Thomas S. Garlick is a partner at Murphy Schiller & Wilkes LLP (MSW), where he serves as Vice Chair of the Land Use, Zoning & Redevelopment Practice and Chair of the Commercial Landlord‑Tenant Practice.

In his land use practice, Tom has earned a reputation for being the steady hand behind many of New Jersey’s most challenging development projects, guiding clients from early planning through final approvals with insight and precision. Tom represents developers, property owners, and institutional investors in all aspects of land use, zoning, and redevelopment, and regularly appears before planning boards, zoning boards, and governmental agencies throughout New Jersey on matters involving residential and multifamily projects, commercial and mixed‑use developments, industrial warehouse developments, and large‑scale redevelopment initiatives. As Vice Chair of the Land Use, Zoning & Redevelopment Practice, he oversees workflow and matter management for the firm’s statewide land use practice, ensuring that projects move efficiently and strategically from intake through approval.

As Chair of MSW’s Commercial Landlord‑Tenant Practice, Tom leads a team that provides strategic counsel and aggressive advocacy to commercial landlords, property owners, and property managers throughout New Jersey. His practice focuses exclusively on the complex and often high‑stakes disputes that arise in the commercial leasing context, including lease enforcement actions, commercial evictions for non‑payment and holdover tenancies, breach of contract claims, property damage disputes, and other contested matters. Tom is an experienced litigator and negotiator who represents clients in state and federal courts, and he regularly advises on lease drafting, enforcement strategies, and risk mitigation to help clients protect their investments and avoid future conflicts. His deep understanding of New Jersey’s commercial landlord‑tenant laws, combined with his broader real estate development experience, allows him to deliver practical, results‑oriented solutions across asset classes ranging from industrial properties to shopping centers and office parks.

Before entering private practice, Tom served as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Joseph R. Rosa, Jr., J.S.C., at the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen Vicinage.

Tom earned his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, from Muhlenberg College.