Steven R. Rowland

Steve is a seasoned commercial litigator with more than 40 years of experience handling complex cases in both state and federal courts, as well as state administrative matters. His ability to quickly assess litigation positions and develop targeted strategies makes him a trusted advocate for clients. In addition to his pretrial and trial experience, Steve has significant appellate experience, having argued cases before federal and state appellate courts.

Steve’s experience spans a broad range of areas, including administrative law, class actions, commercial disputes, construction, consumer fraud and insurance coverage, contracts and transportation law. Among his most notable transportation matters are the Big Daddy Drayage and Farruggio’s Express actions in which the employment tax assessments made by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) were either entirely withdrawn or reversed by the NJDOL Commissioner. Steve also defends motor carriers in private class actions brought on the basis that the carrier has improperly treated owner-operators as independent contractors.

Steve is recognized as an authority on complex litigation and appellate matters, having authored numerous briefs and has contributed to legal scholarship with publications on topics such as administrative law, misclassification, products liability, class actions and pharmaceutical law. He also is currently the Chair of the District XB Ethics Committee.

• Farruggio’s Bristol and Philadelphia Auto Express, Inc. v. New Jersey Dept. of Labor, 2025 WL 1788897, OAL Dkt. No. LID 13073-23 (April 23, 2025) – Dismissing NJDOL’s case for lack of jurisdiction where labor commissioner acted untimely to modify prior adverse determination
• Big Daddy Drayage, Inc. v. New Jersey Dept. of Labor, OAL Dkt. No. LID 11215-15 (Dec. 11, 2017) – Holding that when determining whether an owner-operator is an employee or independent contractor under N.J.S.A. 43:21-19(i)(7)(X), NJDOL must use IRS common law test, not ABC Test
• Simoni v. Luciani, 872 F. Supp.2d 382 (D.N.J. 2012) – Rejecting application of res judicata to bar second complaint alleging COBRA where first lawsuit involved separate statutory and common law claims
• Port Imperial Condominium Association, Inc. v. K. Hovnanian Port Imperial Urban Renewal, Inc., 419 N.J. Super. 459 (App. Div. 2011) – Applying statute of repose to bar construction defect claims against certain subcontractors
• Rosenberg v. Washington Mutual Bank FA, 369 N.J. Super. 456 (App. Div. 2004) – Finding that state law claims challenging bank’s billing statements to be preempted
• Alden Leeds, Inc. v. OSHA, 298 F.3d 256 (3d Cir. 2002) – Overturning administrative law decision based on agency’s misapplication of its own regulations
• Peterson v. Ballard, 292 N.J. Super. 575 (App. Div. 1996) – Applying the litigation privilege to dismiss statutory and tort claims brought against attorney
• Martin v. Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp., 661 N.E.2d 352 (Ill. 1996) – First state Supreme Court to apply the learned intermediary doctrine to prescription pharmaceutical product containing direct-to-patient labeling

Affiliations

• District XB Ethics Committee, Chair
• New Jersey Bar Association

Education

• University of Chicago Law School, J.D.
• Pomona College, B.A., Phi Beta Kappa

Bar Admissions

• New Jersey

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court