Joseph J. Colao, Jr.

Jay Colao is a litigator focused on complex business and fiduciary disputes in state and federal courts throughout New Jersey. He provides strategic counsel to clients regarding crisis management, mitigating or avoiding lawsuits, and other routine legal issues. He has experience with a wide range of matters including choice of entity, governing documents, financing, employment, contracts, succession planning, franchising, licensing, real estate, and proprietary information.

With more than 35 years of business litigation and counseling experience, paired with the firm’s multidisciplinary resources, Jay is known for providing comprehensive, full-service representation tailored to meet his clients’ needs and achieve their business goals.

Business Litigation

Jay’s litigation practice spans high-stakes business and fiduciary matters involving regulatory issues, contested ownership and succession disputes, emergency court intervention, and multi-million-dollar assets. He maintains a consistent focus on protecting enterprise value and family interests for his clients.

He regularly represents small and mid-size businesses before all levels of New Jersey state and federal courts, as well as before the American Arbitration Association. He has extensive experience in matters involving shareholder and partner disputes and separation; unfair competition and business torts; employment and restrictive covenants; commercial franchise, real estate interests and construction claims; and all facets of general commercial and contract law.

Probate, Estate & Fiduciary Litigation

A substantial portion of Jay’s practice is devoted to contested probate and fiduciary litigation in probate courts throughout New Jersey. He represents clients in will contests, trust disputes, guardianship proceedings, and complex estate litigation involving high-value and closely held assets.

He has also served as a court-appointed attorney, performing a variety of roles including fiscal agent, provisional director, rent receiver, and attorney for alleged incapacitated persons in guardianship matters.

Jay advises clients in high-conflict matters involving allegations of undue influence, self-dealing, fraud, and mismanagement of estate and trust assets. He has represented beneficiaries, trustees, and fiduciaries in disputes involving gift trusts, real estate holdings, and closely held business interests, seeking and defending emergent relief, fiduciary appointments, and interim court supervision. His work in this area often involves financial analysis, forensic review of records, and appellate proceedings.

Franchisor Representation

Jay has additional experience counseling franchisors under both federal franchise law and the New Jersey Franchise Practices Act (NJFPA). While New Jersey is not a franchise registration or filing state, it is one of the most highly regulated jurisdictions in the country due to the NJFPA’s strong protections for franchisees. Jay advises franchisors on structuring, enforcing, and defending franchise systems in compliance with state laws and brings a unique litigation-driven perspective to his franchisor counseling work.

Public Entity Law

Jay represents clients in matters pending before various government entities on behalf of private parties and has litigated cases before courts and administrative agencies for both private and public entities. He has particular experience with matters involving redevelopment zones, business improvement districts, public contracts, the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, general prerogative writs and land use matters, as well as the Open Public Records Act.

Jay presently serves as the attorney for the Borough of Spring Lake and previously served as special counsel to Monmouth County and counsel to the Monmouth County Construction Board of Appeals.

Community & Professional

• Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
• Member, Monmouth County Bar Association