With decades of litigation experience, Walter Luers holds the well-earned respect of both bench and bar. Having joined Cohn Lifland in late 2020, Mr. Luers now leads the Firm's Open Public Records Act ("OPRA") and the Open Public Meetings Act ("OPMA") practice. In addition to OPRA and OPMA, he enjoys a successful practice in the areas of civil rights law and commercial litigation.
Walters's reputation for successful representation of media organizations and other private entities, non-profit corporations and individuals in cases involving access to public records is well-established across the State of New Jersey. His cases have resulted in seven New Jersey Supreme Court opinions, eight published Appellate Division opinions and dozens of other decisions. For instance, Walter was lead Plaintiff's counsel in Paff v. Galloway, 229 N.J. 340 (2017), a landmark decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court that ensured public access to electronically stored information possessed by state and municipal governmental bodies. Walter also argued on behalf of one of the plaintiffs in Asbury Park Press v. County Monmouth, 201 N.J. 5 (2010), another seminal New Jersey Supreme Court decision which held that a confidentiality provision in a settlement agreement with a public agency was void.
Walter is a "lawyer's lawyer," who represents individual lawyers and law firms, and serves as an expert witness in selected OPRA cases. Additionally, he represents clients in complex commercial and civil rights matters in state and federal court. He also provides pro bono legal services to women in the United States who have been victims of arranged marriages.
Walter frequently presents seminars regarding OPRA and access to public records, before such organizations as the New Jersey Municipal Clerks Association, the New Jersey Chapter of the Labor and Employment Relations Association, judges and staff of the Office of Administrative Law, and the Northeast Regional Tax Collectors Conference. He is also sought after as a panelist with the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education and delivers private classes in OPRA to law enforcement.
Walter clerked for the Honorable Milton Pollack, U.S.D.J., in the Southern District of New York from 2000 to 2001.
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selecton methodology can be found here.
