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Tom Emala is a Partner in MKCI’s Florham Park, NJ office. His practice focuses on litigation, including the defense of individuals, businesses, non-profits, and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts. In addition to his litigation practice, Tom also provides counsel to individuals and business entities in connection with business and contract formation, employment issues, and other matters.

Tom’s litigation practice includes the defense of automobile and trucking claims, premises liability claims, and the defense of clients who are public entities and educational institutions against a variety of claims and allegations, covering issues ranging from athletic training, to bullying and hazing, to sexual abuse claims, supervision claims, and others. He is also experienced in defending clients against employment discrimination claims, toxic tort and mold exposure claims, construction-related claims, and a number of other areas of law.

Tom routinely represents insurance carriers directly, both in connection with insurance coverage analyses and disputes, as well as in connection with arbitration proceedings and litigation involving first-party coverages, including UM/UIM litigation, and No-Fault or PIP litigation. As a member of the Firm’s General Liability, Insurance Coverage, and Schools and Colleges Liability Practice Groups, Tom handles matters from inception, often as early as the claim investigation stage, through completion, whether it be trial to verdict or all the way through the appeals process.

In addition to his litigation experience, Tom is a member of MKCI’s Leadership Committee and Client Relations Committee.

Tom has presented to insurance carriers, clients and other counsel on a wide variety of legal topics, including public entity and educational institution liability, construction liability, and construction defect litigation. He also regularly writes on diverse legal topics and publishes articles regarding recent developments in the law.

Tom was named a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star* in 2018 and 2019. He is also an alumnus of the Morris Pashman Inn of Court, and a member of the Bergen County Bar Association.

On a personal level, Tom is involved in his local church community and is a proud member of the Knights of Columbus.

Prior to beginning his practice with MKCI as an associate in 2015, Tom served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Robert C. Wilson, in the Law Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, where he managed the Vicinage’s Complex Business and Construction Litigation Program.

Tom obtained his Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law, and graduated cum laude. During his time at Seton Hall Law, Tom served as an Associate Editor of the Seton Hall Circuit Review and was appointed President of the Seton Hall Law Federalist Society chapter. Tom earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Fordham University.