Attorney Biography

Hon. Robert A. Longhi (retired)
Of Counsel

rlonghi@msgld.com
New Brunswick

Robert A. Longhi, former Superior Court of New Jersey Assignment Judge, Middlesex County, (retired), offers a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) services for parties interested in arriving at a settlement outside of the courtroom. Judge Longhi also serves as a Special Discovery Master in complex litigation matters. His judicial career spanned 34 years. His experience includes management of mass torts, complex litigation, insurance coverage matters, three decades as probate judge and pioneering work in ADR, including A. H. Robins IUD cases involving claims by thousands of women. He was appointed by the New Jersey Supreme Court to case manage all of the fire retardant plywood cases in New Jersey as well as the underlying insurance coverage issues. He is qualified as a certified Mediator by the National Judicial College.

Judge Longhi served the citizens of New Jersey with distinction for 34 years. He was a member of the Conference of Assignment Judges from 1994 to 2007, serving as chair during the 2001-2002 term. He was also a member of the New Jersey Judicial Council from 1996 to 2007. During his judicial career, Judge Longhi was appointed to a number of Supreme Court Committees including the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Complimentary Dispute Resolution, the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee of Probate Judges. Judge Longhi is a member of the American Bar Association, The Middlesex County Bar Association, The Middlesex County Trial Lawyers Association and the New Brunswick Bar Association. He was elected a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation in 1998. He was the 2007 recipient of the Middlesex County Professional Lawyer of the Year award given by the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law. He is the recipient of the (2008) Middlesex County Bar Association Lawyer of Achievement Award and the Edison-Metuchen NAACP Thurgood Marshall Legal Award.

Prior to his appointment to the bench in 1973, Judge Longhi was in private practice with the law firms of Strong & Strong (1964-67) and Strong, Strong, Gavarny & Longhi (1967-1973). He served as Secretary of the District VIII (Middlesex County) Ethics Committee, Municipal Prosecutor in South River and Planning Board and Board of Adjustment attorney in South Brunswick. He was a member of the Middlesex County Board of Elections.

Judge Longhi is a graduate of the University of Vermont (B.A. 1958) and Syracuse University College of Law 1961. Before going into practice, he served in the United States Army from 1962-1964.

Areas of Practice Alternative Dispute Resolution (chair) Bar Admissions Passed NY Bar 1961 but not a member of NY Bar Passed NJ Bar 1962 Education University of Vermont, BA 1958 Syracuse University, College of Law 1961, LLB Professional Association Memberships Member of American Bar Association Middlesex Bar Association New Brunswick Bar Association Fellow of the American Bar Foundation Member of Conference of Assignment Judges 1994 to 2007 Chair 2001-2002 Member of New Jersey Judicial Council 1996-2007 Published Works Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Ply Gem Industries, Inc., --- A.2d ----, 1997 WL 873810 (N.J. Super. L., Oct 22, 1997) (NO. BER-L-05053-90) Deutch & Shur, P.C. v. Roth, 284 N.J. Super. 133, 663 A.2d 1373 (N.J. Super. L., Mar 03, 1995) (NO. L-10443-92) Bailey v. Garden State Hospitalization Plan, 280 N.J. Super. 206, 654 A.2d 1043 (N.J. Super. L., Nov 16, 1994) (NO. L 8797-94) Matter of Santos, 283 N.J. Super. 26, 660 A.2d 1271 (N.J. Super. Ch., Apr 14, 1994) (NO. 163667) State v. Conte, 245 N.J. Super. 629, 586 A.2d 353 (N.J. Super. L., Nov 07, 1990) (NO. 179-90) Coniglario v. Hanover Ins. Co., 233 N.J. Super. 627, 559 A.2d 875 (N.J. Super. L., Apr 05, 1989) (NO. W-013163-87) In re Vadlamudi’s Estate, 183 N.J. Super. 342, 443 A.2d 1113 (N.J. Super. L., Jan 26, 1982) (NO. 119709, 119710) Matter of Schneider’s Will, 159 N.J. Super. 202, 387 A.2d 416 (N.J. Super., Apr 28, 1978) Sanner v. Ford Motor Co., 144 N.J. Super. 1, 364 A.2d 43 (N.J. Super. L., Aug 06, 1976) Sanner v. Government Emp. Ins. Co., 143 N.J. Super. 462, 363 A.2d 397 (N.J. Super. L., Jul 30, 1976) Reversed. General Motors Acceptance Corp. v. Falcone, 130 N.J. Super. 517, 327 A.2d 699 (N.J. Dist. Ct., Oct 25, 1974) Positions US Army 1962-64 Law Firm: Strong & Strong 1964-1967 Law Firm: Strong, Strong, Gavarny & Longhi 1967-1973 Attorney Board of Adjustment South Brunswick, 1965, 1966, 1967 Attorney Planning Board Twp. South Brunswick, 1968 through June 1973 Municipal Prosecutor, South River, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1973 Member Middlesex County Election Board, April 1972 to June 30, 1973 Secretary Middlesex County Ethics Committee, 1970-1973 Appointed District Court Judge July 6, 1973 Presiding Judge Middlesex County District. Court Nov. 1973-Dec. 1975 Appointed County Court Judge 1976 Appointed Superior Court Judge 1978 Appointed Assignment Judge, May 1994 to May 25, 2007 Judicial duties included trial of civil criminal and family matters. Probate Judge for 30+ years. Trial and case management of complex litigation. Appointed by Supreme Court to manage all Fire Retardant Plywood Roof Sheathing cases in the State of New Jersey together with accompanying insurance coverage issues. District Court Judges Association NJ Supreme Court Committee on District Court Practice NJ Supreme Court Committee on Model Jury Charges, Civil NJ Supreme Court Committee on Salaries & Pensions NJ Supreme Court Judiciary-Surrogate Liaison Committee NJ Supreme Court Committee of Probate Judges NJ Supreme Court Committee on Court Appointments of Fiduciaries NJ Supreme Court Committee on Complementary Dispute Resolution NJ Supreme Court Committee Advisory Committee on Extra Judicial Activities

Areas of Practice
Alternative Dispute Resolution (chair)

Bar Admissions
Passed NY Bar 1961 but not a member of NY Bar

Passed NJ Bar 1962

Education
University of Vermont, BA 1958

Syracuse University, College of Law 1961, LLB

Professional Association Memberships
Member of American Bar Association

Middlesex Bar Association

New Brunswick Bar Association

Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

Member of Conference of Assignment Judges 1994 to 2007

Chair 2001-2002

Member of New Jersey Judicial Council 1996-2007

Published Works
Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. Ply Gem Industries, Inc., --- A.2d ----, 1997 WL 873810 (N.J. Super. L., Oct 22, 1997) (NO. BER-L-05053-90)

Deutch & Shur, P.C. v. Roth, 284 N.J. Super. 133, 663 A.2d 1373 (N.J. Super. L., Mar 03, 1995) (NO. L-10443-92)

Bailey v. Garden State Hospitalization Plan, 280 N.J. Super. 206, 654 A.2d 1043 (N.J. Super. L., Nov 16, 1994) (NO. L 8797-94)

Matter of Santos, 283 N.J. Super. 26, 660 A.2d 1271 (N.J. Super. Ch., Apr 14, 1994) (NO. 163667)

State v. Conte, 245 N.J. Super. 629, 586 A.2d 353 (N.J. Super. L., Nov 07, 1990) (NO. 179-90)

Coniglario v. Hanover Ins. Co., 233 N.J. Super. 627, 559 A.2d 875 (N.J. Super. L., Apr 05, 1989) (NO. W-013163-87)

In re Vadlamudi’s Estate, 183 N.J. Super. 342, 443 A.2d 1113 (N.J. Super. L., Jan 26, 1982) (NO. 119709, 119710)

Matter of Schneider’s Will, 159 N.J. Super. 202, 387 A.2d 416 (N.J. Super., Apr 28, 1978)

Sanner v. Ford Motor Co., 144 N.J. Super. 1, 364 A.2d 43 (N.J. Super. L., Aug 06, 1976)

Sanner v. Government Emp. Ins. Co., 143 N.J. Super. 462, 363 A.2d 397 (N.J. Super. L., Jul 30, 1976) Reversed.

General Motors Acceptance Corp. v. Falcone, 130 N.J. Super. 517, 327 A.2d 699 (N.J. Dist. Ct., Oct 25, 1974)

Positions
US Army 1962-64

Law Firm: Strong & Strong 1964-1967

Law Firm: Strong, Strong, Gavarny & Longhi 1967-1973

Attorney Board of Adjustment South Brunswick, 1965, 1966, 1967

Attorney Planning Board Twp. South Brunswick, 1968 through June 1973

Municipal Prosecutor, South River, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1973

Member Middlesex County Election Board, April 1972 to June 30, 1973

Secretary Middlesex County Ethics Committee, 1970-1973

Appointed District Court Judge July 6, 1973

Presiding Judge Middlesex County District. Court Nov. 1973-Dec. 1975

Appointed County Court Judge 1976

Appointed Superior Court Judge 1978

Appointed Assignment Judge, May 1994 to May 25, 2007
Judicial duties included trial of civil criminal and family matters. Probate Judge for 30+ years. Trial and case management of complex litigation. Appointed by Supreme Court to manage all Fire Retardant Plywood Roof Sheathing cases in the State of New Jersey together with accompanying insurance coverage issues.

District Court Judges Association

NJ Supreme Court Committee on District Court Practice

NJ Supreme Court Committee on Model Jury Charges, Civil

NJ Supreme Court Committee on Salaries & Pensions

NJ Supreme Court Judiciary-Surrogate Liaison Committee

NJ Supreme Court Committee of Probate Judges

NJ Supreme Court Committee on Court Appointments of Fiduciaries

NJ Supreme Court Committee on Complementary Dispute Resolution

NJ Supreme Court Committee Advisory Committee on Extra Judicial Activities