises for his local government clients that have attracted statewide and nationwide attention and shepherded response plans that have seen his clients emerge stronger on the other side of each instance.

In addition to his municipal and government law practice, Mr. Corsini also maintains election law, campaign finance and government affairs practices, representing candidates, individuals, businesses, and political action groups in a wide variety of political and government matters.  He also consults on litigation files for Joint Insurance Funds (JIFs) throughout New Jersey.

Prior to joining our firm, Mr. Corsini served as Deputy County Counsel for Somerset County from 2010 until 2013. In that capacity, he handled a wide variety of transactions and litigation matters on behalf of the taxpayers of Somerset County. In addition to his service to Somerset County, Mr. Corsini has represented private clients on a diverse array of matters. Mr. Corsini clerked for the Hon. Yolanda Ciccone, Assignment Judge of the Superior Court in Somerset County. He also served on the leadership staff of Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, assisting the assemblyman in both legislative and constituent matters. He has served a variety of civic organizations, including the Somerset County Library Commission, Court-Appointed Special Advocated for Children – Somerset, Hunterdon, and Warren Counties (CASA-SHAW), and as a member of the District XIII Fee Arbitration Committee.  He served as the Republican State Committeeman for the County of Somerset from 2021 through 2025.

Department: Zoning and Land Use Law; Municipal Law; Litigation

Position: Shareholder

Qualification: Clark University (B.A. cum laude 1985) and Boston University School of Law (J.D. 1988) (Best Brief Award in National Moot Court Competition)

Email: warner@centraljerseylaw.com

Mr. Warner has a state-wide reputation as an expert in all facets of municipal zoning and land use law, including redevelopment and affordable housing law, and he represents both municipal and private clients. He currently represents several municipalities and municipal zoning and planning boards throughout Central and Northern New Jersey.

Mr. Warner has been named to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list in the area of zoning and land use law every year since 2011. He recently received the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award for Somerset County.

Mr. Warner recently served as the Chairman of the Land Use Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and he is a Member of its Judicial Administration, Equity Jurisprudence, and Business and Commercial Litigation Committees. Mr. Warner is also a Past President of the Somerset County Bar Association, and he is a former Trustee of the Somerset County Bar Foundation. He is also an Associate Counsel of the New Jersey Planning Officials (NJPO) organization and a frequent lecturer for the NJPO. Mr. Warner also has served as a Somerset County delegate to the New Jersey State Bar Association General Council and previously served on an annual basis as a Judge for the Vincent J. Appruzzese Mock Trial Competition. He is a former member of both the District XIII Ethics and Fee Arbitration Committees.

Mr. Warner is a frequent lecturer in numerous areas of zoning and land use law. He has authored articles published in the New Jersey Lawyer Magazine and New Jersey Law Journal, among other publications. Mr. Warner also is an Instructor for the Center for Government Services at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. He is also a Diplomat in New Jersey Local Government Law, having received his certification for same from Rutgers University.

Mr. Warner is a graduate of Clark University (B.A. cum laude 1985) and Boston University School of Law (J.D. 1988), where he was a semi-finalist and received the Best Brief Award at a National Moot Court competition.

Mr. Warner served as a Councilman for the Borough of Metuchen in the mid 1990s. He argued the landmark case of Brennan vs. Orban before the New Jersey Supreme Court (145 N.J. 282 (1996)), establishing the parameters for jury trials in marital tort cases.

Ellen M. Gillespie in an experienced attorney who brings more than 30 years legal experience to her practice which concentrates in Wills, Trusts and Estates, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Elder Law, Medicaid Planning, Tax Law, Business and Corporate Law.

Mr. O’Grodnick is a Partner at Savo, Schalk, Corsini, Warner, Gillespie, O’Grodnick & Fisher. Since 2006, Michael has focused his practice in real property law and commercial litigation, with a particular concentration in land use, zoning, landlord-tenant, tax appeals, chancery matters, and all types of contract disputes.

Michael represents land developers from concept to construction and regularly appears before Planning Boards and Boards of Adjustment all over NJ. Michael has represented nearly all of New Jersey’s largest real estate developers and has shepherded hundreds of millions of dollars of land use applications in Somerset, Hunterdon, Warren and Middlesex Counties; including, North Branch Walk (364 luxury apartments/town-homes), Amwell Terrace (126 luxury apartments), Brookhaven Lofts (599 luxury apartments and a hotel), Hillsborough Village (191 luxury rentals/28000 SF retail), Branchburg Center (medical/office), Summit Green (535 luxury apartments/town-homes), Hills at Warren (192 luxury townhomes/apts.) in addition to various other commercial uses such as offices, self-storage facilities, COAH housing, nursing homes, recreation/tennis centers, churches, breweries/distilleries, residential subdivisions and retail applications.  In 2022, Michael has over two million square feet of warehouse projects pending before land use boards.

Michael graduated Cum Laude from the University of Rhode Island in 2002 and earned his Juris Doctorate from New England Law Boston in 2005, where he was a member of the Land Use Law Society. Having litigated thousands of cases, Michael has developed a reputation as a practical, fair, and hard-working trial attorney. Throughout his career, Michael has successfully obtained millions of dollars in judgments on behalf of his clients and has prevailed on numerous cases in the Appellate Courts and has recently prevailed in a seminal Appellate Division Case regarding the statute of limitations for mortgage foreclosures.

Michael’s other core practice areas include civil and corporate litigation, municipal law, municipal tort defense, contract reviews, partnership disputes, commercial disputes, construction/insurance coverage disputes, will/estate litigation, collections, quiet titles, and general small claims/special civil part claims. Michael has represented many of the major NJ residential and commercial landlords and developers and has litigated well over 700 landlord/tenant eviction trials. He lectures in the area of landlord/tenant and land use law to other attorneys and real estate professionals.

Mr. O’Grodnick is admitted to practice in New Jersey State and Federal Courts and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court in 2014. Michael also represents several municipalities and was recently appointed as a Municipal Prosecutor in Raritan Township and Hampton Borough and Litigation Counsel for the Township of Bridgewater, and has served as Special Litigation Counsel to Somerset County. Michael is the Municipal Prosecutor for Frenchtown Borough, Alexandria Township, Holland Township, Del Val Joint Municipal Court, and Raritan Township and has previously served as Municipal Prosecutor in South Plainfield. He currently serves as Tax Attorney for Manville Borough, Middlesex Borough, Bethlehem Township and Bridgewater Township. Since 2022, Michael has served as Township Counsel for Bethlehem Township and Planning Board and Board of Adjustment attorney for Kingwood Township.  Michael also served as Board Attorney for South Plainfield Planning Board and South Plainfield Board of Adjustment. He has served as a Trustee of the Somerset County Bar Foundation and is a member of the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys.

Mr. O’Grodnick is responsible for all levels of case management through Trials and Appeals.

Alexander G. Fisher is a recognized authority in land use, redevelopment, and municipal law in New Jersey. As a Partner at Savo Schalk Gillespie O’Grodnick & Fisher, P.A., he has earned a reputation for blending litigation skill, municipal counsel experience, and policy leadership to deliver successful results for both public entities and private clients.

Mr. Fisher’s practice spans the full range of development and government matters, including zoning and planning board approvals, redevelopment area designations, affordable housing compliance, condemnation, environmental permitting, and related appellate litigation. He has guided municipalities through the complexities of the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law, Local Lands and Buildings Law, and the Redevelopment Law, while also counseling developers and property owners on advancing major site plans, subdivisions, and redevelopment projects.

As Past Chairman of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Land Use Section, Mr. Fisher has been at the forefront of shaping statewide legal discourse on development and housing. In recognition of his leadership, he received the New Jersey State Bar Association Legislative Contribution Award for his work on affordable housing legislation, underscoring his influence on both the legal profession and public policy.

He is frequently sought after as a lecturer, panelist, and advisor on emerging issues in land use and government law, and has presented to attorneys, planners, and municipal officials across the state. His ability to combine scholarly depth, practical insight, and courtroom advocacy has established him as a trusted leader in the field.

Matthew R. Flynn is a partner at Savo, Schalk, Corsini, Warner, Gillespie, O’Grodnick & Fisher and joined the firm in 2020. Mr. Flynn specializes in land use and municipal law, as well as complex civil litigation.

Mr. Flynn is primary or alternate counsel for a number of land use boards throughout central jersey assisting the boards in processing development applications and also performs work for private developers to shepherd them through the approval process.  Mr. Flynn has a growing appellate practice and handles a variety of litigation matters including prerogative writ actions, complex civil litigation, chancery division litigation, and personal injury/tort claims defense.  In 2021, he was appointed as special outside counsel for the Somerset County Board of Social Services.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Flynn was a clerk for The Honorable Patrick DeAlmeida, J.A.D. in the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, where he excelled at legal research and writing in a variety of subjects. While clerking for the Appellate Division, he would prepare legal memorandums to the panel of judges assigned to an appeal, dissecting the parties’ legal arguments and providing a recommendation on how the court should rule. Mr. Flynn also interned with Savo Schalk prior to his hiring as an associate attorney and has years of experience as a legal assistant for boutique firms in New Jersey.

Mr. Flynn graduated in the top ten of his class, cum laude, and as part of the order of the coif from Rutgers Law School in Camden, New Jersey in 2019. He was awarded the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Medal of Excellence after receiving the class’s high mark on an examination and received the Blaustein Award for superior legal scholarship.

While at Rutgers, he garnered valuable trial experience as part of the school’s Domestic Violence clinical practice program and was a staff writer for the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, which culminated in a published note entitled Polygamy in the Modern Constitutional Scheme about the intersection of criminal law and First Amendment freedoms. Prior to law school, Mr. Flynn received his B.A. in Political Science from The College of New Jersey and was part of the Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society.

When not practicing law, Mr. Flynn is a proud dad, movie-goer, and tends to his analytical love of the NBA and its salary cap structure.

 

Representative Matters

A-1440-21, Rise Against Hate v. Bridgewater Twp, representing Bridgewater Township on an appeal reversing the trial court’s decision and holding that residents have a reasonable expectation of privacy in their private email addresses.

A-2319-22, Rebecca Reed & Amanda Curry v. Elizabeth M. Muoio, et. al., representing Middlesex Borough on an appeal seeking to overturn the trial court’s decision finding that the Council on Local Mandates exceeded their authority in invalidating a particular surcharge.

A-0844-23, Lois Henry v. Twp. of Cranford, representing Cranford Township on an appeal granting summary judgment to the Township on a trip-and-fall case.

A-1586-20, In re O’Farrell, representing Bridgewater Township on an appeal upholding the police chief’s denial of a permit to carry a handgun.

A-2545-20, ADS Environmental v. Twp. of Bethlehem, representing Bethlehem Township on an appeal reversing the trial court’s decision to find a concrete processing use had not been abandoned.

A-1040-19, Somerset Hills Towing v. Bridgewater Twp., representing Bridgewater Township successfully obtaining dismissal in an eight-year litigation for alleged malicious prosecution.

Primary Counsel for: Somerset County Board of Social Services (Outside Counsel), Borough of South Plainfield Zoning Board of Adjustment, Borough of South Plainfield Planning Board, City of Elizabeth Planning Board, Borough of Raritan Planning Board, Borough of Manville Joint Land Use Board, Township of Kingwood Planning Board, Township of Kingwood Zoning Board of Adjustment.

John J. DeLuca, Jr. joined Savo, Schalk, Corsini, Warner, Gillespie, O’Grodnick & Fisher, P.A. as a Senior Associate in 2024 and is a member of the New Jersey State Bar.

John J. DeLuca, Jr. earned a Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers Law School in 2019 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Penn State University in 2012. He was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 2019. Following law school, he was the law clerk for the Assignment Judge of the Middlesex County Superior Court during the 2019-2020 court term. Prior to attending law school, he worked as a financial controller and accounting analyst at Sanofi, a pharmaceutical manufacturer.

He is a member of the Middlesex County and New Jersey State Bar Associations. His areas of practice are Zoning and Land Use Law, Municipal & Government Law.

 

 

Department/ Practice Areas: Zoning and Land Use Law; Municipal & Government Law

Qualification: Seton Hall University (B.A., History, cum laude 2015) and Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D. 2020) (Award of Academic Excellence in Intellectual Property Law)

Mr. Sobieski has years of hands-on experience with the intricacies of municipal, zoning and land use law. Having both served in and worked for municipal governments in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Mr. Sobieski brings a unique perspective and passion to his practice.

He is admitted to practice law in the State of New Jersey and currently represents several municipalities and municipal land use boards across the State.

Mr. Sobieski is a graduate of Seton Hall University (B.A., History, cum laude 2015) and Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D. 2020), where he received the Award for Academic Excellence in Intellectual Property Law.

While pursuing his Juris Doctorate, Mr. Sobieski worked as a law clerk for a boutique law firm in Mendham Township and as a Zoning Officer for the Township of Warrington, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Sobieski served as Township Committeeman for the Township of East Amwell from 2019 to 2021 and as Deputy Mayor in 2020. During his tenure, he also served as a Class III Member on the East Amwell Township Joint Land Use Board and continues to serve as a Member of the Township’s Board of Health. Additionally, he represented East Amwell Township as a member of the Hunterdon Central Regional High School Board of Education from 2018 to 2019.

When not practicing law, Chris can be found lifting weights, hiking with his two dogs, or watching a great film.