Porzio Adds Three Attorneys to Education, Employment and Litigation Groups

MORRISTOWN, NJ (May 19, 2023)– Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. is pleased to announce that Rahool Patel and Rachel E. Fairley have joined the firm, along with Patricia C. Morgan, who was announced as the Director of Public Affairs for Porzio Governmental Affairs on May 1st. 

“We are thrilled to welcome such an outstanding group of professionals whose practices and skills will enhance the service we are able to provide,” said Vito A. Gagliardi, Jr., Managing Principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman and President of Porzio Governmental Affairs. “Porzio has built the state's premiere education practice, which draws on experience in policy, litigation, and employment law, among others, in order to address issues and help our clients in a meaningful way. Each of these practitioners brings valuable insight to the firm and we look forward to their collaboration across a variety of practices.”

Patel, who joins as counsel in the firm's Education and Employment Team, works with clients in employment and labor law matters in federal and state courts and administrative agencies. He has represented employees and employers in issues involving claims brought under ADA, ADEA, and other state-level statutes in New Jersey and New York. Patel also provides strategic counsel to clients on employment and labor laws, including leave and overtime policies, requests for reasonable accommodations, and discipline of employees, and regularly drafts employee handbooks and various employment policies and agreements. He has additional experience litigating complex commercial, chancery and medicinal marijuana cases in trial and appellate courts. Patel earned his J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law and his B.A. from Rutgers University.

Fairley joins Porzio as an associate with the Education and Employment Team, focusing her practice in the areas of employment law and education law. She represents both private and public entities in all employment-related matters and advises employers regarding hiring, employee discipline, leaves of absence and termination. Fairley also has provided legal counsel to boards of education involving labor, employment, student and personnel matters and has assisted in resolving issues of special education through the Office of Administrative Law. Fairley received her J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from Rutgers University.

Morgan will be of counsel to the firm and a director with Porzio Governmental Affairs, bringing more than a decade of education policy experience. She previously served as Assistant Commissioner as well as Chief Legal & External Affairs Officer at the New Jersey Department of Education. Morgan also served as Assistant Counsel in the Office of the Governor of New Jersey, advising on education issues. She regularly works with traditional public school districts, charter schools, private schools for students with disabilities, and higher education institutions and has in-depth experience in special education, ethics, funding, and student discipline. Morgan received her J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law and her B.A. from Drew University.   She then clerked for Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and for U.S. District Court Judge Peter Sheridan.

About Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, PC. 
Founded in 1962, Porzio, Bromberg & Newman is a full-service law firm with over 90 lawyers throughout offices in Morristown, NJ; Trenton, NJ; Ocean City, NJ; New York, NY; Westborough, MA; Wilmington, DE; Philadelphia, PA; and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The firm is committed to serving clients, providing high-quality work, and achieving results through legal strategy, advocacy, technology, and consulting services offered through the law firm and its two wholly-owned subsidiary companies. The firm provides legal services in business law, employment, litigation, bankruptcy and restructuring, intellectual property and trademark, real estate, and other areas to businesses of all sizes ranging from start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations, including public and private organizations.