Gerard J. Onorata
Gerard J. Onorata has been with Peckar & Abramson since 1992 in the construction practice. He concentrates primarily on representing general contractors. He has authored a number of articles related to ERISA preemption of the New York Lien Law, the New Jersey Bond Act and the New Jersey Construction Lien Law for the Construction and Public Contracts Law Section Newsletter of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
Gerard J. Onorata
Partner
River Edge, NJ
P +1 201.343.3434
F +1 201.343.6306
P 201.343.3434
F 201.343.6306
"Contractors engaged in complex, high-profile projects require counselors who are deeply embedded in the construction industry and have experience advising clients through each stage of the building process."
Bio
Gerard has worked on an array of cases arising out of projects being constructed within and outside the United States. He routinely handles multimillion-dollar litigations and arbitrations, some of which have resulted in several published decisions. To his credit, he has obtained a number of successful arbitration awards during his time at Peckar & Abramson and has developed a reputation as being a tough and aggressive adversary. His experience ranges from handling disputes that relate to large commercial projects to infrastructure projects to extremely high-end residential homes. He has been recognized by New Jersey Super Lawyers, New York-Metro Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers and The Legal 500 for his prominence in construction law. In 2019, Gerard was invited to become a member of the panel responsible for rating arbitrators on the American Arbitration Association’s Construction Mega Projects panel. According to AAA, “the rating committee is a diverse group of advocates and in-house counsel representing owners, contractors, design professionals and insurers with experience in disputes arising out of significant construction and infrastructure projects”.
Practice
Areas
Highlights
Admissions
• State of New York
• State of New Jersey
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• United States District Court of the Southern District of New York
• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Memberships
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association
• American Bar Association
Education & Courses
• University of New Haven, B.A.
• Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D.
Awards & Recognitions
• Best Lawyers, 2012-2025
• Best Lawyers, "Lawyer of the Year" in Litigation – Construction – Hackensack region, 2019
• New York-Metro Super Lawyers, 2012-2023
• New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2007, 2015-2024
• The Legal 500: United States - “Key Lawyers,” 2024
• ALM & Martindale-Hubbell “New York Top-Rated Lawyers”, 2020
• Bergen Magazine "Top Lawyer" – Construction, 2021-2023
• New Jersey Law Journal Professional Excellence Award, Mentor, 2021
• NJBIZ Leaders in Law, 2021
Publications & Presentations
• “Retainage: What Contractors Need to Know and Helpful Strategies,” ConsensusDocs, May 2024 (author)
• “Building a Solid Foundation: Strategies for Operational Risk Management,” Construction Financial Management Association NJ Dinner Meeting (speaker), May 2024.
• “Productivity Loss: How to Quantify and Preserve your Right to Recovery,” FTI and Peckar & Abramson Joint Webinar (speaker), May 2024.
• “Navigating the NJDOT Claims Process,” P&A Webinar (speaker), June 2022.
• “A Brief Discussion – Liquidating Agreements,” ConsensusDocs Newsletter, June 2022.
• “Building Blocks for Handling Construction Law Cases,” New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education Webinar (speaker), April 2022.
• “The Basics of Subcontractor Defaults – Key Considerations,” ConsensusDocs Newsletter, February 2021.
• “Construction Disputes - Session 3: What Can We Do to Make the DRB Work for Us?,” P&A Webinar (speaker), January 2021.
• “Construction Disputes - Session 2: Contract Provisions,” P&A Webinar (speaker), October 2020.
• “Construction Disputes - Session 1: Tackling Subcontractor Disputes,” P&A Webinar (speaker), August 2020.
• “Construction Law Issues in the Age of Coronavirus (COVID-19),” P&A Webinar (speaker), April 2020.
• “Successful Strategies for Preparing and Putting Forward Claims for Additional Compensation and Time,” P&A Breakfast Seminar (speaker), January 2019.
• “Winning The Subcontractor Fight,” P&A Breakfast Club Seminar (speaker), January 2018.
• “It’s Complicated: Public-Private Relationships on Transformative Developments & Infrastructure,” Third Annual Anchin Construction & Development Forum (moderator), February 2017.
• “Ownership Rights of an Architect’s Work,” New Jersey State Bar Association Construction and Public Contracts Law Section Newsletter, June 2005.
News & Events
• 13 Peckar & Abramson Attorneys Named 2024 Top Lawyers by Bergen Magazine
• 21 Peckar & Abramson Attorneys Named to 2024 New York Super Lawyers® List; Gregory H. Chertoff, Paul Monte, and Robert S. Peckar Earn Top 100 Honors
• Peckar & Abramson Has Largest Number of Construction Law and Litigation Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers 2025
• The Legal 500 U.S. 2024 Guide Names Peckar & Abramson a Top Tier Firm in Construction Law and Recognizes Nine Attorneys
