Jacob S. Grouser

Jake is a team leader in Hoagland Longo’s Environmental & Toxic Tort Litigation practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Management Committee. Known for his ability to build trusted relationships with both insureds and insurers, Jake is a skilled litigator who combines strong advocacy with practical, results-driven strategies in complex environmental and toxic tort matters.

Jake has extensive experience defending and prosecuting environmental pollution claims in both state and federal courts, arising from contamination linked to dry-cleaning operations, service stations, industrial facilities, underground storage tanks, and landfills. Beyond litigation, he frequently counsels clients on regulatory compliance, transactional due diligence, and pursuing insurance coverage. In addition, Jake supports the firm’s Real Estate, Land Use, Redevelopment, and Construction teams, bringing added value to clients facing environmental and land-use intersections. He also has defended a wide range of toxic tort claims involving asbestos, benzene, mold, lead paint, silica, talc, carbon monoxide, mixed dust, and treated lumber.

Jake’s litigation skills extend to the appellate level. He has successfully argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court in landmark cases including NJDEP v. Dimant and Ross v. State Farm Fire & Casualty, helping shape precedent in environmental law and insurance coverage. His work in these cases clarified liability standards under the Spill Act and addressed nuisance and third-party insurance claims, producing favorable outcomes for his clients.

Active in the profession, Jake serves as Vice Chair of the New Jersey Defense Association’s Environmental Law Committee and is a past member of the Justice Stewart G. Pollock Environmental American Inn of Court. Since 2009, he has been accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional (LEED AP) and was instrumental in the formation of Hoagland Longo’s Green Building Practices Group. He is also a frequent author and lecturer on emerging environmental litigation trends.

Before joining the firm, Jake clerked for the Honorable Bryan D. Garruto of the Middlesex County Superior Court. While in law school, he earned a Pro Bono Award for his contributions to projects including the Bankruptcy Project, VITA Tax Assistance, Security Deposit Project, and Holocaust Survivor Project.

Areas of Focus

Environmental Pollution Litigation & Compliance

• Represents clients in environmental contamination matters arising from dry-cleaning operations, service stations, industrial facilities, underground storage tanks, and landfills.
• Counsels clients on regulatory compliance, transactional due diligence, and securing insurance coverage for environmental liabilities.

Real Estate, Land Use, Redevelopment & Construction Support

• Supports Hoagland Longo’s Real Estate, Land Use, Redevelopment, and Construction practices, adding environmental insight to transactions, redevelopment projects, and land-use disputes.

Toxic Torts (asbestos, benzene, lead, silica, talc, mold, and others)

• Defends clients in toxic tort litigation involving a wide range of hazardous substances, combining technical knowledge with trial and appellate experience, including arguments before the New Jersey Supreme Court.

National Counsel

• Serves as part of coordinated defense teams for corporate clients, overseeing strategy, managing local counsel, and ensuring consistency across multiple jurisdictions.

General Counsel

• Provides trusted advice as General Counsel to national clients, offering strategic guidance on litigation, compliance, and risk management.

Product Liability

• Defends manufacturers, distributors, and insurers in product-related environmental and toxic tort claims, often involving complex scientific and technical issues.

Green Building & Sustainability

• Accredited as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED AP) professional since 2009, he helped establish Hoagland Longo’s Green Building Practices Group and advises clients on sustainable development initiatives.
• Represents clients in significant contamination matters involving industrial facilities, dry cleaners, and public utilities.

Notable & Precedent-Setting Cases

• Ross v. State Farm Fire & Casualty – Argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court, addressing nuisance liability and third-party insurance beneficiary claims.
  
  
• NJDEP v. Dimant – Successfully argued one of the most cited environmental cases in New Jersey, where the Supreme Court clarified the evidentiary standard under the Spill Act, requiring a direct link between the discharge, the discharger, and the site contamination.
  
  
• Ross v. Lowitz – Series of appellate and Supreme Court decisions shaping nuisance, trespass, and strict liability law in environmental cases.

Publications

• Have the Tides Changed in Favor of the Defense in Environmental Litigation? – New Jersey Defense Association Newsletter (Winter issue). Discusses Ross v. State Farm in light of recent plaintiff-friendly decisions in Morristown Associates v. Grant Oil and Magic Petroleum v. ExxonMobil Corp.
• The New Jersey Supreme Court Rules that Spill Act Contribution Claims are Not Subject to a Statute of Limitations – Analysis of the Court’s reversal in Morristown Associates v. Grant Oil, et al.
• The Appellate Division Clarifies the Law of Nuisance, Trespass and Strict Liability in Connection with Environmental Claims and Denies the Expansion of a Breach of Good Faith and Fair Dealing to Third-Party Insurers – Reprint in New Jersey Defense Association Newsletter and The Middlesex Advocate (2015), analyzing how the Appellate Division upheld the trial court in Ross v. State Farm Fire & Casualty, et al.
• Does My Site Require a Vapor Intrusion Investigation? – Practical overview of vapor intrusion thresholds based on NJDEP’s revised policy.
• NJDEP’s Common Sense Principles – Overview of the NJDEP’s proposed waiver rule to balance economic growth and environmental protection.
• Does Continuous Trigger Theory Apply When Multiple Property Owners Are Responsible for Environmental Contamination? – Examines applicability of continuous trigger theory in complex environmental contamination cases.
• The Class Action Fairness Act: What Is It All About? – Explains the jurisdictional and procedural changes brought about by the federal Class Action Fairness Act.
• Could There Be a Trend Towards Preemption in Asbestos Cases? – Analysis of federal preemption arguments developing in asbestos litigation.
• Additional authored and co-authored works on vapor intrusion, asbestos litigation, class action trends, and NJDEP policy guidance.

Affiliations

• Vice Chair – Environmental Law Committee, New Jersey Defense Association
• Member – Environmental Law Committee, Middlesex County Bar Association
• Member – Justice Stewart G. Pollock Environmental American Inn of Court (2007-2008)
• Member – Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• Member – Claims and Litigation Management Alliance (CLM)
• Member – U.S. Green Building Council (New Jersey Chapter)

Awards

• New Jersey Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" list, 2013 and 2015-2018