Charles J. Stoia
Principal
Morristown, NJ
973.889.4106
cjstoia@pbnlaw.com
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For almost 25 years, Charlie has represented litigants in commercial, insurance and environmental matters in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and New York. His extensive litigation and trial experience has earned Charlie a reputation as a hard-nosed litigator who is not afraid to take significant cases to trial. Charlie prides himself on determining his clients’ individual goals in litigation and directing the litigation to achieve those specific goals. He has achieved success for clients handling commercial litigation matters while utilizing creative fee structures.
Representative Matters
- Successfully represented a multi-national company in insurance coverage litigation valued at more than $250 million against dozens of insurers involving multiple sites across the United States.
- Obtained an arbitration award in favor of a national airline in defense of a contractual indemnity claim alleging liability for environmental damages estimated at over $25 million.
- Represented the majority shareholder of a publicly traded company who sold his controlling ownership in the company for $7.5 million. When the purchaser failed to pay the balance of the sale price due under a promissory note, Charlie obtained a $5.4 million judgment against the surety company that issued a bond to secure the promissory note. When the judgment proved uncollectable, he successfully settled and obtained a jury verdict against the insurance brokers who negligently placed the promissory note with a surety company that was not authorized or admitted to issue surety bonds in New Jersey.
- Obtained dismissal on motion, without any discovery, in an action alleging that two pipeline companies were responsible for an alleged $25 million in damages resulting from MTBE contamination of drinking water wells on Long Island.
- Successful at trial in defense of an environmental contamination matter seeking $7 million alleging that client who operated a vapor degreaser at the site was responsible for costs to investigate and clean up environmental contamination.
- Won a verdict at trial against a former employee who was found liable for stealing the employer’s confidential client list and using the list to improperly solicit clients.
Honors and Awards
- New Jersey State Bar Foundation, Trustee
- Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney
- Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, AV Rating (highest rating)
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation, (2015 - 2021)
- Recognized on the New Jersey Super Lawyers List, Business Litigation, (2009 – 2021)
- Recognized in 2011 Super Lawyers Business Edition, Business Litigation
- Lifetime Achievement Award, Patriots Path Counsel, Boy Scouts of America, 2003
- Bayley-Ellard Regional High School Alumni Hall of Fame, inducted 1998
- New Jersey Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism in the Law, (1995 – 1997)
Organizations/Memberships
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Board of Trustees, 1996–1998; Membership Committee, 1994–1999, Chair, 1997–1998; Travel, Meetings and Arrangement Committee, 1992–1997; Finance and Operations Committee, 1996–1997; Nominating Committee, 1998–2000; Litigation Section, 1989–present; Environmental Law Section, 1989–present; Product Liability and Toxic Tort Section, 1992–present; Labor and Employment Law Section, 1999–2001; Young Lawyers Division, 1989–1997, Chair, 1995–1996
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Insurance Coverage Committee; Tort & Insurance Practice Section
- New Jersey State Bar Foundation, 1997–present; Secretary, 2016–present; Scholarship Committee, Chair, 1999–2010
- Morris County Bar Association, Civil Litigation Committee; Environmental Law Committee; Young Lawyers Committee, Chair, 1994–1995
- New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, Curriculum Advisory Committee, 1991–1994
- Worrall F. Mountain American Inns of Court, 1989–1992
- Morris County Chamber of Commerce, 1998–present; Ambassadors Committee, Chair, 2000–2002
- New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Women in the Courts, 1999–2011
Publications
- "New Jersey Executive Order 123 Provides Grace Period for Insurance Premium Payments," Porzio COVID-19 Resources, April 16, 2020.
- "NJ Appellate Court Restricts Liability for Directors Under N.J.S.A. 14A:6-12," Porzio Commercial Litigation Briefs, May 2014.
- "Uninvolved Minority Shareholders Not Oppressed Based On Prior Course Of Conduct And Reasonable Shareholder Expectations," Porzio Commercial Litigation Briefs, September 2013.
- "Client List Is An "Asset" Under The Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act," Porzio Commercial Litigation Briefs, September, 2013.
- "NJ Legislature Passes Bill Putting Strict Limits on Shareholder's Derivative Suits," "Delaware Supreme Court Upholds XTO's Bonus Plan Under the Business Judgment Rule," and "Courts Will Not Write a New Contract for Parties by Estoppel," Porzio Commercial Litigation Briefs, March 2013.
- "When Does the Continuous Trigger Period End for Bodily Injury Claims?," Bloomberg Insurance Law Report, July 14, 2008.
- "Imposing CERCLA Liability: How Parent Companies Become ’Operators’ of Contaminated Sites," New Jersey Law Journal, July 5, 1999.
- "Apportioning Spill Act Costs: A Delicate Balance," New Jersey Lawyer, October 26, 1998.
- "Appellate Division Strengthens Hand of Policyholders in Environmental Insurance Coverage Litigation," New Jersey Insurance Reporter, June 1997.
- "Panel Hands Victory to Policyholders," New Jersey Law Journal, June 9, 1997.
- "Supreme Court Chastises Insurers in Morton," New Jersey State Bar Association, Environmental Law Section Newsletter, October 1993.
- "Supreme Court Limits Insurers’ Most Important Defenses," New Jersey Lawyer Magazine, October 1993.
- "Policyholders Will Benefit from Morton Decision," New Jersey Law Journal, October 25, 1993.
Speaking Engagements
- "Environmental Insurance Products - Do They Really Exist in 2017? If So, How Do You Use Them?" Porzio Environmental Risk Analysis Roundtable, Morristown, NJ, May 9, 2017.
- "Panel II: Best Practices, Breach Response and Compliance," NJICLE 2016 Cyber Security Conference, Fairfield, NJ, December 12, 2016.
- "Insurance Law: Update 2006," New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, February 2006.
- "Succeeding in Federal Court," National Business Institute, September 2005.
- "Insurance Law: Update 2004," New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, February 2004.
- "Termination of Agency Agreements," Independent Insurance Agents of New Jersey, Middlesex County Chapter, November 2001.
- "Managing Construction Risks in New Jersey: Liens, Bonds and Insurance," Lorman Educational Services, February 2001.
- "Discovery of Digital Evidence in the Electronic Age," New Jersey State Bar Association, Computer and Internet Law Committee, January 2001.
- "A Practical Guide to Federal Court Rules and Procedures in New Jersey," National Business Institute, July 2000.
- "The Future of Labor and Employment Law," New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting, May 1999.
- "Use of Expert Witnesses in Insurance Coverage Litigation," ABA Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee Annual Meeting, Monterey, California, February 1999.
- "Hot Topics in Environmental Insurance," New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting, May 1998.
- "Recent Developments in Environmental Insurance Litigation," New Jersey State Bar Association Mid-Year Meeting, Maui, Hawaii, November 1997.
- "Private Party Environmental Litigation," New Jersey State Bar Association, February 1992.
- Workshop Panelist, Property Loss Managers Conference, March 1992.
- "Young Lawyers in the 90’s," New Jersey State Bar Association, June 1992.
- "Insurance Issues in Toxic and Environmental Contamination," New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, November 1991.
Commercial Litigation
