Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW) announced today that Anthony J. Passela has joined the firm as an Associate in the Litigation and Construction Law practice groups, and Julie Prelich has joined as a Paralegal supporting the Land Use, Zoning & Redevelopment and Tax Credits & Incentives practice groups.
Anthony represents owners, developers, contractors, and other stakeholders in complex commercial and construction disputes. He brings hands-on courtroom experience in insurance defense litigation and trial-level civil practice, including bench trials, court conferences, and settlement negotiations. He has conducted and defended depositions of parties and non-party witnesses, regularly prepares dispositive motions and discovery, and advises clients on practical risk mitigation strategies designed to prevent and efficiently resolve disputes.
Before joining MSW, Anthony practiced at a New York litigation boutique, where he represented clients across a broad range of civil matters from pre-suit investigation through trial preparation. He previously served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Kelly D. Eckel of the Delaware County (Pennsylvania) Court of Common Pleas, preparing bench memoranda and draft orders in real estate, contract, medical malpractice, and other civil disputes. While in law school, he was the Managing Editor of Research and Writing for the Villanova Law Review.
Anthony earned his J.D. from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and his B.A., magna cum laude, in Economics and Political Science with a Minor in Business from Villanova University. He is admitted to practice in New York.
Julie supports attorneys through all phases of complex development, entitlement, and incentive work with an operations-driven approach to diligence, document management, and stakeholder coordination. She helps streamline application packages, track multi-agency filings, and maintain responsive communication among clients, consultants, and municipal bodies. Her background includes high-volume transactional experience and rigorous workflow execution.
Prior to joining MSW, Julie served as a transactional paralegal at a leading New York City-based law firm, where she managed a portfolio exceeding 250 matters. In that role, she analyzed settlements, decisions, government records, and policy contracts; drafted briefs, memoranda, proposed decisions, correspondence, and financial forms; and coordinated submissions to federal agencies. She began her legal career in the New Jersey Superior Court, Family Division (New Brunswick), as a Judiciary Clerk, where she handled intake for dissolution and non-dissolution dockets, reviewed filings for jurisdiction and completeness, assigned cases, and maintained accurate records across multiple court databases in time-sensitive, confidential environments.
Julie holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice and a B.A. in Political Science, with a Minor in Critical Intelligence, from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey – New Brunswick.
With these additions, MSW further strengthens its capacity to advise clients across the full lifecycle of development and litigation matters, combining strategic advocacy with disciplined execution to advance client objectives efficiently and effectively.
