The Firm Partners

Seymour Chase

Seymour (Sy) Chase is a trial lawyer recognized by the profession and the public as a distinguished divorce lawyer.

Sy served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War as a training squadron officer. Upon his honorable discharge in 1954 he was hired by Macy’s New York as a talent coordinator for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and then as its first branch store public relations director in Flatbush.

Sy attended New York Law School in its evening division for 36 straight months while managing a paint and wallpaper store during the day.  As required by Supreme Court Rules, upon graduation from Law School he served a required nine-month attorney’s clerkship. Upon admission to the Bar, he was an associate with a Hudson County plaintiff’s negligence firm where he began to try contested jury and non-jury matters throughout the State.  In 1960 Sy started his own practice in Hackensack, renting office space in the building he ultimately purchased and still occupies.

Sy became involved with Bar activities from the day he became a lawyer and rose through the ranks to become President of the Bergen County Bar Association, Secretary currently of the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and Chair of the General Council of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

His early involvement in politics led to his appointment to numerous municipal and county positions, serving as Municipal Attorney, Board Attorney, Prosecutor and Municipal Judge. Prior to the 1971 Divorce Reform Act, Sy had, in addition to civil and criminal trial experience, Sy developed a sizeable case load of divorce and family law matters. Thereafter, he began to concentrate more and more of his time and talent in this ever-expanding highly specialized field of law. 

Today Seymour Chase is recognized as a favored lecturer and writer on cutting edge developments in Family Law in New Jersey. On recognition of his experience and knowledge, Governor Christine Todd Whitman recently nominated him to serve as the first divorce lawyer member of the State’s Parent’s Education Program Advisory Committee. Family Law and Zoning Law may not have much in common, however Sy’s unique background, history and experience provide the perfect combination. As he says, "I help people go on with their lives and help property get new lives."

While his trial calendar today is filled with the larger marital estates and more complex issues and is regularly called upon to negotiate and draft pre-marriage agreements; Sy’s most rewarding moments are when he is chosen, as is often the case, to represent or advise fellow attorneys in their own divorce matters.

Bruce Evan Chase

Bruce E. Chase is a trial lawyer, handling a wide spectrum of civil cases with an emphasis in Family Law.

While attending Rutgers University Law School, Bruce began his legal training as a Law Clerk in his father’s law office, performing such tasks as filing papers in the Courthouse, serving subpoenas on hostile witnesses, and legal research.

Bruce became an attorney in December of 1978. As he had hoped to do since he was a young boy, Bruce immediately became an associate, the only associate, in his father’s law practice. On his first day of practice, Bruce found himself assigned for a jury trial in a consumer fraud case.

Bruce serves as a Chairperson of an Early Settlement Panel that voluntarily dedicates time to meet with litigants and their attorneys to resolve contested matrimonial matters. Bruce has served as Chair of the Family Law Committee of the Bergen County Bar Association, has written numerous articles about the practice of law that have been published in The Barrister, has lectured on several areas of family law practice, and is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Bruce co-wrote the Brief to the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of the New Jersey District Court Officers, challenging the adoption of the New Jersey Court Rule permitting service by mail of legal papers upon litigants in the Special Civil Part of the Law Division. Bruce’s trial experience include cases involving breach of contract, libel, slander, interference with economic relations, partition of real property, domestic violence and all divorce-related issues. Bruce recently tried a custody case involving custody of two children, ages 2 ¬‡ and 5 that required the testimony of more than 25 witness lasting 30 days.

Bruce also maintains an active practice involving commercial transactions. These transactions include the purchase and sale of small to medium size businesses, buy-outs of partners and other shareholders, transfers of liquor licenses, commercial loan financing, and related real estate issues. Bruce has represented both buyers and sellers of restaurants, cocktail lounges, liquor stores, catering businesses, newspaper stands, car detailing businesses, commercial buildings, residential properties, and other assets.

Bruce believes that a lawyer must "give-back" to the profession. He has been an extremely active member of the organized Bar throughout his career. He was honored to serve as the President of the Bergen County Bar Association in 1997-1998. He recently was elected to be a Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Marc Alan Chase

Marc A. Chase is a trial lawyer, handling civil litigation in numerous areas of the law, with a concentration in accident, personal injury, divorce, custody, alimony, child support and related litigation.

Marc began work as a law clerk in his father’s firm even before he entered law school – giving him a head start on his classmates. While attending Seton Hall Law, he continued as law clerk to his father’s firm, which had added his brother, Bruce as a partner. Following Marc’s graduation from Seton Hall, he became an active member of the firm, handling a full caseload and trial work.

As a Certified Arbitrator, Marc has had the benefit of participating in the resolution of many types of personal injury and accident cases. He has gained knowledge of case and trial preparation practices, procedures and resources by his involvement with the Arbitration process. Marc has also regularly attended Continuing Education Seminars in the areas of Family Law, Auto Insurance and Personal Injury matters. Marc has been an adjunct professor of Family Law and Legal Research and Writing since 2005

Marc has argued numerous cases before the Appellate Division and currently has a matter  pending argument before the Supreme Court of New Jersey, which has certified his case for determination. This matter involves issues that will potentially impact and change long-standing precedents related to a number of issues in auto accident cases, including the issue of "proximate cause."

In a recent case, Marc represented a woman, who was a nurse-educator, who was unintentionally injured by a doctor/co-worker. Although the injured client’s damages were not life-threatening, Marc’s effective advocacy obviously convinced the jury that she was entitled to a substantial recovery for her pain and suffering. The jury awarded Marc's client  1.5 million - a verdict which had an actual value of 1.75 million

Marc continues to represent clients in all types of personal injury matters on a "contingent basis." In the event there is no recovery, than no legal fees are paid by the client.