Francis P. Maneri

Frank Maneri focuses his practice on commercial litigation and concentrates on achieving efficient and expeditious results for clients. He has diverse experience in a variety of commercial matters, including insurance coverage disputes, commercial loan enforcement and commercial loan foreclosures, defense of class actions, contract disputes, land use litigation, defense of First Amendment retaliation claims, and Section 1983 claims. As a commercial litigator, Mr. Maneri has taken several cases to trial and represents both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts. Mr. Maneri has argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Representative Experience

• Represents a national bank in commercial loan workouts, commercial loan foreclosures and litigation to enforce commercial loans.   
• Represented an insurance company in a declaratory judgment action filed by a large flooring manufacturer, involving underlying asbestos claims. The matter was tried for several months to a successful conclusion. Mr. Maneri also represented the insurance company in the bankruptcy action filed by the large floor tile company.
• Successfully defended class action claims on behalf of a gym and window company.
• Represented an elderly victim of fraud committed by her attorney in challenging an irrevocable trust and mortgage placed on her business.   
• Defended a New Jersey municipality in a federal action involving an area designated for redevelopment and first amendment retaliation claims filed by individuals who had objected to the redevelopment designation. The majority of the claims were dismissed on summary judgment and the balance of the claims were tried before a federal jury which returned a no cause verdict on the most significant remaining claim.
• Represented a New Jersey State Trooper in defense of a malicious prosecution claim and other related claims.
• Represented a commercial real estate broker seeking to establish an equitable lien upon the rents paid by tenants obtained by the broker. Although the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed the Appellate Division's decision in favor of the broker, this case clarified the circumstances under which a broker or other service provider is entitled to an equitable lien upon the fund created by his/her efforts.
• Represented the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in an action to enforce a loan against a restaurant and its guarantors. The New Jersey Appellate Division affirmed the grant of summary judgement in favor of the NJEDA.
• Defended a residential home builder in an action filed by adjacent property owners alleging that a new zoning ordinance prohibited the builder from continuing to build in accordance with the original approvals. The Trial Court held that the builder had the right to rely upon the building permits issued by the municipality.
• Represented a general contractor in a federal action against a utility authority for improper interference in a labor dispute. The matter settled after extensive discovery.
• Represented a bank in the enforcement of a construction loan and defense of a lender liability suit. The matter settled after a bench trial.
• Represented an employer in the defense of a wrongful termination suit filed by its former president. The matter settled after extensive discovery.
• Represented a widow in a dispute over life insurance proceeds and her interest in her husband's partnerships. Summary judgment was granted in favor of the widow awarding her the life insurance proceeds and the remainder of the case was successfully tried in Camden County, where the judge ruled that the widow was entitled to her husband's interests in the partnerships.
• Successfully represented a nursing home resident to invalidate a mortgage.