Overview
Christopher Stracco practices in the areas of real estate, property, and general commercial litigation, including zoning, land use, and real property-related litigation, wireless and cellular telecommunications, ordinance challenges, prerogative writ, riparian rights, quiet title, deed restrictions, adverse possession, real property tax appeals, real property taxation consulting, tax foreclosures, condemnation, eminent domain, valuation litigation, and landlord-tenant litigation and lease disputes.
Christopher has been designated by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, Board on Attorney Certification, as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney.
His experience includes general commercial, tax and real property-related litigation and appeals before the courts of New Jersey; and before United States District Court for the District of New Jersey; United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York (admitted pro hac vice); United States Court of Appeals for the Second and Third Circuits; United States Bankruptcy Court.
Christopher has handled cases in all 15 of New Jersey's Superior Court vicinages.
Christopher has appeared before land use boards, governing bodies, county planning boards, and chosen Freeholders in connection with land use disputes, and has served as the Chairman of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of Frelinghuysen Township. Christopher serves on the Township Committee of Frelinghuysen Township, served as Mayor from 2020-2021, and Deputy Mayor from 2015-2019 and 2022-2024. He also serves on the Frelinghuysen Township Land Use Board. In addition, he has been retained as an expert witness on real property and taxation issues with regard to legal malpractice claims.
Christopher has served as Special Property Tax and Litigation Counsel for Belleville Township.
Christopher was appointed to the 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2010-2011, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 terms of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on the Tax Court.
Christopher has been appointed to the Appellate Practice Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
Christopher has also served on the board of editors for the ABA's Property Tax Deskbook, published by the ABA's Section of Taxation.
Christopher was appointed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey to a five year term on the Board of Trustees of the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey in 2014. In 2017, he was elected to serve as Chairman of the Board and prior to that, he served a one-year term as Treasurer.
Christopher also served on the Supreme Court of New Jersey's Professional Responsibility Rules Committee.
In addition to his legal practice, Christopher serves as the firm’s Conflicts Counsel.
* No aspect of these advertisements has been approved by the highest court of any state. See Awards Methodology.
Experience
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Settled a real property tax appeal of a 200-acre corporate office site, which resulted in a reduction of the original assessment of $120 million to $85 million, as well as a subdivision of the property; a donation of a portion to the municipality resulting in an income tax deduction, the dedication of roads and reciprocal easements; and the rezoning of the property
Defended a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company in connection with an easement claim involving millions of dollars in damages filed by one of New Jersey's largest development companies; a no-cause judgment was entered in favor of Day Pitney's client after a ten-day trial and the trial court's judgment was affirmed on appeal by the Appellate Division
Successfully prosecuted, on behalf of a Fortune 100 pharmaceutical company, a zoning challenge and takings claim due to a rezoning of approximately 200 acres by a municipality with the Court ruling that the rezoning by the municipality was improper after a five day trial; intrinsic development value lost by the rezoning was estimated at approximately $20 million
Successfully defended a $14 million real property tax assessment as special tax counsel on behalf of a client municipality involving a golf-course and country club after a four day trial, where the Court affirmed the tax assessment and refused to decrease the assessment as requested by the property owner
Successfully resolved a sewer allocation dispute on behalf of a Fortune 100 client, where a developer sought to force a municipality to recapture sewer capacity allocated to Day Pitney's client and the sewer capacity was tied to development approvals, which added millions of dollars of development value to the property; case ultimately was heard by the New Jersey Supreme Court, and on remand, our client prevailed on summary judgment, and settled on a counter-suit against the municipality for millions of dollars in compensation for the sewer capacity which was recaptured
Settled a real property tax assessment appeal seeking a reduction of a $321 million assessment on behalf of one of the nation's largest financial institutions on the eve of trial; the real property assessment reductions negotiated were substantial, and resulted in tax savings to the client of approximately $20 million over several years
Successfully settled a sewer easement dispute between a nationally recognized retail chain and plaintiff, an adjoining property owner, that challenged the efficacy of the easement, and if successful, would have resulted in the closure of the retail store during the busy holiday season
Education and Credentials
Education
- Vanderbilt University Law School, J.D., 1988
- Purdue University, B.A., 1985
Admissions
- State of New Jersey
- State of Arizona
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Tax Court
Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- National Italian American Bar Association
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- Morris County Bar Association
- Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey
Recognition and Community
No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the highest court of any state. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. See Awards Methodology.
Recognitions
Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), Real Estate Law, 2023-2025; Commercial Litigation, 2025
Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), General Litigation, Real Estate, Tax, 2005, 2007, 2010-2017, 2021-2022
AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell (LexisNexis)
Recipient of the Debevoise-Eakely Award by Legal Services of New Jersey, 2019
Honored by Joint Resolution of the New Jersey Legislature for Contributions to the Legal Profession in New Jersey, 2019
Listed as one of "40 Under 40" by the New Jersey Law Journal, August 26, 2002
Community Involvement
Mayor, Frelinghuysen Township (2020-2021)
IOLTA Fund, Chairman (2017-2019)
Green Hill, Inc., Trustee (2016-2019)
Deputy Mayor, Frelinghuysen Township (2015-2019, 2022-2024)
Chairman, Frelinghuysen Township Zoning Board of Adjustment (2006-2012)
Tri-County Scholarship Fund, Trustee (2011-2015)
Day Pitney Diversity & Inclusion Committee
News & Insights
Thought Leadership
- The Property Tax Deskbook , January 31, 2024
- Appellate Division Affirms Dismissal of Inverse Condemnation on Private Beach Claim , February 1, 2023
- Superior Court Upholds Statute for Contribution in Lieu of Property Tax Payment for Hospitals , January 17, 2023
- NJ Supreme Court Clarifies Investor Rights in Tax Sale , November 21, 2022
- Tax Court Clarifies Exemption from Non-Residential Development Fee , August 3, 2022
News
- Partner Chris Stracco Sworn in as Frelinghuysen Township Mayor, January 22, 2020
- Day Pitney Pro Bono Team and Co-Counsel Win Favorable Decision in Property Tax Exemption Case, July 10, 2019
- Christopher Stracco Honored by New Jersey Joint Legislative Resolution, July 8, 2019
- Christopher Stracco Receives Award from Legal Services of New Jersey, June 3, 2019
- Chris Stracco to Receive Equal Justice Award from Legal Services of New Jersey, March 27, 2019
In The Media
Publications
- The Property Tax Deskbook, The Property Tax Deskbook , January 14, 2022
- The Property Tax Deskbook, American Bar Association Section of Taxation, October 24, 2019
- New Jersey Property Tax, The Property Tax Deskbook, September 1, 2017
- Christopher Stracco and Jen Capone Co-author Chapter in ABA Book, Property Tax Deskbook, October 16, 2015
- Thanks to Dunes Case, Compensation for Partial Takings Will Likely Go Down, New Jersey Law Journal, October 14, 2013
- New Jersey Property Tax, The Property Tax Deskbook, 18th Edition, September 1, 2013
Media Mentions
- The Property Tax Deskbook, December 9, 2022
- Developer Can't Arbitrate NJ Condo Owner's Fraud Suits, Law360, September 10, 2021
- NJ Panel Upholds $300M PSEG Nuclear Plant Subsidy, Law360, March 30, 2021
- The Property Tax Deskbook, American Bar Association (ABA), December 15, 2020
- Virus Creates Opening for Office Market In NJ Suburbs, Law360, August 18, 2020
- Day Pitney's Pro Bono Tax Team Wins NJ Supreme Court Appeal Involving Religious Use, The Record, Law 360, July 16, 2020
- NJ Office Complex Overvalued By $15M, State Tax Court Says, Law360, June 10, 2019
- Chris Stracco Presents Special Achievement Award at Equal Justice Awards Reception, June 7, 2017
- Will Veto Spark Litigation Over Nonprofit Hospitals' Tax Status?, New Jersey Law Journal, January 22, 2016
- Should hospitals pay property taxes?, Asbury Park Press, December 12, 2015
- NJ Court Says Officials Erred In OK'ing LG Office Tower, Law360, October 21, 2015
- Tri-County Lawyers Benefit for Freedom Scholars Program, The New Jersey Law Journal, July 2, 2015
Speaking Engagements
- "Timely Topics for Assessors and Appraisers," Annual New Jersey Seminar of the Society of Professional Assessors, March 31, 2022
- The Legal Aspects of Electronic Billboards and Signs, October 24, 2019
- Restrictive Covenants: Common Disclosures, Restrictions and Land Use Issues, October 23, 2018
- Recent Trends in Billboard Law, October 18, 2018
- The Legal Aspects of Electronic Billboards and Signs, November 21, 2017
- Regulating Signs and Billboards: Siting Issues, Environmental Concerns and Revenue Sharing Opportunities, November 8, 2017
- Labor Related Requirements in Redevelopment Related Agreements, February 10, 2017
- Recent Trends in Electronic Billboards and Signs, April 28, 2017
- Valuing Corporate Facilities – Past, Present and Future, April 7, 2017
- Day Pitney Lawyers Speak at Pro Bono Institute at Esai Inc. Conference, September 18, 2015
- Recent Developments from the Tax Court, April 7, 2016