Newark, NJ – December 8, 2025 – Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW), a boutique law firm specializing in commercial real estate and construction law, is pleased to announce that Ivette M. Vargas has joined the firm as an Associate in its transactional real estate practice.
Ivette brings extensive experience advising clients on acquisitions and dispositions, commercial leasing, and financing matters. She represents landlords, tenants, developers, and investors in complex real estate transactions, including office and retail leasing, purchase and sale transactions, seller-backed financing, and IRC Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges.
Prior to joining MSW, Ms. Vargas practiced in the Commercial Real Estate Department at Winne Banta Basralian & Kahn, P.C., where she handled a wide range of transactional matters and counseled clients on regulatory compliance involving New Jersey retail liquor licenses. She previously served as a law clerk to Chief Judge Freda L. Wolfson of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Judge Steven C. Mannion, U.S.M.J., and Judge Mary C. Jacobson of the New Jersey Superior Court. Earlier in her career, she practiced in the Real Estate, Land Use, and Affordable Housing groups at Hill Wallack LLP.
Ivette earned her J.D. from Rutgers Law School, where she was Managing Articles Editor of the Rutgers Race and the Law Review and a semi-finalist in the Hunter Moot Court competition, receiving the Best Brief Award. She received her B.A. in Sociology, with a minor in Latin American Studies, from Temple University.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ivette to MSW,” said Chris J. Murphy, a founding partner of MSW. “Her strong background in transactional real estate and her commitment to client service make her an excellent addition to our growing team. Ivette’s experience will further strengthen our ability to deliver sophisticated, practical solutions to clients across the commercial real estate industry.”
Ms. Vargas is fluent in Spanish and is an active member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, Bergen County Bar Association, and the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey. She has spoken on issues of diversity and inclusion, including her presentation “Implicit Bias and Micro-Aggressions: Their Effect on Law Firm Culture and Success” for NACLE.
Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW) is a boutique law firm servicing the commercial real estate and construction industries. Headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, the firm represents a wide range of clients, including institutional, publicly traded real estate companies, international and regional lenders, national contractors and subcontractors, and family offices. The firm has been ranked as a top law firm by both Chambers & Partners and U.S. News & World Report.