Fischer Porter & Thomas P.C. and the Law Office of Matthew Grabell recently merged to form the newly established entity, Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll P.C. (PTGB).
With the merger, the law firm expands its legal practice in the New Jersey and New York metropolitan areas. Fischer Porter & Thomas is a well-known boutique firm specializing in business, commercial, real estate, family, and civil litigation. With Grabell and the formation of PTGB, the new company also increases its footprint in the fast-evolving employment law landscape.
In addition to the merger, the firm named David Baumwoll as Partner. Baumwoll will continue his leadership in commercial litigation, real estate and business transactions, as well as general litigation. Baumwoll’s success at Fischer Porter & Thomas was a driving factor in the decision to merge with Grabell’s firm, the firm said in a statement.
“The demand for boutique firms has been growing due to the efficiency and connectivity to the talent we offer,” said PTGB Managing Partner Arthur “Scott” Porter. “Clients find that larger firms cannot address the personal and direct connections to their needs – and while we are growing by expanding with the merger and addition of new Partners – we remain committed to that personal connection.”
The merger is a strategic move to answer clients’ needs for expanded employment law representation. Grabell brings close to 30 years of expertise prosecuting and defending employment matters, and also has experience offering employment law training.
Grabell has provided training for high-level clients including CBS, ABC, Major League Baseball, Showtime, and Imagine Entertainment.
He is also the CEO of Employee Relations Solutions, providing diversity and employment law training to employers including on-call consultations and internal investigations.
Grabell also has successfully negotiated settlements for his clients and litigated in state and federal court cases involving sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation.
Along with the PTGB’s expansion in employment law, the newly-merged firm is planning to expand its commercial, real estate, and family law practice.
“The successes we have enjoyed by the increasing our core clientele have generated a growing steam of clients – and now that growth will continue with merger with the Law Office of Matthew Grabell. While not only bolstering our existing areas of practice – it introduces a new generation of lawyers and Of Counsel attorneys to continue our success,” said Porter.
“Matthew’s knowledge of the increasingly complex practice area of employment law adds a tremendous amount of experience that expands our reach with his extensive client base. David has been a vital member of our team for the last four years and continues to be a highly motivated leader in our office and helped spearhead our recent growth – proving himself to be an exceptional asset to the firm,” Porter added.
Grabell received his Bachelor of Science degree from New York University and his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University.
Notably, Baumwoll has successfully litigated a contract dispute against the New Jersey State Department of Transportation, prevailed in motions to dismiss related to employment harassment, and secured a muti-million-dollar damages award for clients.
Baumwoll earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Tufts University, his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers Law School. Baumwoll began his legal career as a prosecutor with the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office handling cases including human and gun trafficking cases along with police and correctional officer misconduct litigation. Last year, Baumwoll was selected as one of sixty Presidential Leadership Scholars from across the nation by the Presidential Centers for Presidents Clinton, Bush (41), Bush (43), and Johnson.
Grabell and Baumwoll are both admitted to the Bar of New Jersey and New York. PTGB specializes in several areas of law practice including business and commercial law, real estate and construction litigation, employment law, divorce and family law, estate planning, along with 100 years of combined experience in trials, arbitration, and mediation services.
Along with the merger and new partner announcements, Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll also added Michael K. Eidman as Of Counsel to bolster the firm’s personal injury practice area. Some of Eidman’s notable medical malpractice litigation successes include a $4.8 million settlement related to a late diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis and a $4.1 million jury verdict for birth trauma. Eidman is a member of the bar in both New Jersey and New York.
Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll also a correspondent law firm to the LawExchange International, where the firm connects clients to qualified attorneys throughout the world specializing in corporate and business matters. Many of its Partners and Of Counsel attorneys are licensed to practice not only in New York and New Jersey, but also the United States Supreme Court, the District of Columbia, the United States District Court of New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second, Third and Fourth Circuit, United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, The United States District Court for Connecticut among others. In just the last ten years – the combined experience at the firm has involved numerous substantial legal victories for clients through trials, arbitrations, and mediation. PTGB’s newly launched website can be found here: www.ptgb-law.com.
PTGB has a highly qualified team of additional Of Counsel attorneys including Alan C. Thomas specializing in business disputes and fraudulent conduct; Renna Forst focusing on commercial, industrial real estate transactions, and high-end residential matters; Peter Tillem – a former Senior Prosecutor for the New York District Attorney General now specializing in civil and criminal litigation; and Daniel Wohlfarth practicing in areas of real estate, commercial transactions and trust litigation and estate planning. Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll has offices in both New Jersey and New York.
About Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll P.C.
Porter Thomas Grabell & Baumwoll P.C. was formed in 2024 out of a merger between Fischer Porter Thomas P.C. and the Law Offices of Matthew Grabell in 2024. The law firm prides itself on providing big firm quality services with small-firm personalization for its clients. Operating out of offices in both New York and New Jersey, the firm specializes in business and commercial law, employment law, divorce and family law, estate planning and estate litigation, personal injury, real estate and construction law, along with trials, arbitration and mediation services. For more information please visit www.ptgb-law.com.