President -Michele R. Donato

Michele R. Donato graduated from Rutgers Law School, where she was an editor of the Rutgers Law Review. She clerked for the Honorable Merritt Lane, Jr., who handled the prerogative writ calendar for Monmouth County.

She currently represents the Planning Boards in the Boroughs of Allentown, Shrewsbury and Roosevelt and is special counsel to several municipalities for land use, environmental and historic preservation matters.

Ms. Donato has represented municipal agencies, developers and citizen groups throughout her career. Her practice is almost exclusively devoted to land use, historic preservation and environmental law.

Ms. Donato is General Counsel to New Jersey Planning Officials and Treasurer for the Institute of Local Government Attorneys. She is an Adjunct Professor with Rutgers University, Bureau of Local Government Services, and she teaches and lectures frequently for organizations, universities and agencies throughout the region.

Ms. Donato participated in the prestigious Oxford University Roundtable. She received the Monsignor Harding Award of Merit from Saint Peter’s School. The League of Women Voters also honored her with an award for her work in preserving the environment.

Ms. Donato received the William Cox Award for Excellence in Land Use in 2013 and has been selected to Super Lawyers from 2011 to 2018 as a top rated land use and zoning lawyer.