About Michael J. Faul, Jr.

Michael J. Faul, Jr., concentrates his practice in the areas of complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage disputes, closely held/oppressed minority shareholder disputes, corporate fraud, and environmental litigation.

In his decades of practice, Michael has successfully recovered millions of dollars from national insurance companies, brokers, and agents on behalf of policyholders.  He provides counsel on all phases of complex insurance claim resolution, from the proper and prompt presentment of claims through litigation in state and federal courts. Michael  has conducted numerous mediations and arbitrations before highly respected former Jurists in the State of New Jersey.  Colleagues describe Michael as extremely focused on the vindication of his clients’ rights.  Clients view Michael as a hard-working, ethical, and aggressive litigator.

Michael’s successful cases include a significant environmental coverage matter in which he recovered $8.3 million on behalf of a corporate client in settlement of a claim against a major national insurer and broker.  Michael has successfully prevailed on summary judgment on behalf of a New Jersey large municipality.  The decision held that the insurer for the municipality wrongfully denied coverage under a public officials and employment liability policy.  In a subsequent ruling, the municipality was awarded consequential damages, including prejudgment interest and legal fees in successfully pursuing coverage.  In November, 2016, on behalf of a municipality, Michael successfully prevailed on a summary judgment motion, compelling the Insurer to tender a defense to an investigation by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office into allegations of violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA).  The decision will have a significant impact on other municipalities and governmental entities facing the same or similar investigations.

On behalf of corporate clients, Mr. Faul provides risk management consulting, policy review and manuscripting of specialized insurance products including Pollution Legal Liability Policies for Corporations and Single Purpose Entities purchasing commercial and industrial sites nationally.  Mr. Faul counsels not only large corporate policyholders, but midsize and smaller companies, high net worth individuals, Trusts and Estates in connection with a variety of insurance policies and risks including Commercial General Liability, Commercial Property, Commercial Umbrella Liability, Excess Liability, Directors and Officers liability, Fidelity and Surety, Pollution Liability, Products Completed Operations Liability, and Professional Errors and Omissions.

Mr. Faul counsels both corporations and governmental entities seeking to place or enforce coverage under Directors and Officers or Public Officials and Employment Liability Policies, and other specialized risk policies for government investigations, lawsuits, and internal investigations.

Mr. Faul represents out-of-state corporations as local counsel, co-counsel, or as primary counsel in litigations filed in the courts of the State of New Jersey and arbitrations before the American Arbitration Association.

Active in state and local bar activities, Michael has presented to the Essex County Bar Association on numerous topics, including “Attachments: How to Obtain Them and How to Avoid Them”; “Trade Secret and Restrictive Covenant Litigation in New Jersey”; “Identifying Common Fraudulent Schemes in and out of Bankruptcy”; “Litigating Fraud and Misrepresentation Claims Involving Real Estate Transactions in the State and Bankruptcy Court”; “Successfully Litigating the Closely Held Corporate Dispute When Those in Control Have Engaged in Fraud and Mismanagement”; and “The Entire Controversy Doctrine and Attorney Malpractice.”  Michael has also been a seminar speaker for the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education, presenting on “Litigating Fraud and Mismanagement Disputes in Closely Held Corporations” and “Criminal Aspects of Business Fraud.”   Michael also appeared as a panelist at an NJICLE Seminar regarding “Representing Your Client in a Business Break-Up.”

Michael has written articles which have appeared in a number of New Jersey legal publications.  Among these is an article co-authored with Robert DiPasquale, CPA, CFE, formerly with J. H. Cohn, titled “A Minority Shareholder’s Inspection Rights Under N.J.S.A. 14A:5-28,” which was published in the August, 2000 issue of New Jersey Lawyer: The Magazine.  This article is cited in the permanent edition of N.J.S.A. 14A:5-28, and was recently cited in the University of Oklahoma Law Review.