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Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP

United States 2025

Overview

Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP is a boutique law firm specializing in commercial real estate, with robust transactional, corporate, finance, and land use expertise. The firm’s attorneys regularly represent businesses, investors, and lenders in complex real estate and commercial transactions, and banking and financing matters.

The firm’s attorneys also routinely represent clients in connection with the procurement of planning, zoning, and other development approvals, and help clients identify, negotiate, and secure real estate and economic development incentives, such as tax credits, tax abatements and exemptions, and other forms of non-dilutive financing.

With offices in Newark and New York City, MSW was founded to provide effective, efficient, practical and creative legal and advisory services to meet the distinctive needs of our clients. Our attorneys have broad private and public sector experience, coming from top national law firms and high-level governmental positions. Through the development of individualized, client-focused strategies, our team works tirelessly to create a blueprint for success and advance our clients’ interests in every matter.

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Practice Areas:
1
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Best Lawyers Recognized:
3

Rankings

Regional

New Jersey

Tier
2
New Jersey
Real Estate Law
Tier
3
New Jersey
Environmental Law

Rankings

Regional

New Jersey

Tier
2
New Jersey
Real Estate Law
Tier
3
New Jersey
Environmental Law

Practice Areas

Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP has been ranked by Best Law Firms for excellence in 2 specialties, reflecting the firm's commitment to delivering outstanding legal services.
Additionally, the firm provides services in these practice areas:
  • Real Estate Law

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP proudly has 3 lawyers recognized for their outstanding professional performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. This peer-reviewed honor highlights individual excellence and directly qualifies the firm for consideration in the prestigious Best Law Firms rankings. For over four decades, Best Lawyers has been the gold standard for recognizing top legal talent, serving as the cornerstone for Best Law Firms awards. Learn more about our rigorous Best Lawyers research and selection process.
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Offices & Contacts

Newark, NJ
New York, NY
Chris J. Murphy
Partner

Significant Matters

Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW) was formed with a simple purpose in mind: serving as the “one-stop shop” for the legal needs of developers, lenders, and others in the commercial real estate industry. With offices in Newark, NJ and New York City, the firm’s attorneys represent clients in the most complex real estate transactions and land development proceedings, as well as property taxation and environmental matters.

MSW regularly represents developers, businesses and individuals in the acquisition, sale, and leasing of all real estate asset types, including office, industrial, retail, multifamily, mixed-use, hospitality and R&D facilities throughout the country.

The firm has recently represented clients in the following transactions:

  • Seller/developer in connection with $183,000,000 land sale and development agreement for industrial park property in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
  • Developer/borrower in connection with $113,500,000 acquisition and construction loan for purchase and rehabilitation of office portfolio in Newark, New Jersey.
  • Borrower in connection with a $48,500,000 senior lien term loan secured by real estate and business assets located in 4 states.
  • Seller in connection with $85,000,000 sale of 392,000 SF industrial facility in Devens, Massachusetts.
  • Developer/borrower in connection with $53,000,000 refinance of mixed-use development in East Orange, New Jersey.
  • Developer/borrower in connection with $94,000,000 construction loan for multi-family development in Newark, New Jersey.
  • Owner of a 147,215 SF office building in connection with its lease of the entire property to a clinical-stage cell therapeutics company, which will use the building as its new headquarters and laboratory facilities.

In addition to its robust transactional practice, MSW routinely represents clients in connection with the procurement of planning, zoning, and other development approvals. The firm’s land use attorneys work closely with clients and project professionals to establish a proper legal and regulatory framework for a project’s design and construction, and help clients navigate the State’s complex land use process to ensure that they receive all of the necessary government approvals and permits in a timely and cost-effective manner.

The firm has recently represented clients in the following land use matters:

  • Institutional industrial developer in connection with approvals for the construction of a 420,000 square foot distribution center in Elmwood Park, NJ.
  • Developer in connection with approvals for an 11-story mixed-use building, including 343 apartment units, a 226-space parking garage, and a new performing arts center in Jersey City, NJ. The project will anchor the University Place Performing Arts Center District under New Jersey City University’s West Campus Redevelopment Plan.
  • Institutional industrial developer in connection with approvals for a 120,000 square foot industrial warehouse in Newark, NJ.
  • National self-storage developer in connection with approvals for the construction of multiple 100,000+ square foot self-storage facilities throughout New Jersey, including Paterson, Toms River, Bordentown, Franklin Township, and East Brunswick.
  • Developer in connection with approvals for a 12-story mixed-use building, including 403 apartment units in Newark, NJ.

Our attorneys have broad private and public sector experience, coming from top national law firms and high-level governmental positions. Through the development of individualized, client-focused strategies, our team works tirelessly to create a blueprint for success and advance our clients’ interests in every matter.

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