Portrait of James Tarnofsky

James Tarnofsky

Principal

James Tarnofsky practices construction, commercial litigation, transactional, and real estate law. He brings a unique point of view, having served as general counsel and director of administration for a highly successful service company for several years, handling legal and non-legal issues. This experience assisted him in meeting the growing needs of his clients by providing counsel on a variety of business-focused issues, including the negotiation, structuring, and drafting of business transactions in employment and human resources matters, as well as all aspects of real estate financing, leasing, purchasing, development, and management.

In his diverse practice, Jim regularly represents a wide range of clients including commercial and residential construction contractors, general contractors, and subcontractors on private and public projects. He handles complex commercial matters involving business formations, business disputes, and transactions, contract drafting and negotiation, contract disputes, construction defaults, bid protests, delay and extra work claims, surety and fidelity bond claims, lien law rights, construction defect claims, contract completion issues and takeover agreements, design disputes, workplace discrimination claims, construction trust fund claims, trademark protection, and commercial landlord-tenant matters.

Jim is counsel to a best practices coaching group catering to entrepreneurs and home service companies. He has the opportunity to speak for this group several times a year, providing business mentoring to help navigate the hurdles of running a business and providing the right tools to meet business goals. Jim helps small business owners transform their companies into thriving businesses and works with members on legal issues, leadership development, organizational structure, and human resources to help them build for the future.

    Education

    • Seton Hall Law School (J.D.)
    • Seton Hall University (B.A., with honors)

    State Bar Admissions

    • New Jersey

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association, Member
    • New Jersey State Bar Association, Member
      • Construction Law, Employment Law, and Surety Law Subcommittees
    • Middlesex County College, Instructor
      • Focusing on construction contracts and project management
  • Biography
  • Publications & News

Firm Highlights

  • Podcasts
    Reclaiming Yourself When Everyone Needs You: Kerry Docherty on Guilt, Honest Conversations, and Choosing Yourself
    When was the last time you were called selfish, or worried you might be, just for putting yourself on your own list? For those of us in the middle, putting our needs last can feel like the only way to keep everything running, and the guilt of choosing ourselves can be heavy. In this episode, Candace is joined by Kerry Docherty, co-founder of beloved sustainable lifestyle brand Faherty, poet, social activist, children's book author, and author of the memoir Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth. Kerry explains why she chose a title that's so activating for women, and describes the moment in therapy when a simple question showed her she wasn't the victim: she had agency. She talks about finding her voice through a writing collective and about telling the truth in print about her marriage, her family business, and herself, including the fallout with loved ones and her husband Alex's response in the final chapter. She also shares the small daily choices that help her reclaim herself, the guilt of leaving home to write, and the honest conversations she and Alex have with their kids. As Kerry puts it, being "selfish" can be "the biggest act of service that we can give other people." Learn more about Kerry Docherty at https://kerrydocherty.co/ Follow Kerry on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kerrydocherty/ Subscribe to Kerry’s poetry Substack at https://substack.com/@kerrydocherty1 Purchase Selfish: Unlearning, Reclaiming, and Telling the Truth at https://bookshop.org/p/books/selfish-unlearning-reclaiming-and-telling-the-truth-kerry-docherty/355b282d003ee8e0 Purchase Somewhere, Right Now at https://fahertybrand.com/products/somewhere-right-now-book-somewhere-right-now Shop Faherty at https://fahertybrand.com/ Follow and subscribe to The Sandwich Generation Survival Guide wherever you listen to podcasts. New conversations are released on the first and third Tuesdays of every month. If this episode resonates with you, leave a five-star rating or review and share it with another sandwich generation caregiver!  
  • Events
    The 2026 Economic, Tax, and Accounting Updates
    We are looking forward to the Mid-Atlantic CFO Roundtable's next event on November 13, 2026. This is a program with topics built for Finance Executives. We are extremely fortunate to have three excellent speakers: Dr. Daraius Irani, Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University; Mike Stankus, Tax Office Managing Principal at BDO; and Daniel Wahlberg, Managing Partner of Acclare Solutions. The economy is rapidly changing with various factors driving it. The November 3rd midterm elections may also have an impact. Our three expert presenters will discuss the ramifications of the election, and the current year updates to GAAP financial reporting and Federal and State income taxes. Please join us for what will surely be an informative and timely discussion. Meet Our Speakers: Daraius Irani, Ph.D. • Towson University Vice President, Business & Public Engagement Dr. Daraius Irani serves as Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University as well as the chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) at Towson University, a policy group providing economic, fiscal impact, and policy analysis to public and private entities.  Dr. Irani is often called upon to provide economic presentations to organizations across Maryland. He has appeared on numerous television programs and in local and regional print media. Dr. Irani holds a Ph.D. in economics from University of California, Santa Barbara. Dan Wahlberg • Acclare Solutions Managing Partner With over 28 years of experience, Dan Wahlberg is a recognized leader in audit and assurance for the Mid-Atlantic’s middle market business community. As a licensed CPA in Maryland and Virginia, Dan has led assurance practices at top regional firms, including serving as Baltimore Audit Managing Partner and Assurance Practice Leader at BDO USA in Baltimore and as Partner and member of the Management Committee at Hertzbach & Company P.A which merged into BDO in 2020. His expertise centers on delivering clarity, strategic guidance, and proactive solutions to middle-market businesses across Baltimore and beyond. His entrepreneurial spirit has led him to begin a new CPA firm this year with four other CPAs serving the business community. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University and began his career at PWC in New York. He is also deeply engaged in the community, previously serving as President of ACG Maryland and current Board member and as Audit Committee Member for The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.  Mike Stankus • BDO USA LLP Tax Office Managing Principal Mike Stankus is the Tax Office Managing Principal for the firm’s Baltimore office. He has more than 16 years of experience providing tax planning and preparation and management advisory services for his clients. Mike focuses on advising privately held businesses and their owners on effective growth and tax strategies. He also performs various engagements for mergers and acquisitions and complex cost accounting projects and projections. In addition, he represents various government contracting clients before the DCAA and assists with FAR compliance. Mike’s areas of concentration include working with government contractors, professional service firms, construction companies, and homebuilders.