Frank J. Petrino
Member
Overview
Frank Petrino focuses his practice on the acquisition, development, and financing of real estate. Frank represents national, regional, and local builders and developers before municipal, county, state, and federal agencies with respect to obtaining all permits and approvals required for the development of fee simple and common interest residential communities. These include inclusionary communities with for-sale or rental affordable housing components, mixed-use developments, and business and industrial parks, including residential and non-residential development located on properties within redevelopment areas and on brownfield sites. He has extensive litigation experience in the regulation of the use, sale of interests, and environmental impact of real estate development.
Representative Matters
- Obtain approvals in various municipalities and counties for in excess of 8,000 single-family detached or multiple dwelling units.
- Obtained approvals for major office parks in central New Jersey.
- Obtained approvals for over 9,000,000 square feet of industrial buildings in central and south New Jersey.
- Represented developers of major redevelopment projects in Trenton, Ewing, Robbinsville, Barnegat, Princeton, and West Windsor.
- Involved in the largest conversion in New Jersey of rental units to the cooperative form of ownership.
Professional Affiliations
- Mercer County Bar Association
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Land Use Section
- American Bar Association
- New Jersey Builders Association
- National Association of Industrial & Office Properties (NAIOP)
Community Involvement
- Participant and fundraiser for the annual walk sponsored by the MS Society of South Florida; “Mission Possible” award winner for fundraising efforts
- Trenton Public Education Fund – Any Given Child, Chair (2020-2022), funding participation in ArcPrep, STEM, and alternative education programs such as Black Seal Certification for Trenton High School students
Awards and Recognition:
- Selected for inclusion as The Best Lawyers in America Real Estate Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Princeton, New Jersey (2017, 2022 and 2024)
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America – Real Estate, Land Use and Zoning Law; Real Estate Law, 2013-2024
- Attained an AV® Preeminent™ rating from Martindale-Hubbell
- Selected for inclusion in New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2005-2019
- Selected for inclusion in Real Estate New Jersey’s “Meet the Top 40 Real Estate Lawyers” in 2009
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society – Mission Impossible Award/Top Fundraiser Group 2008-2017
- New Jersey Builder’s Association/The Legal Action Committee Chairman’s Award 2011-2012
News and Insights
Publications
- “Board of Public Utilities: BPU Orders Utilities to Issue Refunds to Homebuilders for Extensions of Service to Projects Located in “Non Growth” Areas Made Between March 20, 2005 and December 20, 2009,” Cutting Edge, October 2013.
- “Some Umbrellas are too Large,” co-author, New Jersey Law Journal, January 2002.
- “Proving a Disqualifying Bias,” New Jersey Law Journal, June 2001.
- “State Retains Primary Role in Regulating Flood Hazard Areas,” New Jersey Law Journal, May 2001.
- “The Process and People Behind the Hotel,” Mercer Business, May 2001.
- “Battling LULUs, NIMBYs and BANANAs: The Evolution of the ‘D’ Variance in New Jersey,” co-author, The Legal Intelligencer, 2000.
- “New Jersey: A Basic Legal Guide for Foreign Businesses,” chapter author, New Jersey State Bar Association Section on International Law, 1991.
Media Coverage
- “Cherry Hill Approves Costco for Garden State Park Site,” NJ Pen, September 6, 2017.
Speaking Engagements
- “Legal Trends in the Land Use Law,” panel presenter, The Atlantic Builders Convention Conference & Expo, October 2021.
- “Legal Trends in Land Use Law,” New Jersey Builders Association virtual panel discussion, September 2020.
- “Legal Trends in Land Use,” Atlantic Builders Convention sponsored by the New Jersey Builders Association, 2015-present.
- “Major Land Use Laws in New Jersey, Part VI: Recent Trends,” co-presenter, New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education, January 2000.
- Lecturer for NJICLE Land Use Updates.
- Lecturer for NJICLE for “Practicing Before Land Use Boards.”