ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS –
Bernardsville attorney Marguerite Schaffer was named borough attorney at the reorganization of the Mayor and Council Monday, replacing Jason Sena, by a unanimous vote of the new governing body.
Sena not completely out …
Sena, however also by a unanimous votes, has been retained as Special Counsel to the borough for one year reportedly to finish working on some matters which have not been completed during the past year as borough attorney..
Eclectic Background
Schaffer, a senior partner in the law firm of Shain, Schaffer and Jalloh brings a strong background to her new position, ranging from degrees in law, English and philosophy, certification as a secondary school English teacher, and as well as former legal writing instructor at her alumnus, Seton Hall University School of Law, former counsel, prosecutor or other positions with East Orange, South Brunswick, Roselle and Watchung in northern New Jersey, as well as Lake Como in Monmouth County, where she owns a home. And besides being borough attorney here, she is also expected to be renamed borough attorney for another year at Lake Como when that governing body reorganizes Tuesday evening. Her law firm, Shain Schaffer & Jalloh, is also scheduled to be named special tax council in Lake Como at reorganization.
Cannabis Law
According to her published biography, Ms. Schaffer is an expert in the burgeoning field of Cannabis Law and represents a number of out-of-state entities anxious to do business in New Jersey when legislation permits.
Memberships
In addition to her legal and other appointments, Schaffer, is a past President and current Board of Directors member of the Executive Women of New Jersey, serves on the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Rutgers University, and is Chair of the Somerset County Democratic Committee, was elected delegate to three of the four Democratic National Conventions, and has held several positions with Essex, Somerset and Morris counties.
A former Assistant Counsel and Municipal Prosecutor, Counsel and secretary to the Board of Adjustment, City Counsel to the Planning Board, all in the city of East Orange; and Counsel to and member of the Board of Directors of Mountain Ridge State Bank. Schaffer currently serves as Counsel to the Borough of Lake Como, and Special Counsel to the Township of South Brunswick and the boroughs of Roselle and Watchung. She is also currently a Democrat Committeewoman in Bernardsville in Somerset County where she lives.
She is a member of Somerset County, New Jersey and American Bar Associations.
Born in 1948 in Newark and admitted to the bar since 1975. Ms. Schaffer specializes in commercial litigation, banking, land use and real estate law, and is the co-managing partner of her law firm.
The new borough attorney’s law degree is from Seaton Hall, cum laude, and also earned undergraduate degrees from the University of Dayton. She holds a Teacher’s Certification in Secondary English from the State of New Jersey and prior to law school taught in an inner city high school.
Ms. Schaffer served as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall Law School where she taught legal writing, and at Fairleigh Dickinson University where she taught commercial law.
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