James G. Aaron

James Aaron chairs the firm’s Bankruptcy and Municipal Law departments. Jim has extensive trial and appellate litigation experience, arguing complex commercial cases, eminent domain, redevelopment law and municipal matters before trial courts, the Appellate Division, the Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Following law school, Jim served as a law clerk to the late Honorable Leon S. Milmed, J.S.C./Justice, Appellate Division.

A member of the New Jersey Bar since 1969, he has served the city of Asbury Park as city attorney, redevelopment counsel and special waterfront redevelopment litigation counsel. He served the city of Long Branch as a municipal attorney from 1994 until 2018. He litigated the city of Long Branch’s redevelopment plans through the trial court and Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court. He negotiated the Redevelopment Ordinance, which is still in existence today, for the city of Asbury Park and litigated its validity through trial and appellate courts.

Jim was a member of the board of directors of 1st Constitution Bank, where he served on the Loan, Investment and Nominating committees until it was sold to Lakeland Bank. He was a founder of Central Jersey Bank, N.A., a federally chartered institution, where he served from its inception in 1996 until 2010 as a director and member of the bank’s executive committee. He also has served as a director of Colonial American Bank, and as chair of the board of Rumson-Fair Haven Regional Bank prior to its sale to 1st Constitution Bank.

Dedicated to serving his community, Jim is active in a number of New Jersey charitable organizations. He is a member of the board of trustees of Monmouth Medical Center, a part of the Saint Barnabas Medical System, where he served on the Strategic Planning, Medical Practices and Community Action committees and is now an emeritus member. He has been a member of the Axelrod Performing Arts Center’s board of trustees since 2010. He served as the president of the Hollywood Club in Deal, New Jersey, from 2014 through 2017, and he served on its board from 2007. From 2006–2010, Jim also served as a commissioner of the New Jersey Racing Commission. He has been a member of the board of trustees of the New Jersey Jewish Home for Rehabilitation & Nursing since its inception in 2018 until its sale, and he is a board member of Temple Beth Miriam.