
Thomas J. Sateary
Partner
Contact Information
Practice Areas
Biography
Throughout his 35-year career, Tom has developed a diverse civil litigation practice, with a primary focus on defending automobile distributors and dealers against breach of warranty and “lemon law” actions. He also represents the financial services arms of several automobile distributors.
Tom has extensive experience in successfully handling mediations, arbitrations, and jury trials. He has appeared in Federal Court, as well as the Superior Court of New Jersey at both the trial and appellate levels, the Tax Court of New Jersey, and the Office of Administrative Law. Tom Serves as a Lemon Law arbitrator in the Union County Commercial/Contract Compulsory Arbitration Program and has served as a member of the District XII (Union County) Fee Arbitration Committee. His background makes him well-qualified to evaluate and manage cases in a manner that is both cost-effective and results-oriented for his clients. Tom also provides training to clients, their employees, and other counsel, providing them with tools to navigate through litigation and pre-litigation matters.
Following law school, Tom served a one-year judicial clerkship with the Honorable Herbert S. Alterman, J.S.C. for the Passaic Vicinage for the Superior Court of New Jersey, in Paterson. He is also a former Managing Editor of The Seton Hall Legislative Journal.
EDUCATION
- Syracuse University, B.A., 1982
- State University of New York at Albany, M.P.A., 1984
- Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 1989
- Diplomate in New Jersey Local Government Law, Rutgers University, 2004
BAR ADMISSIONS
- New Jersey
- New York
- Pennsylvania
COURT ADMISSIONS
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
NOTABLE DECISIONS
- Christelles v. Nissan Motor Corp., 305 NJ Super 222 (App. Div. 1997)
- Fedor/Gandhi v. Nissan of North America, Inc., 432 NJ Super 303 (App. Div. 2013)
- BJ Am. Electric, LLC v BMW N. Am., LLC, A-2517-17T1, 2019 WL 2028706 [NJ Super Ct App Div May 8, 2019]
- Hurley v BMW of N. Am., LLC, CV 18-5320, 2020 WL 1624861 [ED Pa Apr. 2, 2020]
- Sarwar v BMW of N. Am., LLC, CV 18-16750, 2019 WL 7499157 [DNJ Nov. 27, 2019]