For five decades, Franklin “Frank” J. Riesenburger has faithfully served and advocated for his clients facing complex environmental and related legal issues throughout New Jersey. After an exemplary career spanning 50 years, Frank has decided to retire from Flaster Greenberg and the practice of law on his upcoming birthday on July 1st.
Frank has been an integral part of our Flaster Greenberg’s success for 24 years, having joined Flaster Greenberg at the turn of the century with his legal partner, Mitchell Kizner, during a time of considerable growth for the firm.
Kizner said, I’ve been practicing law for 45 years and never worked in a firm where Frank was not present. He’s been my mentor, advisor and friend. I wish him the best of luck for this new stage in his life, but he will be sorely missed."
Prior to joining Flaster Greenberg, Frank was a named partner at Riesenburger & Kizner based in his hometown of Vineland, NJ, where his roots remain strong to this day. During his tenure at Flaster Greenberg, Frank served as Chair of the Environmental Law Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Alternative and Renewable Energy Industry Group. His leadership also included being the first Chairperson of the New Jersey Bar Association’s Environmental Law Section, first established as a New Jersey State Bar Association Section, upon his urging, in the early 1980’s.
Just some of Frank’s notable contributions include seven reported cases involving New Jersey environmental issues including the Superfund cost recovery action related to the Helen Kramer Landfill in Mantua, NJ where government claims exceeded $100 million -- U.S. v. Kramer, 1991 – as well as seven reported cases in other areas of the law. He has argued in front of the NJDEP and many courts in matters involving CERCLA litigation, OPRA, ISRA, and the NJ Spill Act. These matters included many actions requiring environmental administrative agencies to provide transparency and produce all of their relevant documents at a time when no clear obligations to do so, existed. In what he recalls as the “wild days” before applicable regulations, he even prevented the NJDEP on numerous occasions from inspecting client properties, if proper notice to do so or “sufficient cause”, had not been first provided.
John Koch, Environmental Law Shareholder, adds, "Frank was a wonderful mentor, especially when it came to deep analysis of an issue from all angles, where a story or argument would come to light from seemingly nowhere. That education and analytical approach continues to serve me and our clients to this day.
Frank also demonstrated how much he valued family and the human experience, and that hard work and long hours at a firm could happen without losing sight of that value. For me, that was a big deal and helped me find my way, leaving an indelible mark. I hope to pay it forward."
In addition to his legal contributions, Frank has served his community with passion. He is past president of the Jewish Federation of Cumberland County, past president of the Vineland Public Library, having served 24 years on the Board of Trustees, and has fundraised and served on the Board of Directors for Israel Elwyn, a nonprofit organization serving developmentally disabled persons throughout Israel, since 1997.
Above all, Frank has served as loyal partner, mentor, friend and voice of calm and logic for so many of us. His dedication to the law, and for equity and justice, are hallmarks of his career and a model for the rest of us.
We congratulate and celebrate Frank’s amazing career and are excited for his next chapter filled with even more time with family, loved ones, and more time to enjoy his fervor for sports, world news and events, travel, and the investment markets.
