Mr. Atkins has been practicing law for the past 49 years. He specializes in family law, including custody and relocation, criminal law, zoning and land use law and the occasional civil matter that piques his interest. Mr. Atkins has tried numerous criminal cases in the Federal and State Courts and numerous matrimonial cases in the State Courts. Mr. Atkins has frequently been appointed by the Court as a guardian for children, mediator and as a special discovery master. He is regularly selected to the Super Lawyers of New Jersey and New Jersey Monthly Magazine by his peers.
Education
Graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Class of 1965
President of Senior Class, Member of Student Counsel, President of Junior Class
Member of Varsity Baseball Team
Graduate of University of Maryland School of Law, Class of 1968
Political Science and Government Major
Judicial Law Clerks
Honorable Benjamin P. Galanti, Presiding Judge of the Criminal Division of Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County
Honorable William J. Arnold, Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Civil Division, Bergen County 1968-1969
Employment
Founding Partner of the Law Firm of Draesel, Sunshine, Atkins, now known as Atkins, Tafuri, Minassian, D’Amato, Beane & Miller; 1979 – Present
Partner in the Law Firm of Skiba Atkins, Hackensack, New Jersey, specializing in criminal law, family law, and personal injury work and land use law; 1972 – 1979
Partner in the firm of Goldberg & Atkins, Hackensack, New Jersey, specializing in criminal defense work; From 1972 – 1974
Associate in the Law Office of Lucille P. Russell, Esq. prominent attorney in North Arlington, N.J.; 1969 – 1971
Mr. Atkins was a former prosecutor of the municipalities of Emerson, Rochelle Park, and Montvale and the former municipal attorney for Rochelle Park.
Positions/Memberships
Past Chairman of the Bar Association, Criminal Law Committee.
Past member of the Family Law Committee, Bergen County Bar
Former member of the Bergen County Ethics Committee.
In the course of his career Mr. Atkins has has handled the following types of cases:
• Medical Malpractice Cases
• Dental Malpractice Cases
• Substantial Family Law Matters
• Substantial Criminal Matters
• Various Complicated Construction Litigation
• Various Civil Litigation
A sampling of Mr. Atkins clients have included:
• Van Natta Heating & Air Conditioning
• Greenway Construction Company
• K. Hovnanian, Inc.
• Victorio Builders
• Signature Builders
• Cinelli Iron & Metal, Inc.
Mr. Atkins has been married to his wife, Sherri, for 50 years, has 2 daughters and 4 grandchildren.
