Honorable James J. DeLuca, J.S.C. (Ret.) is Counsel to Harwood Lloyd, LLC and is located in Hackensack, New Jersey. His practice focuses on the resolution of commercial, probate, trust and estate disputes through mediation and arbitration as an alternative to traditional litigation. Judge DeLuca also provides discovery master services, consultation on case management, development of trial strategy and, in appropriate circumstances, serving as special fiscal agent/receiver.

Judge DeLuca was appointed to the Superior Court of New Jersey in February 2015. He initially served in the Civil Division; and in July of 2018, he was reassigned to the Chancery Division where he served until his retirement in December 2022. While in
the Chancery Division, Judge DeLuca handled all matters appropriate for the Chancery Division including General Equity matters, Probate and Guardianship matters and
Foreclosures.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge DeLuca was a partner with the law firm of Okin, Hollander & DeLuca, LLP in Fort Lee, New Jersey where his practice focused on business litigation, bankruptcy, commercial and business transactions, and arbitrations. From 1979 to 1986, Judge DeLuca served as associate counsel and then general counsel to a commercial and consumer lender located in Paramus, New Jersey. Judge DeLuca began his legal career at a firm in New York City handling commercial and securities litigation.

Judge DeLuca received his B.A. from Queens College (City University of New York) in 1974 and his J.D. from Notre Dame Law School in 1977.

Honorable Menelaos W. Toskos, P.J. Ch. (Ret.) brings 50 years of legal experience to the firm’s Alternate Dispute Resolution and Mediation Group. Appointed to the N.J. Superior Court in2005, Judge Toskos sat in the Law and Chancery Divisions. During his years on the bench, Judge Toskos authored hundreds of opinions, several of which were approved for publication. While serving in the Chancery Division, Judge Toskos was responsible for general equity, contract, real estate, business and probate cases. Several required appointment of receivers, special fiscal agents, special medical guardians, temporary executors and trustees. Judge Toskos aggressively case-managed all these matters, leading to resolution through settlement or trial.

In the Law Division, Judge Toskos presided over hundreds of jury and bench trials concerning personal injury claims, employment (including LAD and CEPA) disputes, condemnation, construction and environmental cases. As a designated prerogative writs judge, he tried cases challenging enactments by county government, municipalities, land use boards and administrative agencies. In 2015, the New Jersey Supreme Court designated Judge Toskos as the Mount Laurel judge for Bergen County, tasking him with evaluating whether municipal zoning ordinances met the constitutional requirement to provide an opportunity for construction of low and moderate income housing. Judge Toskos was initially responsible for 59 lawsuits filed by municipalities seeking court approval of zoning ordinances. He was instrumental in negotiating amicable resolution of more than 30 cases prior to retiring.

Before being appointed to the bench, Judge Toskos was an equity member in the Hackensack law firm of Herten, Burstein, Sheridan, Cevasco, Bottinelli, Litt, Toskos and Harz. In his practice, Judge Toskos represented public and private clients in real estate and commercial transactions, government matters and general litigation, as well as acting as counsel for county utility authorities, zoning and planning boards and several municipal governments. Judge Toskos handled litigation in the N.J. Superior Court Law and Appellate Divisions, United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He chaired the Bergen County Bar Association Land Use Committee. which presented an annual seminar for all Bergen County municipal and land use members. In 2001, he completed NJICLE training receiving mediator certification and then served as a New Jersey Superior Court Civil Case Mediation Panelist. With the enactment of the Uniform Construction Code, Judge Toskos taught construction code officials on the procedures for code enforcement. Appointed by the County Executive, he served several years as a member of the Bergen County Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Judge Toskos is a former chair of the New Jersey Supreme Court District IIB Fee Arbitration committee. He also served as the Bergen County High School Mock Trial coordinator organizing a competition for over 30 high schools.

Judge Toskos is a graduate of Columbia University and Fordham Law School.
As Counsel to the firm, Judge Toskos will bring his extensive experience as a lawyer and judge to provide mediation and arbitration services. Judge Toskos will also be available to manage complex litigation and to act as a Special Discovery Master.

Suzanne J. Frankland received her Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey and obtained her Baccalaureate degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. Ms. Frankland joined the firm in 2015 and was previously a Partner at the Law Firm of Melli, Guerin, Wall & Frankland, P.C. and senior associate at the Law Firm of Foster & Mazzie, LLC in Totowa New Jersey. Ms. Frankland”s practice areas include arbitration, family law, real estate and estates.

Ms. Frankland is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, New York and the District of Columbia as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. She is a member of the Bergen County Bar Association, New Jersey Bar Association and District of Columbia Bar Association. Suzanne is a full-time arbitration for Forthright, the Administrator of the New Jersey PIP arbitration system, Forthright Advisory Counsel for 8 years, Vice Chairperson of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law and a Matrimonial Settlement Panelist in Bergen County. Additionally, Ms. Frankland is a past member of the Borough of Paramus Zoning Board and is currently the Chairman of the Borough of Paramus Pool Commission.

Ira C. Kaplan, Esq. maintains a general practice in Hackensack, New Jersey concentrated in all aspects of family law, guardianships, domestic violence, elder law, probate, estate planning, and litigation. Mr. Kaplan often serves as court-appointed Parenting Coordinator and Guardian ad litem in family court matters and counsel and Guardian ad litem to minors and alleged incapacitated individuals in guardianship and family court matters in the Superior Courts of Bergen, Essex, and Hudson County. Since 1998 Mr. Kaplan has provided pro bono counsel to clients of Alternatives to Domestic Violence (ADV), having represented over 150 pro bono litigants. Mr. Kaplan was recently honored by the Judiciary for his commitment to providing pro bono services. Since 1997 Mr. Kaplan has served as Chair and Panelist for the Bergen County Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel. Mr. Kaplan served on the District Il-B Ethics Committee, and District 11-B Fee Arbitration Committee, as Chair and Panelist. Since 2015 Mr. Kaplan has served as Trustee of the Bergen County Bar Association. Mr. Kaplan was Certified as a Family Law Mediator in 2002. Mr. Kaplan received his Collaborative Law Training and Certification in 2019. He has lectured on child support and enforcement, domestic violence, the role of guardian ad litem, and custody issues concerning the representation of traumatized clients.

Ms. Parker concentrates her practice in the areas of divorce and family law representing clients in all aspects of matrimonial litigation, child custody, domestic partner disputes, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, domestic violence matters and post-judgment enforcement and modification applications.

Ms. Parker is a qualified matrimonial mediator pursuant to the rules governing the courts of the State of New Jersey's Complementary Dispute Resolution Programs, and has been appointed as a guardian ad litem and discovery master by the New Jersey Superior Court.

¬Richard T. Zimmerman, Esq. (Retired) – Bio

Since 1972, represented parties in a vast number of litigated matters and proceedings throughout New Jersey in the areas of: Personal Injury, including Medical Malpractice; Professional Liability; Consumer and Commercial Collections; State Court Receiverships and Assignments for the Benefit of Creditors; Landlord-Tenant; Matrimonial/Family Law, including Private Placement Adoptions; Arbitration and Mediation, including PIP Arbitration Proceedings; Municipal Court matters; and a variety of other proceedings in the Chancery Division and Surrogate’s Court, as well as in the Federal District Court.

BAR ADMISSIONS:

State of New Jersey, 1972
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, 1972
United States Supreme Court, 1980

CAREER & EDUCATION:

• Associate Counsel, Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., March, 2017-March, 2020
• Dispute Resolution Professional, Forthright Solutions, New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (NJ DOBI) PIP Arbitration Program, March, 2011-February, 2017
• Dispute Resolution Professional, National Arbitration Forum, New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (NJ DOBI) PIP Arbitration Program, February, 2005-March, 2011
• Associate, Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., 2004-2017
• Associate, Law Offices of Braff, Harris & Sukoneck (now Braff, Harris, Sukoneck & Maloof), 2003-2004
• Certified as an Arbitrator in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, commencing 2002.
• Mediator trained and approved by the Administrative Office of the Courts of the State of New Jersey (AOC), commencing 1999
• Income Partner, Gelman & Gelman, Esqs., 1996-2003
• Arbitrator in the Mandatory/Non-Binding Superior Court of the State of New Jersey Automobile and Personal Injury Programs, from commencement in Bergen County 1983-February, 2020 (and also occasionally in those programs in Essex, Hudson, Morris and Sussex Counties)
• Arbitrator on Personal Injury Protection (PIP) disputes for the American Arbitration Association (AAA) 1979–1998
• Judge, Municipal Court of Mt. Tabor, New Jersey. 1977-1979
• Associate, Gelman & Gelman, Esqs., 1974-1996
• Associate, Law Offices of Kleinberg, Maroney, Masterson & Schachter (later merged with Lum Biunno & Tompkins, Esqs., now Lum, Drasco & Positan, L.L.C.), 1972-1974
• J.D., Rutgers University School of Law-Newark, 1972
• B.A., Rutgers College, 1969

PROFESSIONAL & BAR ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS:

• Member, Bergen County Bar Association, 1974-Present (now serving on Alternative Dispute Resolution and Judicial Selection Committees; previously served on Judicial Performance, Judicial Selection and Buddy System Committees)
• Member, Passaic County Bar Association, 1974-1976 (Family Law Committee)
• Member, Essex County Bar Association, 1972 – 1974 (Creditors Rights Committee)

Appointed as a Superior Court Judge in Bergen County in 2002, Judge Carroll initially presided
over domestic violence, divorce, and child support matters in the Family Division. Later, he
served as Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division, and then General Equity Judge in the
Chancery Division. During his last five years on the bench, Judge Carroll was assigned to the
Appellate Division, where he reviewed hundreds of decisions by lower courts and administrative
bodies and authored numerous published opinions.

Prior to his appointment to the Superior Court bench, Judge Carroll maintained an active general
practice in the areas of residential and commercial real estate, commercial transactions, wills and
estates, family law, personal injury and commercial litigation, and land use and development.
Judge Carroll earned his J.D. from Fordham University Law School (cum laude) and his B.A.
degree from Fordham University (summa cum laude). He presently serves as counsel to the law
firm of Meyerson, Fox & Conte, P.A.

Linda F. Spiegel, Esq. is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University and the Boston University School of Law. She is a Past President of Women Lawyers in Bergen County (WLIB), a past Trustee of the Bergen County Bar Association (BCBA), is Editor-in-Chief of the WLIB Newsletter and a Past Editor-in-Chief of the Bergen Barrister. She was founder of the Jean Robertson Women Lawyers Scholarship Foundation, Inc. and a founder of SWAG, Seasoned Women’s Attorney Group of WLIB.

Ms. Spiegel was appointed to the District Ethics Committee and had two four year terms on the Fee Arbitration committee. She also served as Chair of the District IIB Fee Arbitration Panel. Ms. Spiegel was primarily a litigator in civil, chancery and family matters until she changed her focus to Alternate Dispute Resolution, estate planning and real estate. She has over 40 years of litigation and 20 years of ADR experience. She has mediated and arbitrated over 1000 cases in many areas of the law including but not limited to breach of contract, construction, consumer law, divorce, elder care planning, health and hospital law, insurance coverage and family law. Ms. Spiegel has also served as a condemnation commissioner in cases involving construction of highways and condemnation of private property.

Ms. Spiegel is an arbitrator and mediator for the American Arbitration Association, a FINRA arbitrator, and a NJ Court Approved R. 1:40 mediator and arbitrator. She has written articles and given seminars on ADR, Construction, Elder Law and Family Law and is the co-chair of the Bergen County Bar Association's ADR and Construction Committees.

She is a recipient of a Joint Resolution of the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey for her work as a volunteer attorney with Project SARAH, Stop Abusive Relationships at Home. She has also been recognized by Bergen Magazine as a Top Lawyer in the field of Alternate Dispute Resolution as well as named one of Bergen County’s Top Lawyers in ADR by (201) Magazine.