Warren, NJ

Stephen O. Davis

Stephen Davis is the Managing Partner of DiFrancesco Bateman. He concentrates his practice in complex litigation, including construction, premises liability, Title 59 and commercial matters on behalf of defendants. Steve’s experience in the courtroom and successes has enabled him to be certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney, and he was named a Master of the Joseph Halpern Inns of Court. He has also been certified by the State of New Jersey as a mediator. Steve has successfully defended both corporations and individuals in tort and commercial matters. His clients have included Veolia Water Contract Operations USA, Inc., Diocese of Metuchen, Bank of America and Maersk. In addition to his litigation work, Steve counsels his clients in a wide variety of commercial and contract matters, drawing upon his litigation experience to resolve challenging legal and business issues and to offer his clients advice for business development. Steve is General Counsel to the Suburban Municipal Joint Insurance Fund and Litigation Counsel to the Somerset County Joint Insurance Fund. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Somerset County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Defense Research Institute, The Defense Association of New Jersey, and the DRI Construction Law Committee. He was formerly an assistant prosecutor in Union County, as well as a Municipal Prosecutor in Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, the Borough of Bernardsville and Readington Township.

Paul R. Rizzo

Paul Rizzo’s practice encompasses personal injury litigation, medical malpractice, commercial litigation and representation of victims of crimes in civil litigation, as well as business transactions. Paul also has significant experience in the representation of public entities, including the Boroughs of Raritan, South Plainfield and New Providence. He is a member of the Somerset County Bar Association and a past member of the District XIII Ethics Committee. He serves as Condemnation Counsel for the Township of Toms River. In the past, he has served as the Borough Attorney for the Borough of Raritan, and as the attorney for the Raritan Board of Adjustment and the Raritan Borough Public Library, as well as Condemnation Counsel for the Township of Edison. Paul is also the attorney for the Boroughs of South Plainfield and New Providence. Paul was the recipient of the 2013 Professional Lawyer of the Year award for Somerset County.

Matthew C. Dorsi

Matthew’s practice is focused on both criminal and civil litigation. As one of only a few attorneys in the State certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as both a criminal and civil trial attorney, Matthew has tried over 70 criminal and civil trials to verdict. In 2014, he was named as a New Leader of the Bar by the New Jersey Law Journal and he was named a Super Lawyer in 2024 by Thomson Reuters. As part of his criminal practice, Matthew represents clients in all types of criminal matters in State and Federal Courts including assaults, weapons offenses, drug offenses, parole and probation violations, and juvenile matters. He also defends clients in municipal court matters such as DUI/DWI and traffic violations. Matthew regularly assists individuals in obtaining expungements of their criminal records as well. Matthew’s experience as an Assistant County Prosecutor and Municipal Prosecutor gives him a unique perspective in defending clients against criminal charges. He also represents victims of domestic violence in restraining order hearings. Mr. Dorsi’s civil practice includes defense of personal injury and automobile negligence claims, representing law enforcement officers in administrative hearings, and representing injured parties in personal injury and animal attack cases. Prior to joining DiFrancesco Bateman, Matthew served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable John S. Triarsi, J.S.C. He was an Assistant Prosecutor in Union County from 2002 to 2006 and tried numerous cases, ranging from drug offenses to a homicide. He has been appointed as a Municipal Prosecutor in several towns in central New Jersey. Matthew is a member of the Long Hill Township Committee after originally being elected in January 2015. He served as Mayor in 2019 and 2021, and Deputy Mayor in 2018. He previously served as a member of the Long Hill Township Zoning Board of Adjustment from 1999 to 2002.

Steven A. Kunzman

Steven Kunzman concentrates his practice on representation of clients in all aspects of environmental matters, with a focus on environmental litigation, including land use and affordable housing issues. He has served as lead or co-lead trial counsel in numerous state and federal actions, including multi-week trials involving alleged chemical releases onto lands and waters, claims of bodily injuries and disease from exposure to chemicals from environmental releases and from exposure to chemicals and products in the workplace; asbestos exposures; products liability actions; and construction defect claims. Steven has extensive experience in handling suits involving clean-up of polluted property under Superfund and the NJ Spill Act, including claims by the government for Natural Resource Damages. He has also been involved in disputes with the NJDEP on permits and alleged permit violations. Steven has also represented insurance companies in coverage matters related to environmental, long-term disease and construction defect claims. Steven has been AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been selected as a New Jersey Superlawyer annually since 2006. Steven is a member of the American Bar Association, the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Somerset County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Defense Research Institute and the Defense Association of New Jersey and has served as a court-approved mediator in the State of New Jersey. Steven is currently President and Counsel for both the John A. Van Winkle Foundation and the Arnold A. Schwartz Foundation. He formerly served as counsel to the Bedminster Township Board of Health.

Brian S. Davis

Brian S. Davis is a Partner at DiFrancesco Bateman. Brian is adept in all phases of the litigation process. He understands the challenges both inside and outside the courtroom. Brian is also experienced in efficient alternate dispute resolution proceedings keeping the client interests first and foremost. Brian graduated from Villanova University School of Business in 2010, earning a B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Business Law & Corporate Governance. In 2013, Brian received his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law where he was a 3L Senator for the Student Bar Association and Captain of the Seton Hall School of Law Softball team. Prior to graduation, Brian worked as a Judicial Intern for Justice Barry T. Albin of the New Jersey Supreme Court and as a Legal Intern for the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office. Upon graduation from law school, Brian served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Yolanda Ciccone, A.J.S.C., the Honorable Edward M. Coleman, P.J. Ch., and the Honorable Thomas C. Miller, P.J. Cv. in Vicinage 13 (Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties). Brian was admitted to the New Jersey State Bar in 2014 and the New York State Bar in 2017. Brian was also admitted to the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey in 2023. He practices in the area of litigation, with an emphasis in the areas of insurance defense and personal injury. Moreover, Brian has ample experience as a Municipal Prosecutor in multiple towns in Somerset and Hunterdon County. Brian is on the Young Alumni Advisory Council at Villanova University. Brian is currently a Board member for the PeopleCare Center For Nonprofits which is a private nonprofit organization in Somerset County, NJ providing stable, affordable rents to nonprofit agencies and organizations at below market cost.

Sandra Belli

Sandra Belli is an experienced litigator with a broad range of trial experience. Sandy’s practice is currently focused on municipal tax appeals. She has handled defense of New Jersey tax appeals for municipalities including Scotch Plains, Springfield, New Providence, Berkeley Heights and South Plainfield, with responsibility for all aspects of tax appeal proceedings, including court appearances, drafting motions, pleadings, briefs and memorandums, and defending municipalities before the Union and Middlesex County Boards of Taxation. Sandy commenced her legal career handling insurance defense litigation, which included numerous jury trials related to claims for bodily injuries and property damage from motor vehicle accidents and premises liability. Sandy has the breadth of trial experience and knowledge that gives our clients confidence and provides them results.

William J. Willard

William Willard currently concentrates his practice of law in the representation of municipalities. William serves as Township Attorney, Affordable Housing Attorney, Tax Appeal Attorney and Board of Health Attorney to municipalities represented by the firm. He has a good working knowledge of the statutes, regulations and laws affecting municipal government including, but not limited to, Open Public Meetings Act, Open Public Records Act, Local Public Contracts Law, Local Lands and Buildings Law, Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, Affordable Housing Law, Tort Claims Act and Property Taxation. Mr. Willard is fully capable of providing the legal services required and demanded by any municipal government. William grew up in Green Brook Township. He graduated from Green Brook High School in 1985. Thereafter, he attended the University of Maryland where he graduated with a double major in Business Management and Economics. Prior to his decision to become an attorney, Mr. Willard began a graduate course of study in Accounting at Georgia State University. He then moved back to Green Brook to pursue his juris doctorate at New York Law School. Mr. Willard graduated from New York Law School in 1994. During his last year of Law School he served as an intern in the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York. Following graduation, he successfully passed the New Jersey and New York Bar exams. His first year out of law school, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Thomas Mannion of the Middlesex County Superior Court. After the clerkship, Mr. Willard went into private practice as an attorney for the Law Office of Terence VanDzura. During his employment with that firm, he handled litigation matters, workers’ compensation claims, real estate closings and matrimonial cases. He also served as municipal prosecutor to the municipalities represented by the firm. In September 1999, Mr. Willard joined the law firm of DiFrancesco, Bateman, Kunzman, Davis, Lehrer & Flaum, P.C, in the Litigation Department. He handled a variety of litigation matters including commercial, personal injury and municipal. Due to the firm’s growing Municipal Law practice, William transferred to the Municipal Department and has been representing municipalities ever since.