About Our Firm
Charles A. Gruen established the firm in 1990. His goal is to provide clients, whether large or small, with hands-on representation which will result in the most cost-effective and efficient way of resolving, or better yet, avoiding disputes. The firm operates upon the principles that communication with clients and relentless preparation are the keys to bringing a client’s particular issue to a successful resolution.
The Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen provides responsive and efficient legal services to a wide variety of clients, including companies which transact business on a nationwide basis, smaller companies, families and individuals. The firm’s business clients engage in various enterprises, such as equipment leasing, financing, banking, real estate development, retail sales, manufacturing and distribution.
The firm utilizes Mr. Gruen’s background as a Court-Appointed Arbitrator and Mediator to the advantage of its clients, often representing them as advocates in the various methods of alternate dispute resolution, or recommending for or against such processes, depending upon the needs of the particular client.
As an additional service to its clients, the firm maintains close and valuable relationships with respected professionals in the areas of accounting, financial planning, real estate marketing, engineering and environmental testing. When appropriate, and subject to the client’s approval, the firm brings other such professionals into the case to assist within particular areas of specialty.
The firm has achieved the highest rating of AV in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, based upon reviews received from other members of the bar in the community in which the firm practices. The firm’s staff of experienced attorneys and paralegals is well-equipped to provide efficient and cost-effective service across a full spectrum of practice areas, throughout the States of New York and New Jersey.
Charles A. Gruen | Principal
Our Attorneys
Charles A. Gruen is the principal of the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen, a general practice firm that he established in September of 1990. He was admitted to practice in all Courts in the states of New Jersey and New York, including the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western Districts of New York, as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He was also admitted to practice in the Courts of the State of Connecticut and the District of Columbia. In 2014, Mr. Gruen was sworn in to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
Mr. Gruen’s firm represents several national financing companies and equipment lessors and banks in the New York-New Jersey area. His firm routinely handles collection, defense, bankruptcy, and foreclosure matters for these clients. In addition to commercial litigation, the firm also handles transactional matters, including those involving residential and commercial real estate. The firm also handles family law and workers’ compensation cases. Mr. Gruen routinely handles matters involving personal injury, estate planning, administration, and a general representation of small and large companies and individual clients, both in New Jersey and New York.
Mr. Gruen is listed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Mediator and mentor on its Roster of Mediators and serves as a Court-appointed Commercial and Lemon Law Arbitrator in Bergen County. Mr. Gruen also performs private mediations for individuals and companies through a business that he formed called Northern Valley Mediation and Arbitration Services, LLC.
Throughout his career, Mr. Gruen has demonstrated dedication to public service. He served on the Bergen County District II-B Ethics Committee, by appointment of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, from 1995-1999 and was its Chair from 1999-2000. He was a member of the Committee on Character, which reviews applications for admission to the New Jersey Bar, by appointment of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, from 2007 to 2021. In 2017, Mr. Gruen was appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to the Statewide Panel of the Committee on Character, where he served for four years. As a member of the Professionalism in the Law Committee of the Bergen County Bar Association, Mr. Gruen has spoken on lawyers’ relations with other lawyers as part of a continuing legal education program on professionalism. He has also lectured for the National Business Institute on collection law and ethics.
Mr. Gruen has been listed in New Jersey Monthly Magazine’s Super Lawyers Section in the area of Business Litigation and has achieved an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell/Lawyers.com.
Michael Korik: (Senior Associate) Michael Korik is the Senior Associate with the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen, primarily handling transactional matters and commercial litigation in New Jersey and New York. Mr. Korik frequently represents the buyers or sellers of residential and commercial real estate in all aspects of the transaction. In addition, Mr. Korik represents property owners in various leasing transactions, whether commercial or residential property. When necessary, Mr. Korik represents the landlord's interests in all eviction proceedings. Whether you are buying or selling a business, Mr. Korik can assist you with forming an entity, purchase, sale, and leasing transactions associated with such a transaction.
Previously, Mr. Korik was an associate with the law firms of Monaghan, Monaghan, Lamb & Marchisio, LLP, and Melli, Guerin, Wall, and Messineo, where he handled real estate, commercial litigation, intellectual property, and insurance defense matters.
Mr. Korik is a graduate of Ramapo College, with a B.A. degree in Law and Society and a minor in Biology. While at Ramapo, he was employed with several prominent, pioneering Internet companies providing technical consulting and database development to foreign and domestic clients. He studied at Albany Law School, where he was the Managing Editor of the Albany Law School Environmental Outlook Journal and a judicial intern for the Hon. Andrew P. O'Rourke, former Justice of the Supreme Court of New York in and for Rockland County.
Mr. Korik is admitted to the Bars of New York, New Jersey, and the United States District Courts for the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of New York, as well as the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Practice Areas: Real Estate; Business Start-Up; Commercial Litigation; Transactional Matters; Landlord/Tenant. Mr. Korik is also fluent in Russian.
Michael Korik | Senior Associate
Zachary T. Fried: (Associate) Zachary T. Fried is an associate with the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen, handling litigation matters in the areas of personal injury law and medical malpractice, as well as commercial litigation and estate planning.
Mr. Fried previously worked as a law clerk at a prestigious New York law firm, where he handled a wide range of personal injury and medical malpractice litigation, estate planning, arbitrations, and mediations.
Mr. Fried proudly joined the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen after being drawn to its diverse practice areas and excellent reputation.
Education: Mr. Fried is a graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, where he earned a B.S. in Political Science. Mr. Fried went on to attend the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University. Mr. Fried is admitted to the Bar of the State of New Jersey.
Practice Areas: Personal Injury; Medical Malpractice; Estate Planning; Commercial Litigation.
Zachary T. Fried | Associate
Georgeann Belcher | Of Counsel
Georgeann Belcher is Of Counsel to the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen. She is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and Virginia. Ms. Belcher is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association and the Hudson and Bergen County Bar Associations.
Ms. Belcher has focused her practice on all areas of divorce and family law. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2008, summa cum laude, with a Bachelor's degree in political science and journalism. After completing her undergraduate studies, Ms. Belcher attended George Mason School of Law (now Antonin Scalia Law School) in Arlington, Virginia, where she graduated in 2011.
Subsequent to her graduation from law school, Ms. Belcher worked at a boutique matrimonial and family law firm in northern Virginia for two years. She also worked for a regional law firm in the northern Virginia area for two years, where her practice was focused on workers' compensation insurance defense. Ms. Belcher relocated to her home state of New Jersey in 2016, where she became a solo practitioner serving divorce and family law clients in northern and central New Jersey. Ms. Belcher became Of Counsel with the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen in 2020, serving the firm's divorce, family, and workers' compensation clients.
Our Staff
From left: Melissa Aujero, Carmen Lafayette, Inessa Agapitova, Heather Hallowell, Samara Rothchild, Sandra M. Gomez
Robert D. Gruen (1926-2010)
Bob Gruen was a lawyer’s lawyer admired and respected by lawyers, judges, and clients alike. Mr. Gruen attended college at the University of Connecticut and received his J.D. degree from Rutgers University in 1950. During his illustrious career, Mr. Gruen served as Special Counsel to the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance (1958-1963); Municipal Attorney in Wallington (1957-1985), Norwood (1958-1982), Leonia (1972-1979), and Demarest (1973-1974); Counsel to the School Boards of Cresskill (1960-1999) and Elmwood Park and the Board of Education of the Special Services School District of Bergen County (1972-1988). He was a member of the Ethics Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey (1981-1987), and served as Board of Adjustment Attorney in Teaneck (1982-1985). At one time, he served as Chairman of the Bergen County Mental Health Board.
Robert Gruen was universally praised for his service as Municipal Court Judge in Teaneck (1973-1988). An editorial in the Record newspaper read on December 3, 1979: “His Wednesday night sessions to hear traffic charges in Teaneck were an excellent lesson for some of the other local magistrates in Bergen County … He has been an adornment to the cause of justice in Bergen County.”
Mr. Gruen was Of Counsel to the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen from 1990 to 2010.
Edythe Lazarow (1946-2002)
Edythe Lazarow was associated with the Law Offices of Charles A. Gruen, almost from its inception in 1990, until her untimely death in 2002. Ms. Lazarow specialized in real estate, municipal and corporate matters.
Ms. Lazarow was a graduate of New York University, where she received her B.S. degree in 1968. She received her J.D. degree from George Mason University in 1980.
Ms. Lazarow, in addition to her career as a lawyer, was also a Licensed Title Insurance Producer in the State of New Jersey. Later in life, Ms. Lazarow produced several concerts with professional jazz musicians.
Extremely intelligent, personable, and compassionate, Ms. Lazarow was an integral part of the firm and is still sorely missed.