Thomas J. Manzo

Thomas J. Manzo is a Partner at Szaferman Lakind and co-chair of the Personal Injury Department, concentrating his civil trial practice representing plaintiffs in a variety of complex personal injury matters ranging from automobile and slip and fall accidents, to victims of crime, abuse and neglect and product liability. Prior to joining the firm in 2009, Tom served as law clerk to the Honorable Clarkson S. Fisher, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.

An active member in the New Jersey State Bar Association and a Trustee on its Board, Tom is also current chair of the Civil Trial Bar Section, Co-chair of the Legislative Committee and Meeting Arrangements and Program Committee. Through the NJSBA, he regularly lectures to fellow lawyers on topics including ethical practice and trial strategy. He has also enjoyed the privilege of writing briefs and arguing before the New Jersey Supreme Court on behalf of the NJSBA, and is a 2022 and 2023 recipient of NJSBA Amicus Awards for these efforts. Tom is a proud member of the NJ Supreme Court Civil Practice Committee and is also Treasurer for the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, the charitable arm to the NJSBA, which seeks to educate youth in law and civics in an non-bias manner.

Despite Covid delays in the court system, Tom was able to bring to jury trial a civil matter through a fully virtual platform in May 2021 and has since tried a number of civil matters utilizing virtual jury selection, followed by in-person trials. He has been actively engaged on multiple committees to try to ensure civil jury trials continue to occur live and in court. In addition to trying cases, Tom has argued before the Appellate Division and Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Tom received his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2008. During his last year of law school, Tom was employed by Seton Hall University as an instructor of first year law students, teaching skills and methods in the context of evidence, constitutional law, property and civil procedure.

Tom received a Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Rutgers University – Rutgers College, where he majored in French Literature and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society.

A member of both the New Jersey and New York bars, Tom currently resides in central New Jersey with his wife and children.