Michael J. Shortt

Michael Shortt focuses his practice on business litigation, business counseling, real estate litigation, employment law, higher education and school law.  He routinely appears on behalf of his clients in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania state and federal courts and at administrative hearings. 

Michael has experience in representing real estate brokers and agents in professional liability claims arising out of residential and commercial brokerage and sale agreements, including the defense of claims related to allegations of inaccurate pre-sale disclosures and consumer fraud claims.  He has assisted commercial brokers in litigation associated with the payment and collection of real estate brokerage fees and sales commissions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  He has additional experience in commercial landlord-tenant disputes as well as property line disputes between adjacent landowners.

Michael has provided legal counsel to companies and organizations that manage and provide services to Special Improvement Districts (“SIDs”) throughout New Jersey, including assisting clients perform municipal beautification projects, downtown revitalization projects, and providing business counseling and advice related to operational issues regarding the servicing of the SIDs.

Michael has worked as part of a team that provided outside legal counsel to a New Jersey charter school in connection with a wide variety of issues including employment law claims, internal investigations, student disciplinary matters, and vendor contract related issues.  In addition, Michael has represented universities as outside legal counsel in a variety of employment matters and has gained valuable experience working on secondment as temporary in-house counsel at a prominent New Jersey university.

Michael has also provided employment counseling to a wide variety of clients in connection with the enforcement of non-competition agreements, defending against employment discrimination claims, employee wage and hour issues, and employee compensation related issues.

Prior to attending law school, Michael worked for the City of New York’s Administration for Children’s Services in the Child Protection Division where he conducted investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect in Central Harlem and Washington Heights.  Outside of work, Michael volunteers his time as a soccer coach with the Montclair United Soccer Club, is a past-treasurer of the Upper Montclair Business Association, and is a member of the Friends of the Alonzo Bonsal Nature Preserve, a nature preserve located in Upper Montclair.