Overview
Practice Areas
Industry Experience
Banking & Finance • Cannabis Law • Qualified Opportunity Zones •
Francis J. Giantomasi is a member of the firm’s Real Estate, Development & Land Use Group. He has over four decades of experience in all aspects of real estate acquisitions, sales, development, complex commercial transactions and Chancery litigation, and has successfully argued before the New Jersey Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Frank is recognized as a leader in planning, zoning, and development law including tax abatement law for the City of Newark and urban areas. He has served as Chief Development Counsel for some of the region’s major real estate projects, including the planning and development of Prudential Insurance Company’s Newark Headquarters.
In 2017, Frank was named to New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s Transition Team – Transition Counsel Committee.
Frank received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law. He served as a law clerk to Essex County’s Assignment Judge, Arthur J. Blake. Prior to joining the firm, Frank maintained the law firm of Giantomasi & Oliveira for over 20 years and spent four years at Genova Burns Giantomasi & Webster.
He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Honors
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2018-2024)
- Selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list, Real Estate (2013-2019; 2021-2023)
- Included in NJBIZ, Power 100 (2016; 2019-2023)
- Included in NJBIZ, Law Power 50 (2019-2023)
Ranked third in 2022
Ranked fourth in 2021
Ranked sixth in 2020 - Recipient, Essex County Bar Association, Samuel S. Saiber Professional Achievement Award (2023)
- Included in ROI-NJ, Influencers: Real Estate (2018-2022)
- Included in Investors Bank, Advisory Board Hall of Fame (2019)
- Recipient, NJBIZ, Icon Honors Award (2017)
- Recipient, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, Corporate Award (2017)
- Recognized by the Arthritis Foundation, Health Champion of the Year (2016)
- Recognized by Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, Man of the Year (2014)
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rating
Award Methodology
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Involvement
- Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Chairman, Board of Trustees
- Saint Peter’s University’s Guarini School of Business, Board of Advisors
- Seton Hall University School of Law, Board of Visitors
- The Drumthwacket Foundation, Board of Trustees
- The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
- Newark Regional Business Partnership, Board Member
- Rutgers Business School – The Center for Real Estate, Advisory Board Member
- Essex County Bar Association, Trustee (2013-2016)
- Essex County American Heart Association Walk, Chairperson (2013)
- Greater Newark Holiday Fund, Chairman (2012)
- Newark Arts Council, Former Event Chair for Art & the City
Education
- Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., 1979)
- St. Peter’s College (B.A., 1976)
Admissions
- New Jersey
- New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. Supreme Court
Overview
- Has represented developers in many of New Jersey’s major real estate projects, including Panasonic Corporation’s North American headquarters and its eventual sale to KFH Capital Investment Co. for $165 million; the $35 million Newark Courtyard by Marriott hotel; the Newark Hotel Indigo; seven historic building conversions on Market Street developed into 35,000 SF of retail with over 80 residential units in a $35 million mixed-use project; an 11-acre property being developed into Springfield Avenue Marketplace, a mixed-use development in Newark; Richardson Lofts, an eight-story, 96,000 SF conversion of a former jewelry factory into 67 residential rental lofts; a senior citizen complex with 154 residential units in Belleville; Studebaker Lofts, an affordable housing community in the City of Newark’s North Ward neighborhood; and Packard Lofts, luxury housing located at 1002-1008 Broad Street.
- Acted as Chief Development Counsel on the $500,000,000 Hudson Lights Retail/Residential Complex in Fort Lee.
- Acted as Chief Development Counsel for 75 Park Lane, a 37-story mixed-use project with 7,300 SF of retail and 359 residential units, and Shore Lofts, a 7-story mixed-use project with 15,500 SF of retail and 71 residential units, in downtown Jersey City.
- Essex County Counsel, 2003-2005.
- Chief Counsel, Essex County Board of Freeholders, 1992-2003, overseeing its legal staff, a $500 million operating budget, and all county contracts and litigation.
- Managed land condemnations in connection with the development of the county-owned Newark Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
- Special Counsel, Essex County Utilities Authority, since 2005.
- Handled land condemnation matters involving the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the New Jersey Department of Transportation plus various matters involving Newark’s Prudential Arena site.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.