Rahil Darbar

Counsel

Overview

Rahil Darbar is counsel to Porzio's Wealth Preservation Group where he represents a broad range of clients who object to provisions contained in a decedent's will or who have been damaged by the administration of a trust or estate in which they have an interest.  He has litigated claims concerning:

  • Challenges to the validity of a will due to undue influence over the testator, lack of capacity of the testator, or defective execution of the will;
  • Accounting proceedings to defend or challenge the management of an estate or trust;
  • Contested guardianship proceedings to determine whether a guardian is needed and/or who should serve in that capacity;
  • Fiduciary removal proceedings to remove an executor, trustee, or guardian due to incompetence or misconduct.

In addition to his probate litigation practice, he has a decade of experience representing individuals and business entities in commercial disputes, complex construction defect lawsuits, and personal injury litigation.  Rahil employs a practical and cost-effective approach to every matter and directs the litigation to achieve the specific goals demanded by his clients.  Rahil has also conducted bench and jury trials and obtained favorable results.

He maintains strong ties to the South Asian community and is the immediate Past President of the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey and the Chair of its Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee.  He is also a Barrister of the Justice Morris Pashman Inn of Court in Bergen County, an organization dedicated to the continued development of trial lawyers.

Recognition

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. 

  • Recipient, NJSBA’s "Professional Lawyer of the Year" Award on behalf of SABA-NJ, 2020.
    A description of the selection process can be found here.
  • Included in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America - Commercial Litigation, 2021-2024.
    A description of the selection process can be found here.

Memberships

  • Member, NJSBA's Commission on Racial Equity in the Law
  • Past President (2020), South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey
  • Former member of the District Ethics Committee for East Morris and Sussex Counties (District XA)
  • New Jersey State Bar Association
  • Justice Morris Pashman Inn of Court
  • Morris County Chamber of Commerce
  • Alumni, Leadership Morris 
  • Volunteer Attorney, Battered Women’s Legal Advocacy Project (“BWLAP”)

Articles

Speaking Engagements

  • "Panelist, Stop AAPI Hate: Bystander and Legal Intervention Webinar", 3/26/2021
  • Moderated panel discussion with New Jersey's political leadership, 4/17/2020
  • "The Impact of COVID-19 on Major Practice Areas," Webcast, 4/03/2020

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Representative Matters

Mr. Darbar's recent set of professional accomplishments include:

  • Garnered a dismissal of products liability claims for a major retailer of workout equipment arising out of catastrophic injuries sustained by the Plaintiff under the doctrine of Forum Non Conveniens and failure to join an indispensable party under R. 4:6-2(f).  Plaintiff appealed and Mr. Darbar prepared the opposition brief that resulted in a successful affirmation of the trial court's decision.  Nikirk v. ConducTV Brands, No. A-1217-19T3 (App. Div. February 4, 2021).

  • Served as trial counsel in November 2019 for the world’s second largest manufacturer of elevators in in a multi-million-dollar construction defect litigation with over fifteen defendants and obtained a favorable settlement before a jury verdict.
  • Acquired a complete dismissal of Consumer Fraud, Consumer Protection, and Breach of Contract claims for a family-owned and operated pool manufacturer.  Hamrahi v. Carlton Pools, Inc., ESX-L-8628-17 (Law Div. September 20, 2019).
  • Obtained dismissal of anti-trust, RICO, fraud, and privacy claims for the world's largest social media company in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.  Shulman, d/b/a Advances Magazine v. Facebook. et als., 2018 WL 3344236 (D.N.J. 2018).