Hon. John E. Keefe, Sr.

About Hon.

Judge John E. Keefe, Sr. is of counsel to Keefe Law Firm. Judge Keefe was appointed to the bench in 1977. Prior to his appointment, Judge Keefe was a civil trial attorney. His trial practice involved various areas of law, including medical malpractice, product liability, and insurance coverage. Shortly after becoming a judge, Judge Keefe was designated to supervise and administer a pilot project involving statewide asbestos litigation. As a result of that designation, he was responsible for the appointment of the first full-time Special Master in New Jersey. He also developed standardized discovery procedures that were applicable throughout the State. In 1984, he was appointed to the position of Presiding Judge of the General Equity Part. He then served in that capacity and as the supervising judge for Asbestos litigation until he was appointed to the Appellate Division in July 1988. He served in the Appellate Division for 13 years, and then retired as a Presiding Judge. Judge Keefe served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law for 15 years where he taught Products Liability. He is a member of the American Law Institute and participated in its Consultive Group during the formation of the Restatement (Third) of Torts: Product Liability. Along with Hon. William A. Drier and Eric D. Katz, Judge Keefe is an author of New Jersey Products Liability & Toxic Tort Law published by Gann Law Books. He is currently participating in the Consultive Group for the formulation of the Restatement of the Law of Liability Insurance. Judge Keefe has been a frequent lecturer at the Institute for Continuing Legal Education. He received the Institute for Continuing Legal Education’s Distinguished Service Award. Additionally, he was a recipient of the James McLaughlin Professionalism Award from the Civil Trial Bar Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. In 2005, he received the David L. Golden Lifetime Achievement Award from the Trial Attorneys of New Jersey. In addition to his of counsel duties for the Keefe Law Firm, Judge Keefe focuses his practice on mediation, arbitration, special master services, and consultation in appellate matters.

Licensed States

Education

Colleagues at Keefe Law Firm

Hon. C. Judson Hamlin

Of Counsel

Judge Marlene Lynch Ford

Of Counsel

Judge Dennis R. O’Brien

Of Counsel

John E. Keefe, Jr.

Managing Partner

Paul DiGiorgio

Counsel

Stephen T. Sullivan, Jr.

Partner