James P.
Rhatican represents primarily developers of
real estate, both in the acquisition and
sale of properties and in the permitting,
financing and development process. He is
experienced in acquiring, selling and
developing properties of all sorts. Mr.
Rhatican has represented parties impacted by
adverse environmental conditions at a
property, including Superfund sites and the
due diligence and ISRA issues associated
therewith. He has represented numerous
redevelopers of blighted properties and has
assisted clients in obtaining tax abatements
and public financing for such projects.
Mr. Rhatican
also has worked with various other state and
local regulatory agencies on a variety of
projects, including those impacted by
Highlands, wetlands, Meadowlands, CAFRA and
waterfront development and other
regulations. He also has obtained
subdivision, site plan and related permits
and approvals for projects of nearly every
size and character throughout the State. In
this regard, Mr. Rhatican has represented
projects ranging from industrial to retail
and office uses, as well as housing projects
and others. Heis
also a litigator, specializing in disputes
arising from real estate transactions, regulatory takings
and eminent domain.
In 2007, Mr. Rhatican was listed as one
of the New
Jersey Law Journal’s “40
Under 40” list for 2007. Additionally,
Mr. Rhatican was named to Real
Estate New Jersey Magazine’s
2007 “40 Under 40” list of real estate
professionals. He has written several
articles and lectured on a variety of
real estate and related topics.
While in law
school, he served as Articles Editor of the
Rutgers Law Review. Upon graduation
in 1995 he served as Law Clerk to the
Honorable Steven Kleiner of the Superior
Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division.
Representation of major retail chain in
state-wide re-branding and expansion project
requiring site plan approvals for multiple
stores;
Representation of major oil company in site
planning and environmental permitting for
construction and subsequent expansion of
innovative rail facility to accommodate delivery
and processing of ethanol and gasoline products,
as well as trans-mix unit and holding tanks;
Representation of owner in sale of portfolio of
multi-tenanted industrial sites in Union County
for $93 million, including counseling on ISRA
compliance;
Representation of investor/developer in
assemblage and sale of former industrial sites
for redevelopment in Hudson County, totaling in
excess of $100 million, including counseling on
ISRA compliance;
Represented purchaser of office complex in
Somerset County for $28 million, including
handling financing;
Represented bus company in purchase of Jersey
City facility for bus terminal;
Representation of developer in negotiation and
completion of joint utility construction and
dedication agreement among multiple developers
for service of multiple adjacent development
projects;
Representation of owner of one million square
foot industrial facility in negotiation of
tenant leases;
Representation of national homebuilder in suit
by homeowner alleging fraud;
Representation of owner of former industrial
facility in suit against town arising from
redevelopment project;
Representation of owner of tax liens
on former industrial facility in foreclosure
action in which mortgage holder sought to
intervene;
Represented real estate broker in
defense of fraud claims relating to purchase of
large industrial complex in Harrison.
