Richard Israel helps clients achieve their business goals by forming companies, negotiating and drafting business agreements, financing documents, and other contracts.
Rich brings his broad experience in business and real estate to every matter to solve problems and maximize value to his clients. Rich has considerable experience in all phases of residential and commercial real estate practice, from initial site evaluation through land acquisition, due diligence, approvals, closing, community associations, sales, and leases. Having worked as in-house counsel for both privately held and publicly traded Fortune 500 companies, Rich is keenly able to view each transaction from the perspective of his client. He knows the importance of providing his clients prompt, thorough and results-driven service. Rich also helps clients identify, evaluate and minimize risks inherent in each transaction and business operation (such as human resources procedures and the protection of intellectual property), while never losing sight of his client’s ultimate business objectives.
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Education
J.D., with honors, 1984, Rutgers University School of Law
B.A., with high honors, 1981, Political Science, Rutgers University
Honors and Affiliations
Recognized as a 2013 Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use and Zoning by LexisNexis/Martindale-Hubell.
AV rated in Martindale Hubbell
Rutgers Law Journal
Bar Admissions
Rich is admitted to practice in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Rich is on the Board of Directors and is the Secretary of the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Rich is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International and a Past President of the Haddon Heights Rotary Club and volunteers for Junior Achievement of New Jersey and for Interfaith Caregivers out of Haddonfield, New Jersey. He is a member of Tavistock Country Club and his hobbies include golf, ice hockey and United States history.
Representative Matters
Real Estate – Site Plan Approvals
Rich has assisted clients with the acquisition and development of real estate for residential and commercial uses for several years. For example, Rich drafted and negotiated agreements for a specialty truck assembly company to purchase and expand a facility in Burlington County, assisted with due diligence activities and obtained use variance and site plan approvals. Rich also obtained amended site plan approval for a large residential condominium project in Camden County and has obtained variance and site plan approvals for development of an industrial park in Camden County.
Real Estate – Sale of Commercial Properties
Rich has helped clients navigate through the sale of commercial properties. These include the sale of a warehouse in Philadelphia and a cold storage facility in Cumberland County. Rich represented a court-appointed receiver in several transactions, including the sale of office and apartment buildings.
Real Estate – Commercial Lease Negotiation
Rich drafts and negotiates a wide variety of commercial leases. He has been the landlord’s leasing attorney for a large Class A office and retail property on Route 1 in Middlesex County for a number of years. Rich also has drafted several leases for office space in Camden County and, in connection with his client’s asset purchase of an automobile repair shop, a lease of property in Philadelphia.
Business Agreements
Rich advises clients on a wide variety of business matters; while representing his clients zealously, Rich strives to maintain a positive working relationship among to parties, especially when the transaction is part of an ongoing business relationship. In representing a leading provider of packaging and distribution services for clinical drug trials, Rich prepares and negotiates master service agreements. Rich has also drafted VAR (value added reseller) agreements and annual maintenance agreements for a manufacturer and servicer of mobile data interrogation devices and related accessories.
Business Purchase and Sales
Rich also represents clients on matters outside of the ordinary course of business. Rich has negotiated and drafted agreements to buy and sell businesses. These included the sale of franchised retail food establishments located in Delaware and New Jersey and the sale of a franchised pre-school operation to a new franchised operator. Rich also helps clients start new businesses. For example, he drafted a term sheet, formed a limited liability company and drafted an operating agreement for a New Jersey based clinical research organization whose members are located in the United States and outside of the county.
