Middlebrooks Shapiro & Nachbar

A Professional Corporation
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The Firm
 
  • Managing Partner, Melinda D. Middlebrooks, Esq.
  • Founding Partner, Richard P. Shapiro, Esq. (1942-2002)
  • Partner, Stuart M. Nachbar, Esq.  
  • Of Counsel, Myron S. Lehman, Esq. (1928-2007)
  • Associate, Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.
  • Paralegal, Rebecca Raj
  • Office Manager, Jessica M. Shapiro
  • Legal Assistant, Naumi Yachnik
  • Legal Secretary, Urmila D. Prem

 

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Melinda D. Middlebrooks, Esq. 
Managing Partner
Practice Areas:
Bankruptcy; Commercial Litigation; Debtor-Creditor Litigation; Debtor-Creditor Rights; Corporate; Collections; Matrimonial; and State Court Litigation.
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Admitted to Bar:
New Jersey (1985); 
Tennessee (1986);
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York (1986);
U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, (1987); 
U.S. Claims Court (1989);
U.S. Supreme Court (1989).
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Education:
Seton Hall School of Law (J.D., 1984) (Phi Alpha Delta (Justice, New Jersey Alumni Chapter (1984-1991); Moot Court Board, Problem Writer and Grader (1983-1984); Recipient, Faculty Award: Outstanding Service to the Law School and to the Community; Most Outstanding Justice and Most Outstanding Clerk, Phi Alpha Delta; Member, Phi Alpha Delta (1982-1983); Associate Editor, Seton Hall Legislative Journal (, 1983-1984); Member, Family Law Clinic (1983-1984));
Columbia University (M.A., 1976); 
George Peabody College, Vanderbilt University (B.A., with honors, 1975);

Federal Judicial Law Clerk:
Chief Judge Vincent J. Commisa, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey (1985-1986).

Honors & Awards: 

Member, Essex County, Morris County, New Jersey State and American Bar Associations;

Settlement Judge, Essex County Lawyers for Civil Justice; 

Condemnation Commissioner, Essex County, New Jersey; 

Panelist, 11th Annual Honorable William H. Gindin Bankruptcy Bench-Bar Conference "Pre-Chapter 11 Restructuring Issues" (2009);

Panelist, American Intellectual Property Law Association (“AIPLA”) Convention, Washington, DC (2009);

Co-Author,  “IRAs: Who Gets the Money?”, New Jersey Lawyer – The Magazine of the New Jersey Bar Association (2005);

Lecturer, “Collection Practice Made Easy”, New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education(2004);

Lecturer, “Introduction to Collection Law”, “Collection Law for the Health Care Industry” and “Collection Law in New Jersey”, Lorman Education Services(2000);

Fee Arbitration Secretary, Supreme Court of New Jersey, District X, (1999—current); 

Author, “What Every Practitioner Should Know About Bankruptcy Before One Is Filed”, New Jersey Lawyer- The Magazine of the New Jersey Bar Association (1999);

Author, “Authority for Sales and Related Statutory Provisions”, Section 363 Sales – Strategies and Pitfalls Seminar, Essex County Bar Association, Debtor/Creditor Committee and Equity Jurisprudence Sections (1997);

Author, “Litigating Real Estate Disclosure Issues in Non-Dischargeability Actions”, Essex County Bar Association, Debtor/Creditor Committee and Equity Jurisprudence Sections (1996);

Mediator, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of New Jersey, (1995—current);   

Master, Bankruptcy Inns of Court of New Jersey (1994—current);

Author, “Effectiveness of Writ of Attachment Upon the Filing of a Petition in Bankruptcy”, Essex County Bar Association, Debtor/Creditor Committee and Equity Jurisprudence Sections (1994);

Listed, Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities;  

Co-Author, "Bankruptcy-Effects on Secured Claims," Foreclosure and Repossession in New Jersey, NBI (1989);  

Pupil, William J. Brennan, Jr. Chapter, Essex Inns of Court (1989-1991);  


Reported Cases:
In re Fabricators Supply Co., 292 B.R. 531 (Bankr. D.N.J. 2003); 

In re House of Drugs, Inc., 251 B.R. 206 (Bankr. D.N.J. 2000); 

In re Schwartz, 192 B.R. 90 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1996);

In re Reynolds, 197 B.R. 198 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1995), affirmed in part, vacated in part,

In re Reynolds, 193 B.R.195 (D.N.J. 1996), on remand, In re Reynolds, 197 B.R. 204 (Bankr. D.N.J. 1996).

 


Richard P. Shapiro, Esq. (1942-2002)
Founding Partner

One of the founding members of the firm, the late Richard P. Shapiro, Esq. was the Federal Judicial Law Clerk to Chief Judge William H. Gindin (retired) and husband of the Managing Partner, Melinda Middlebrooks, Esq.  His erudite approach to the law  helped form the firm’s well-respected reputation. 

 

Stuart M. Nachbar, Esq. 
Partner

Practice Areas:
Bankruptcy;  Commercial Litigation; Debtor-Creditor Litigation; Debtor-Creditor Rights; Collections; Criminal Law; Collections; Matrimonial.

 

Admitted to Bar:
New Jersey (1994); 

U.S. Supreme Court (1999). 

 

Education:
Thomas M. Cooley Law School (J.D., 1994) (Marshall, Phi Alpha Delta, Christancy Chapter (1991); Clerk, Phi Alpha Delta, Christancy Chapter (1991-1993));

State University of New York at Albany (B.A., 1990).

 

Honors & Awards: 
Alternate Prosecutor, Borough of Roseland, NJ; 

Member, Bankruptcy Inn of Court;

Lifetime Member, Who's Who of Executives and Professionals;

Director, Union Township Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors (2009);

Membership Chair, Bankruptcy Inns of Court (2008—current);

Presenter, 10th Annual Honorable William H. Gindin Bankruptcy Bench-Bar Conference: "Exemptions, Lien Avoidance, Reaffirmation and Redemption" (2008);

Programming Co-Chair, Bankruptcy Inns of Court (2006—2008);

Presenter, Institute of Continuing Legal Education: "Consumer Bankruptcy" (2008);

Committee Member, Supreme Court of New Jersey - District Ethics Committee (2007–current);

Barrister, Inns of Court to Student (2006—current);

District Justice, PAD, District XXI (2000—2001); 

Justice, PAD, New Jersey Alumni Chapter (1999—2000); 

Recipient, Outstanding Service Award to Law School (1993); 

Associate District Justice, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Int.  (1993);

Grand Marshall,  Honorary Marshall's Service Society (09/1993); 

Managing Editor, "The Pillar" (1992—1994); 

Member, Honorary Marshall's Service Society (1991—1993).

 

Languages:
Spanish.




Joseph M. Shapiro, Esq.
Associate

Practice Areas:
Bankruptcy; Debtor-Creditor Litigation; Collections; State Court Litigation; Intellectual Property.

Admitted to Bar:
New Jersey (2008); 

New York (2009). 

Education:
Seton Hall School of Law (J.D.,  intellectual property law concentration, 2008) (Senator, Student Bar Association (2007-08);  Justice, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity (2007-08);  Research Assistant, Professors Carl Coleman and Gaia Bernstein (2007-08);  Legal Intern, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A. (2007); Vice-President, Intellectual Property Law Association (2006-07); Legal Intern, Sony BMG Music Entertainment (2006); Federal Judicial Intern, Honorable Rosemary Gambardella (Summer 2005));

Savannah College of Art & Design (B.F.A., magna cum laude, 2002).

 

Honors & Awards: 

Judge, Seton Hall Appellate Advocacy Arguments (2009).