Thomas A. Zelante

Tom Zelante has extensive experience in insurance and commercial matters. His practice concentrates on litigation defense in a wide variety of areas. He also defends sexual abuse claims against individuals and in institutional matters.

Tom has represented individuals, corporations and governmental entities in all aspects of civil litigation, including general liability, automobile liability, premises liability, product liability, personal injury, business, real estate, land use and guardianship matters. Tom’s experience as a litigator and community-minded contributor enables him to navigate client issues without losing sight of the primary goal.

In the product liability area, Tom has represented insurance carriers on major loss matters, including home and building losses and aircraft liability, and he has been involved in defense and recovery. He also has litigated matters on behalf of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, regarding the NJ Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. In addition, Tom has represented numerous plaintiffs in major personal injury matters, as well as businesses on land use applications, defending such applications for governmental entities.

Prior to joining Wilson Elser, Tom was First Assistant Prosecutor at the Office of the Morris County Prosecutor, where he was involved in internal investigations, business investigations, Open Public Records Act review, fraud review, Megan's law and a variety of other matters. Over the previous 23 years, Tom was an associate and became a partner in a New Jersey firm practicing in the areas of general litigation, personal injury litigation, insurance defense and subrogation, land use, and residential and commercial real estate. He began his legal career as a Law Clerk to the Honorable F. Michael Caruso, Superior Court, Law Division.

APPOINTMENTS
NJ GUBERNATORIAL WITH SENATE CONSENT
2005 – 2007 Member, Morris County Board of Taxation
2004 – 2020 Member, Board of Trustees, Ramapo College of New Jersey; Chairman of the Board,
2005-2007; reappointed to Board 2011
2002 – 2004 Member, NJ Health Care Facilities Financing Authority; Assistant Treasurer, 2003-2004

NJ ATTORNEY GENERAL
2003 – 2007 Special Counsel, State of New Jersey, Division of Law
2002 – 2007 Special Counsel, New Jersey Turnpike Authority
2018 – 2020 Attorney General’s Task Force on Clergy Abuse

SUPREME COURT OF NJ AND SUPERIOR COURT OF NJ
1996 – 2000 Member, Supreme Court of NJ, District X Ethics Committee, Morris/Sussex Counties
2003 – 2007 Arbitrator, Superior Court of NJ, Law Division, Morris County
2001 – 2007 Discovery Master, Superior Court of NJ, Law Division, Morris County
2000 – 2007 Mediator, Superior Court of NJ, Law Division, Morris County

MUNICIPAL
2006 – 2007 Attorney, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Town of Morristown
2005 – 2006 Municipal Attorney, Borough of Victory Gardens
2004 – 2005 Special Counsel, Jefferson Township, Environmental Matters
1997 – 2006 Member, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Morris Township