Janelle Edwards-Stewart

As a member of the Employment and Labor Practice Team at Porzio, Janelle advises public entities and private companies in fields including education, healthcare, and insurance on employment matters ranging from defense of discrimination allegations and claimed violations of the New Jersey Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA) to internal investigations of employee wrongdoing.  Janelle represents clients in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies, including the EEOC and the New Jersey Department of Labor.  

Outside General Counsel & Litigation 

Janelle advises clients on discrete matters or serves as outside general counsel on day-to-day operations and issues involving labor and employment. She assesses the policies as well as any complaints related to employee discipline and removal, discrimination, disability accommodations and leaves of absence, harassment, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, and wage and hour disputes. Additionally, she addresses and offers solutions for employment contract disputes, questions of regulatory compliance, and standards for implementing and enforcing employment policies.  

Janelle has significant experience providing employment law counsel to Approved Private Schools for Students with Disabilities (APSSDs), independent schools, various public school districts, and public colleges. Clients appreciate Janelle’s practical evaluation of their employment issues and her ability to “speak their language” based upon her five-years of experience as a certified educator in multiple states.  Administrators turn to Janelle for her legal acumen along with the invaluable knowledge she has from her six-year tenure as in-house counsel for the largest school district in New Jersey. 

In the context of mediation or litigation, Janelle settled a vast majority of cases through non-adversarial negotiations. She successfully supported administrators in assessing and resolving problems and improving employment policies. 

Highly regarded for her interactive training presentations about current employment law topics, Janelle uses her teaching background to engage participants and is a frequent speaker at conferences and industry events.  

Please be advised that Porzio, Bromberg & Newman represent the South Brunswick School District and is an exceptional legal firm that has been instrumental in assisting our school district
with personnel matters, negotiations, and all contract work for the past 6 years.

Our experience with them has been nothing short of outstanding, and we are confident that they can provide the same level of expertise and service to your district. Porzio, Bromberg & Newman has consistently demonstrated their reliability and dedication to our school district. They are a firm that delivers on their promises and have shown a deep commitment to meeting our needs promptly and effectively. Whether it is a pressing matter that requires immediate attention or a long-term project, the team at Porzio, Bromberg & Newman has always been available to provide insightful guidance and support. Their insight and expertise in personnel matters have been invaluable to us.

Their legal team possess a deep understanding of the complexities of personnel issues in the education sector. They have successfully navigated us through challenging situations with their strategic advice and deep knowledge of employment law. Further, Porzio, Bromberg & Newman represented my former district, Millstone Township, in the successful defense of a significant send/receive matter.

I wholeheartedly recommend Porzio, Bromberg & Newman to assist your school district. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or require further information about our experiences with Porzio, Bromberg & Newman. I am more than happy to discuss in more detail.

I write about Porzio, Bromberg & Newman and your consideration of their provision of legal services.

At the outset, in my 50+ years in public education, I have never met a more professional and competent team of attorneys. I became a client for educational legal services during my first year in the Springfield Public Schools in 2004. I began our collaboration with Mr. Vito Gagliardi, a principal of the firm. From the beginning, I was aware of the skill and professionalism of the PB&N Law Firm.

During my 16+ years working with PB&N, I was always confident about legal, regulatory, or contractual situations. Mr. Gagliardi and his team offered clear and direct guidance, differentiated solutions, and support as necessary. Additionally, Mr. Gagliardi’s addition of complementary non-legal services to PB&N’s portfolio was helpful in fulfilling state requirements in a variety of other areas. Our success in dealing with contractual, legal, and regulatory issues was unprecedented. Should you wish more clarification, I am willing to discuss specifics to the extent I can, and I am reachable at mad415@aol.com or my cell phone at 973-224-0708.

In closing, despite the professionalism and expertise, this law firm is one of the most cordial and hospitable. Phone calls are returned, messages are delivered, and urgency is appreciated and responded to accordingly. I offer my unconditional recommendation of PB&N Law firm for your consideration.

I have partnered with many professionals during my career as School Business Administrator/Board Secretary in Springfield, Union County, and in particular the law firm of Porzio Bromberg and Newman (PBN). I am pleased to write this referral on their behalf.

During my tenure, PBN’s successes in the courtroom had directly impacted the district’s ability to offer cutting edge learning centers for our students. For example, the district
had the good fortune to prevail in suits pertaining to parental challenges of special education placement, which in turn frees-up local funds for our learning environments.

In addition to successes in special education, PBN was instrumental for construction issues including bid challenges, change order request, and contract language disputes.

Considering the amount of funds allocated for such projects, PBN had limited the Board’s exposure for such challenges. In one particular case, PBN negotiated with a contractor a fair settlement, which in reality was favorable for the Board and saved thousands of dollars.
PBN, was also instrumental in the district’s success at the bargaining table with the local education association union. As lead counsel for the Board, a settlement with the
education association union yielded below county compensation averages, contributions to healthcare premiums (which was a novelty at the time), additional teacher scheduled work time and givebacks on FMLA. 

It’s my opinion; PBN is the epitome of “Professionalism”. They work hard, with ethical and moral compass in place, to partner with its client allowing the district to keep the focus on student learning and engagement. 

It is also my opinion that the district benefited for many years having a partner of this magnitude by its side providing good quality guidance in the public-school legal arena.

In my tenure, I can’t think of another firm that could produce such gains for its client.