Overview
Practice Areas
Litigation • Real Estate • Redevelopment, Land Use & Zoning •
Industry Experience
Banking & Finance • Cannabis Law • Private Client Services • Qualified Opportunity Zones •
Francis J. Giantomasi is one of the leading real estate attorneys shaping the landscape and economy of New Jersey. He has more than four decades of experience in all aspects of real estate acquisitions, sales, development, complex commercial transactions and Chancery litigation, and has successfully argued before the New Jersey Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Frank is recognized as a regional leader in planning, zoning, and development law including tax abatement law. He has served as Chief Development Counsel for some of the region’s major real estate projects, including the planning and development of Prudential Insurance Company’s Newark headquarters, Panasonic North America’s headquarters in Newark, Lionsgate Newark Studios and Netflix studios at the former Fort Monmouth Army base.
In 2017, Frank was named to New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy’s Transition Team – Transition Counsel Committee. Frank served as Chief Counsel of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders and County Counsel from 1992 to 2005.
Frank earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, and he was named Distinguished Graduate in 2025. He served as a law clerk to Essex County’s Assignment Judge, Arthur J. Blake. Frank continues to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Newark Beth Israel Hospital.
He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Honors
- Included in Chambers USA, New Jersey Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (2024-2025)
- Included in The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2018-2023; 2025-2026)
- Selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers list, Real Estate (2013-2019; 2021-2026)
- Included in NJBIZ, Law Power (2025)
- Included in NJBIZ, Power 100 (2016; 2019-2026)
- Included in NJBIZ, Law Power 50 (2019-2024)
Ranked third in 2022
Ranked fourth in 2021
Ranked sixth in 2020 - Included in ROI-NJ, Influencers: Power List – Law (2025-2026)
- Recipient, Essex County Bar Association, Professional Lawyer of the Year Award for Essex County (2025)
- Recipient, Italian American Heritage Celebration, Stella Della Contea di Essex – the Star of Essex County Award (2025)
- Included in BINJE, Best Commercial Real Estate Leaders: Lawyers List (2025)
- Recipient, New Jersey Law Journal, Lifetime Achievement Award (2024)
- Included in ROI-NJ, Champions of the C-Suite (2024)
- Included in ROI-NJ, Influencers: Health Care – Sector Stars (2023-2024)
- Included in ROI-NJ, Influencers: Real Estate (2018-2024)
- Recipient, Essex County Bar Association, Samuel S. Saiber Professional Achievement Award (2023)
- Included in The Robert K. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership Hall of Fame, Servant-Leader Exemplar (2023)
- Included in Investors Bank, Advisory Board Hall of Fame (2019)
- Recipient, NJBIZ, Icon Honors Award (2017)
- Recipient, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, Corporate Award (2017)
- Recognized by the Arthritis Foundation, Health Champion of the Year (2016)
- Recognized by Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey, Man of the Year (2014)
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rating
Award Methodology
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Involvement
- RWJBarnabas Health, Board of Trustees
- Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Chairman, Board of Trustees
- Saint Peter’s University’s Guarini School of Business, Board of Advisors
- Seton Hall University School of Law, Board of Visitors
- The Drumthwacket Foundation, Board of Trustees
- The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation
- Newark Regional Business Partnership, Board Member
- Rutgers Business School – The Center for Real Estate, Advisory Board Member
- Essex County Bar Association, Trustee (2013-2016)
- Essex County American Heart Association Walk, Chairperson (2013)
- Greater Newark Holiday Fund, Chairman (2012)
- Newark Arts Council, Former Event Chair for Art & the City
Education
- Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., 1979)
- St. Peter’s College (B.A., 1976)
Admissions
- New Jersey
- New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. Supreme Court
Overview
- Has represented developers in many of New Jersey’s major real estate projects, including Panasonic Corporation’s North American headquarters and its eventual sale to KFH Capital Investment Co. for $165 million; the $35 million Newark Courtyard by Marriott hotel; the Newark Hotel Indigo; seven historic building conversions on Market Street developed into 35,000 SF of retail with over 80 residential units in a $35 million mixed-use project; an 11-acre property being developed into Springfield Avenue Marketplace, a mixed-use development in Newark; Richardson Lofts, an eight-story, 96,000 SF conversion of a former jewelry factory into 67 residential rental lofts; a senior citizen complex with 154 residential units in Belleville; Studebaker Lofts, an affordable housing community in the City of Newark’s North Ward neighborhood; and Packard Lofts, luxury housing located at 1002-1008 Broad Street.
- Acted as Chief Development Counsel on the $500,000,000 Hudson Lights Retail/Residential Complex in Fort Lee.
- Acted as Chief Development Counsel for 75 Park Lane, a 37-story mixed-use project with 7,300 SF of retail and 359 residential units, and Shore Lofts, a 7-story mixed-use project with 15,500 SF of retail and 71 residential units, in downtown Jersey City.
- Essex County Counsel, 2003-2005.
- Chief Counsel, Essex County Board of Freeholders, 1992-2003, overseeing its legal staff, a $500 million operating budget, and all county contracts and litigation.
- Managed land condemnations in connection with the development of the county-owned Newark Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium.
- Special Counsel, Essex County Utilities Authority, since 2005.
- Handled land condemnation matters involving the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the New Jersey Department of Transportation plus various matters involving Newark’s Prudential Arena site.
*Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.