Overview
Joseph C. Petriello founded his law practice in 1990 in Wayne, New Jersey, and the firm has operated from Northern New Jersey continuously since that year. His son Matthew J. Petriello joined the practice, creating a two-generation team whose combined experience spans real estate law, estate planning, property tax appeals, and mediation. Both attorneys graduated cum laude from their respective law schools, both have served in judicial and court-adjacent roles, and both hold mediation credentials.
The firm is located at 30 Galesi Drive, Suite 101, Wayne, NJ 07470. Phone: 973-890-7262. Website: https://www.petriellolaw.com/. The firm has served Northern New Jersey for 35-plus years, with a particular focus on real estate transactions, property tax appeals, and estate administration.
Practice Areas
Real Estate Law: The firm handles residential and commercial real estate acquisitions and sales, commercial leasing and financing, land use and tenancy matters. Joseph Petriello’s prior service as counsel to the Paterson Department of Community Development, the West Paterson Planning Board, and the Paterson Municipal Utilities Authority gives the firm institutional knowledge of local zoning, planning, and governmental processes that general real estate attorneys typically do not possess. This experience means the firm understands how municipal planning decisions are made and what arguments are most effective in the governmental approval processes that affect real estate development and transactions.
Estate Planning: The firm provides wills, trusts, and advance planning designed to avoid or minimize probate. Estate planning at Petriello Law is described as affordable, reflecting an orientation toward serving clients for whom cost accessibility matters. The planning work covers the full range of standard estate documents: wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives.
Estate Administration and Probate: When a person dies, their estate must be administered according to their will or trust, or by New Jersey’s intestate succession laws if no valid plan exists. The firm handles the administration process, including gathering and evaluating assets, addressing debts and taxes, and navigating court-supervised probate when required. This includes representing both executors and beneficiaries through the process.
Property Tax Appeals: This practice area is one of the firm’s most specific differentiators. Property owners in New Jersey can challenge their municipal property tax assessments by filing an appeal. The appeal targets the assessed value of the property rather than the tax rate. If the assessed value is reduced, the property owner’s tax bill decreases proportionally.
The firm uses a contingency fee structure for property tax appeals. This means clients pay no upfront fee. The firm evaluates each case before agreeing to proceed, and only takes cases where it believes there is a strong basis for appeal. If the appeal succeeds, the firm’s fee is based on the savings achieved in the first year of the reduced assessment. Filing deadlines for appeals vary by county: the standard deadline across most New Jersey counties is April 1, but Burlington, Gloucester, and Monmouth counties have a January 15 deadline. The firm files appeals throughout New Jersey.
Small Business Formation: Matthew J. Petriello handles entity formation and organizational activities for small businesses, including corporate and LLC formation, operating agreements, and the legal infrastructure new businesses need.
Mediation: Both Joseph and Matthew Petriello hold mediation credentials. Joseph has served as a mediator in the Passaic County Bar Association’s Special Civil Part Mediation Program. Matthew is a certified mediator. Mediation offers a path to dispute resolution outside of litigation, and both attorneys’ credentials in this area provide clients with an alternative when direct negotiation between parties has not succeeded.
Appeals: The firm lists appeals as a practice area beyond property tax appeals.
Attorney Profiles
Joseph C. Petriello, Esq. (Founder)
Joseph C. Petriello graduated cum laude from Fairleigh Dickinson University and then cum laude from New England School of Law, earning academic distinction at both the undergraduate and law school levels. He founded his practice in 1990 with offices in Wayne, New Jersey.
His service as counsel to the Paterson Department of Community Development, the West Paterson Planning Board, and the Paterson Municipal Utilities Authority gave him direct experience in how municipal government bodies function, how planning decisions are made, and what legal issues arise in municipal operations. This experience directly informs his real estate and land use practice today.
He has served as a mediator in the Passaic County Bar Association’s Special Civil Part Mediation Program, reflecting formal involvement in the court-connected mediation system.
Matthew J. Petriello, Esq.
Matthew J. Petriello earned his Bachelor’s degree from Pennsylvania State University and his J.D. from Rutgers State University School of Law. Following law school, he served as a Judicial Clerk in Passaic County, providing direct experience observing how the court handles the types of matters the firm practices in, including real estate and estate cases. He is also a certified mediator.
His practice encompasses real estate, estate planning and administration, and small business formation. His Passaic County Judicial Clerk background gives him, like his father’s municipal counsel experience, a court-side perspective that informs how he prepares and presents matters.
Location and Service Area
The firm is located at 30 Galesi Drive, Suite 101, Wayne, NJ 07470. Phone: 973-890-7262. Website: https://www.petriellolaw.com/. The firm serves Northern New Jersey clients and files property tax appeals throughout the state.
Client Focus
The firm serves Northern New Jersey residents and businesses who need real estate transaction representation, homeowners who want to challenge their property tax assessments, individuals and families who need estate plans and probate guidance, and small business owners who need formation and operational legal support. The contingency fee property tax appeal model makes this service particularly accessible for homeowners who would otherwise hesitate to pursue an appeal given the uncertainty of the outcome and the cost of legal fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the property tax appeal contingency fee work?
The firm takes property tax appeal cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no upfront cost to the client. The firm evaluates each case before agreeing to proceed, and it only takes cases where it believes there is a meaningful basis to challenge the assessment. If the appeal is successful and the assessment is reduced, the firm’s fee is calculated as a percentage of the tax savings achieved in the first year of the new assessment. If the appeal does not succeed, the client pays nothing for the legal work.
What are the deadlines for filing a property tax appeal in New Jersey?
Filing deadlines vary by county. In most New Jersey counties, the deadline is April 1 of the tax year in question. In Burlington, Gloucester, and Monmouth counties, the deadline is January 15. Missing the deadline forfeits the right to challenge the assessment for that year. Clients who believe their property may be over-assessed should contact the firm well in advance of the applicable deadline.
What is the difference between a property tax assessment and a property tax rate?
A property tax appeal challenges the assessed value the municipality has placed on the property. If the assessed value is higher than the property’s actual market value, an appeal can result in a reduced assessment, which in turn reduces the tax bill based on the applicable tax rate. The tax rate itself is set by the municipality and school district and cannot be challenged through a property tax appeal.
Does the firm handle commercial real estate in addition to residential?
Yes. The firm handles both residential and commercial real estate acquisitions and sales, as well as commercial leasing and financing. Joseph Petriello’s experience as municipal counsel gives the firm additional insight into the land use and zoning dimensions that commercial real estate transactions often involve.
What is the advantage of the two-attorney family practice model?
A two-generation practice provides continuity for clients who have multi-year legal relationships. Clients who work with the firm on a real estate transaction one year may return for an estate plan, a property tax appeal, or a business formation matter later. The family practice structure means both attorneys are familiar with the client’s history and that the firm’s institutional knowledge of that client relationship does not disappear when one attorney transitions out of practice.
Closing
Petriello Law has served Northern New Jersey for more than 35 years, combining real estate law, estate planning, property tax appeals, and mediation under a two-attorney team with complementary credentials: one attorney’s municipal counsel background and the other’s judicial clerkship, both graduated cum laude, both certified mediators. The contingency fee property tax appeal practice removes cost barriers for homeowners who may be paying more than their fair share based on over-assessed properties. The firm operates from 30 Galesi Drive, Suite 101, Wayne, NJ 07470, and can be reached at 973-890-7262 or at https://www.petriellolaw.com/.