Michael R. DeCotiis (left) and Douglas F. Doyle
By Joshua Burd
Longtime attorneys Michael R. DeCotiis and Douglas F. Doyle have launched a new firm, with a focus that will include major commercial real estate matters in and around New Jersey.
Known as DeCotiis Doyle LLP, the practice will have offices in Fairfield and Little Silver, having opened its doors after what it described as a strategic realignment earlier this year. It’s now serving public- and private-sector clients across areas such as real estate, redevelopment and land use, litigation, corporate compliance, business law and public entity matters, the firm said, often in cases that are at the nexus of government, regulation and business.
In the process, it’s seeking to move beyond what it described as traditional law firm hierarchies, combining shared leadership with a modern, technology-enabled operating model designed to attract experienced attorneys and respond quickly to evolving client needs.
“Too often, law firms are constrained by rigid structures that limit collaboration and slow decision-making,” said DeCotiis, its managing partner. “We built DeCotiis Doyle to be different. Experienced attorneys work as true partners, share responsibility for outcomes and stay fully aligned in delivering strategic, results-driven work for our clients.”
Both DeCotiis and Doyle are former longtime members of the influential firm long known as DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin LLP. The Paramus-based practice announced a major restructuring earlier this year in which DeCotiis would depart while his brother, Joseph DeCotiis Sr., would remain to lead the business that their father founded some 40 years ago.
Michael DeCotiis has held senior leadership roles in government, including serving as chief counsel to former Gov. James E. McGreevey and deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Doyle, for his part, has significant experience representing public entities and private developers in redevelopment projects throughout New Jersey, as well as corporate clients in complex litigation and regulatory matters.
To that end, DeCotiis Doyle said a cornerstone of its practice is advising on complex real estate and redevelopment matters, including public-private partnerships, regulatory approvals, project financing and large-scale development initiatives. The firm also maintains a robust litigation practice, representing clients in high-stakes disputes across state and federal courts, as well as a growing corporate compliance and business law platform supporting those in highly regulated industries.
“Our clients are navigating increasingly complex legal and regulatory environments,” said Doyle, founding equity partner. “They need counsel that not only understands the law, but also the practical realities of development, business operations and government interaction. We’ve built a platform that integrates deep experience to deliver that level of strategic, sophisticated guidance.”
