Thomas S. Garlick
By Joshua Burd
Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP has announced a new partner, elevating Thomas S. Garlick while naming him to leadership roles with two key practice areas.
Garlick, who joined the Newark-based firm in 2024, will serve as vice chair of the land use, zoning and redevelopment practice as he remains a steady hand behind many of New Jersey’s most challenging development projects, MSW said. He’ll also now serve as chair of its commercial landlord tenant practice, leading a team that provides strategic counsel and aggressive advocacy to commercial landlords, property owners and property managers throughout New Jersey.
“Tom’s elevation to partner is a testament to his exceptional legal skill, steady leadership and unwavering commitment to our clients,” said Chris Murphy, founding partner and chair of the firm’s land use, zoning and redevelopment practice. “He has become a trusted adviser to developers, property owners and institutional investors across New Jersey, and his ability to navigate complex land use and zoning matters has made him indispensable to our team.”
MSW noted that Garlick represents developers, property owners and institutional investors in all aspects of land use, zoning and redevelopment. He regularly appears before planning boards, zoning boards and governmental agencies throughout the state on matters involving residential and multifamily projects, commercial and mixed-use developments, industrial warehouse developments and large-scale redevelopment initiatives.
As vice chair of the land use, zoning and redevelopment practice, Garlick oversees workflow and matter management for MSW’s statewide land use practice. That ensures that projects move efficiently and strategically from intake through approval, the firm said, citing his integral role in the continued growth of its statewide real estate platform.
His commercial landlord tenant practice, meantime, focuses exclusively on the complex and often high-stakes disputes that arise in the commercial leasing context, including lease enforcement actions, commercial evictions for nonpayment and holdover tenancies, breach of contract claims, property damage disputes and other contested matters, MSW added. Garlick is an experienced litigator and negotiator who represents clients in state and federal courts, while he regularly advises on lease drafting, enforcement strategies and risk mitigation to help clients protect their investments and avoid future conflicts.
The firm also touted his deep understanding of New Jersey’s commercial landlord tenant laws, which he leverages with his broader real estate development experience to deliver practical, results-oriented solutions across asset classes ranging from industrial properties to shopping centers and office parks.
Before entering private practice, Garlick served as a judicial law clerk to Superior Court Judge Joseph R. Rosa Jr., sitting in Hackensack. He earned his juris doctor from St. John’s University School of Law and his bachelor’s, cum laude, from Muhlenberg College.
“Tom embodies the values, work ethic and client first mindset that define MSW,” said Matthew Schiller, a founding partner. “We are proud to welcome him to the partnership and look forward to his continued leadership as we expand our footprint across New Jersey and beyond.”
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