Jennifer L. Cordes advises on commercial real estate transactions across New Jersey, bringing deep environmental law insight to deals involving complex sites and regulatory risk. Her work is grounded in careful planning, collaboration, and a steady focus on getting transactions to the finish line without surprises.
“My goal in any real estate transaction is to provide our clients with a strategy that protects what is important to them, while respecting the environmental realities of every property, and helping them navigate a way forward.”
Rutgers School of Law – Camden, J.D., 1997
Elmira College, B.A, cum laude, 1994
New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Jennifer L. Cordes advises on commercial real estate transactions across New Jersey, bringing deep environmental law insight to deals involving complex sites and regulatory risk. Her work is grounded in careful planning, collaboration, and a steady focus on getting transactions to the finish line without surprises.
Jennifer’s path to transactional practice began in environmental litigation and public service. Early in her career, she represented the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection as a Deputy Attorney General, gaining firsthand exposure on how environmental laws are enforced, interpreted, and applied in practice. That experience continues to inform how she advises clients today, equipping her with deep, practical judgment on transactions involving regulatory complexity, legacy environmental issues, or heightened risk.
Today, Jennifer’s practice centers on commercial real estate transactions, with a focus on environmental law issues. She works with developers, investors, and business owners on acquisitions, sales, leasing, and development of vacant land, commercial and industrial properties, including sites with complicated environmental histories. She regularly advises on complex deal structures, site remediation issues, and compliance concerns, helping clients understand both the legal requirements and the practical realities of moving a deal forward. Jennifer is also frequently called on to navigate the requirements of the New Jersey Industrial Site Recovery Act to successfully close high-stakes transactions.
Jennifer’s deal work is informed by a broad skillset that spans real estate, corporate structuring, land use and zoning, environmental law, and financing matters. She regularly advises on entity formation, asset transactions, and financing components that intersect with real estate and environmental considerations, allowing her to see the full picture of a deal rather than a single slice of it. Combined with her litigation background, this cross-disciplinary perspective helps her structure transactions thoughtfully, approaching deals with an eye toward avoiding the conflicts that can derail them later. She works closely with clients, environmental consultants, and other advisors to identify risks early, allocate responsibility thoughtfully, and craft documents that reflect how parties actually want, and expect, the transaction to unfold.
Jennifer brings a thoughtful, meticulous approach to every client and every task, with trust firmly at the center of her work. Clients rely on her to listen closely, follow through, and take ownership of the details that matter most. A true team player, she steps in wherever she is needed — whether working side by side with clients, supporting colleagues when extra hands are needed, or rescuing her beloved basset hounds.
Represent landowner in multi-phased sales of land to real estate developer, including preparation of transfer documents and easements
Counsel former tenant of industrial property on ISRA-related obligations and NJDEP compliance issues
Represented applicant in prerogative writ action challenging municipality’s issuance of parking variance and related approvals
Defended a former landfill owner in a cost recovery action, in which the client owner was required to contribute less than 1% toward the overall settlement amount
Obtained a favorable defense verdict in a breach of contract action seeking specific performance and damages in excess of $5.78 million against a developer
Assisted manufacturing client with environmental and zoning issues in potential sale of real estate worth in excess of $10 million
Defense of residential homeowner in contribution/subrogation action where insured alleged contamination of his real estate from client’s property on which an underground storage tank used to exist
Defended small quantity generator of RCRA-empty drums in the settlement of a potential cost recovery action by the USDOJ
Tri-State Basset Hound Rescue, Volunteer
Mock trial judge, Burlington County Bar Association
New Jersey Society of Women Environmental Professionals, Member
New Jersey State Bar Association, Member
Delaware Valley Environmental American Inn of Court, Alumni Member
Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Joseph P. Testa, J.S.C.
“Five Things to Know About ISRA,” Hyland Levin Shapiro News Alert, March 2025
“Adapting to New Rules: How the “NJ Real Estate Consumer Protection Act” Impacts Commercial Brokers,” Co-author, Hyland Levin Shapiro News Alert, September 2024
“CERCLA Only Preempts State Statutes of Limitations on State-Law Cases”, Co-author, New Jersey Law Journal, November 2014
Panel Member, “Environmental Issues for Commercial Real Estate Brokers,” Hyland Levin Shapiro Seminar, 2026
Panel Member, “Working through the Unknowns and Considerations of PFAS,” Southern New Jersey Development Council, 2022
Panel Member, “Legal Trends II: Environmental Law,” Atlantic Builders Convention, 2011, 2015, 2016
