Gwyneth K. Murray-Nolan
Gwyneth is a third generation attorney whose grandfather and father were distinguished lawyers in New Jersey. Not one to rest on her laurels, Gwyneth continues blazing her own trail, initially as the first female attorney in her family, and now after more than 20 years practicing law, as the first attorney in her family to establish and lead her own law practice. Gwyneth is well versed in a variety of practice areas. No matter what your needs may be, Gwyneth is an accomplished litigator who is well-known for her aggressive style and for her “get things done” attitude. If you need a dedicated attorney on your side, look no further. With her vast array of trial experience in various jurisdictions, Gwyneth has handled claims up to $25 million in value, and has tried cases up to $8 million in value.
Gwyneth heads the firm’s insurance defense, family law and commercial transactional practices. She has represented clients in a wide variety of insurance defense matters including product liability, construction, trucking, auto, premises liability, and consumer fraud. Gwyneth also is very experienced with excess insurance claims and catastrophic claims, including brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. Gwyneth works with seasoned experts in areas such as accident reconstruction, biomechanics, human factors, and various medical fields which has helped her to obtain the appropriate value of her client’s cases, and to reach resolutions that best suit her clients’ needs. When necessary and in the client’s best interests, Gwyneth has taken many cases to trial where she skillfully and assertively connects with juries and has achieved outstanding results.
Gwyneth also is a compassionate advocate for her clients in all areas of divorce and post-judgment divorce proceedings, including child support, child custody and parenting time, alimony, equitable distribution, and domestic violence actions.
As a former 13-year resident of Hudson County, Gwyneth became actively involved in the purchases and sales of a multitude of bars and restaurants in Jersey City, Hoboken and Union City. With her litigation background, she is able to assess contracts and transactions in a manner which prevents future controversy and litigation, and gives her clients the legal peace they need to run their businesses on their own terms. Gwyneth handles the drafting of Purchase Agreements, Promissory Notes related to loans, Lease Agreements, Bulk Sales Documents, Letters of Intent to Purchase, Membership Pledge and Escrow Agreements, Bill of Sale Documents, Guaranty Security Agreements, Assignment of Membership Interests, UCC Financing Statements, and Division of Taxation documents for ABC transfers and/or liquor license sales.
Gwyneth also is a regular continuing legal education panelist, teaching other attorneys and insurance professionals on the latest legal trends and practice tips in areas including complex litigation and family law. Gwyneth is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal trial and appellate courts, including the United States Supreme Court. Yet with all of her legal accomplishments, the thing that Gwyneth is most proud of is being called “Mom” by her two boys, J.P. and Finnegan, whom she adores above all else.
Bar Admissions
New Jersey, 2002
U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 2002
District of Columbia, 2010
New York, 2010
Education
Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania
J.D. – 2002
Honors: Certificates of Excellence in Family Law, Pro Bono Work & Criminal Law
Family Law, Criminal Law and Pro Bono Law Concentrations
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame
B.A. Cum Laude – 1999
Honors: Dean’s List all semesters
Major: History
Minor: Political Science
Minor: Sociology
Areas of Practice
Litigation
Insurance Defense
Family Law
Commercial Real Estate
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
2022-Present
Murray-Nolan Berutti LLC
Co-founding member and Co-Managing Partner of a litigation firm specializing in complex litigation, with an emphasis on preserving and protecting individual liberty and our free society. Offices are in New Jersey and New York, and we are licensed Kentucky, and D.C., and in numerous federal courts, including the United States Supreme Court, as well. Further, we practice around the United States with the assistance and cooperation of local counsel. We are Ethical, Unafraid, and Creative.
2017-2021
Weiner Law Group LLP, Member of the Firm- New Jersey and New York
Equity partner focusing on complex civil and commercial litigation, insurance coverage litigation, significant insurance defense matters in various areas including commercial trucking, catastrophic injury, fatalities, mass injury claims, products liability, premises liability, personal injury, construction, auto, and professional liability. Responsible for handling cases through all stages of litigation including drafting pleadings, developing strategy, drafting discovery requests, locating experts, conducting depositions, preparing, and arguing motions, negotiation, and resolving and trying matters. Handled cases up to $25 Million in settlement value. Tried cases up to $8 Million in value. Significant arbitration, mediation, and trial experience.
Major Clients Family Law Practice- Divorce, custody, parenting time, child support, alimony, equitable distribution. Domestic violence proceedings. Post judgment litigation including child support, alimony reduction/increase, emancipation of child(ren). Generally reserved for existing and repeat clients only as a litigation based strategy for asset retention and aggressive resolution tactics.
2006 to 2017
Braff, Harris, Sukoneck & Maloof, Senior Counsel –New Jersey and New York
Complex civil and commercial litigation, coverage litigation, significant insurance defense matters in various areas, including commercial trucking, catastrophic injuries, fatalities, mass injury claims, product liability, and construction. Commercial real estate buy/sell and related contractual agreements, and thriving family law practice. Handled all areas of file including intake, strategy, client planning, mediation, arbitration, and trials.
2003 to 2006
Heymann and Fletcher, Esqs.- Associate– Mount Freedom, New Jersey
Research, write and file all types of pleadings, motions, complaints and answers associated with general litigation, marital law and plaintiff’s personal injury. Trial preparation and conduction, including gathering of documents, interviewing and preparing witnesses, including experts. Handled cases from initial interview through settlement negotiations or trial. Argued motions and Orders to Show Cause. Prepare questions for and attend depositions. Handle domestic violence Final Restraining Order hearings. Handle commercial real estate closings, buy and sell. Handle municipal court matters, including harassment cases and motor vehicle violations. High volume of client and adversary contact through telephone communication, correspondence and interviews. Significant deposition and trial experience.
2000 to 2002
Lexis-Nexis Corporation– Student Representative– Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Responsible for developing training programs and conducting classroom instruction in Lexis-Nexis legal research programs, to the point of proficiency. Included timesaving and cost effective efforts, & detailed legal research conduct.
2001
Lowenstein Sandler PC– Summer Clerk, Summer -Roseland, New Jersey
Worked for several partners in the litigation department on a variety of matters including securities law, products liability, toxic torts, and white collar criminal defense. Reviewed pleadings and motions. Wrote memorandums. Conducted legal research as needed.
2001 to 2002
Civil Justice Clinic –Villanova School of Law, Pennsylvania
Advanced Civil Justice Clinic Villanova School of Law, Pennsylvania
Counseled indigent clients on their legal rights. Handled cases with the aid of a professor from initial interview through final hearing. Handled Administrative Hearing Appeal in a child abuse expungement matter. Negotiated visitation with children back to natural mother in another matter.
2000
The Honorable Dennis M. Cavanaugh, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey Newark, NJ Summer Clerk,
Viewed civil and criminal proceedings and interacted with federal level prosecutors, public defenders, and attorneys during summer with U.S. Magistrate Judge. Viewed court files. Wrote memoranda.
EDUCATION: Villanova University School of Law, J.D. 2002
Certificates: Family Law, Criminal Law, Pro Bono Law
Honors: Richard L. Barbour, Jr. Memorial Scholarship, awarded by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office to the law student who demonstrates outstanding ethics and dedication to the ideals of the profession.
Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, B.A. (History) 1999, Cum Laude
University of Notre Dame Australia, 1998, Semester Abroad Program, Honors
PROFESSIONAL
AFFILIATIONS: New Jersey Association for Justice –Member
CLM- Claims and Litigation Management Alliance – Member & Speaker
Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter Legal Advocacy Program- Pro Bono Attorney
Cranford Newcomers Club- Member, Past Vice President, Community Volunteer
CONSULTING: Kids Corporation II– Executive Educational & Legal Consultant- Newark, NJ
1995-2018 Worked with area law firms to collect gifts at Christmas for children in shelters; coat/hat/gloves drives; school supplies drives for this family operated not-for-profit, educational services provider for underprivileged youths aged 5-12. Previously created summer camp program that currently services over 10,000 children; wrote summer school and after-school program curriculum for children in grades 1-5; responsible for a 200 person on-site camp staff and programs for 500 inner-city children per day. Worked with many Newark local school programs, government leaders, and federal programs, such as Section 8 housing, federal foods, and clothing and school supply drives. Later, provided pro bono legal advice.
REPORTED
DECISIONS: Stolard v. Tolpichin, HUD-L-2995-09, consolidated with Bonilla v. Tolpichin et al., HUD-L-248-09 (2012).
King v. Elshowki, et al., ESX-L-4504-14 (2016).
Isetts v. 1266 Apartment Corp., PAS-L-3776-15 (2018).
Wilson v. Wilson, FM-07-1883-14 (2017).
SPEAKING
ENGAGEMENTS: CLM National Convention, Dallas –Lead Panelist – Infotainment & Telematics
Performance Food Group Risk Management Presentation – Collection of PIP Fees in Non-Fault Trucking Accidents
High Point Insurance Adjuster Presentation- Collection of PIP Fees Post Catastrophic Accident from the Defense Perspective
Performance Food Group/Roma Foods Presentation to All Claims and Risk Management (with Keith Harris, Esq). – Best Defense Accident Avoidance Strategies For a More Successful Future in Trucking Claims
NOTED
PUBLICATIONS: Jury Verdict Review (September 2016) Defense Verdict in Favor of Non-Host Driver – Motor vehicle negligence intersection collision with red light/green light in which plaintiff passenger in husband’s vehicle claimed collision caused cervical herniation and subsequently required a fusion from C1-C7 following fall down. The jury found for the defendant on both liability for damages, represented by Gwyneth K. Murray-Nolan after a trial before Maureen Mantineo, J.S.C., Hudson County.
New Jersey Law Journal (September 2016) Full Defense Verdict in favor of the defendant driver who claimed that he had the right of way at an intersection. The injured plaintiff was the 78 year old passenger of the other driver who also claimed right of way in this near head on collision. The plaintiff underwent care with a chiropractor and an acupuncturist after claiming a cervical disc herniation in the accident, but only sought treatment from a medical doctor after a well documented fall in the chiropractor’s office. The defense presented this interceding accident as the cause of the plaintiff’s subsequent multilevel fusion surgery which the plaintiff blamed on the motor vehicle accident. The jury found in favor of the defendant represented by Gwyneth K. Murray-Nolan on both liability and damages.
Litigation Percentage
80% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
20% of Practice Devoted to Drafting Documentation
Certified Legal Specialties
Domestic Partnership Act (drafting), State of New Jersey, 2005
Honors and Awards
Richard Balbour Award for Honoring the Ideals of the Legal Profession, Burlington County, NJ Prosecutor’s Office Awarded May 2000
10 Best in Client Satisfaction, Family Law, 2015 -American institute of Family Law Attorneys
Who’s Who, Attorney at Law, Lifetime Member -Strathmore’s, 16th Edition
Professional Associations and Memberships
Morris County Bar Association, Member, 2003 – Present
New Jersey State Bar Association, Member, 2002 – Present
American Bar Association, Member, 2002 – Present
Morris County Civil Practice Committee, Member
New Jersey Association for Justice, Member, 2003 – Present
Pro Bono Activities
Jersey Battered Women Legal Advocacy Program, 2003 – Present
Delaware County (PA) Battered Womens Shelter, 2001 – 2002
The Pingry School Alumni Board of Directors
Cranford Newcomer’s Club, Vice President
Kids Corporation, Consultant, 1999 – Present