CSG's Toft and Wells Honored Among the New Jersey Law Journal's Professional Excellence Award Recipients
Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC (“CSG”) is pleased to announce that Dennis M. Toft, Chair of the firm’s Environmental Group, and Catherine P. Wells, Chair of the firm’s Employment Group, have been recognized by the New Jersey Law Journal with the publication’s 2020 Unsung Hero and Mentor of the Year awards, respectively. They will be honored during the New Jersey Legal Awards virtual event on November 4, 2020.
“These recognitions affirm several long-standing, cornerstone principles at CSG – tenacity in all that we pursue, a passion for developing the next generation of leaders and general professional excellence,” said Daniel A. Schwartz, CSG’s Managing Member. “We are extraordinarily proud of, and grateful to, Dennis and Catherine for their many years of service and leadership.”
Toft, a 37-year veteran of the firm and nationally renowned environmental lawyer, was among the first elected members of the firm’s Executive Committee. He has worked closely with leadership to build a pathway for junior attorneys all the while advising on operational issues and supporting the firm’s expansion through the recruitment of lateral partners and professional administrators.
As Chair of CSG’s Marketing Committee, Toft additionally shepherds marketing and business development initiatives in support of all attorneys as they build their practices. An established brand ambassador for the firm, he is a conduit between the business community and business advocacy organizations – engaging with their members to develop meaningful relationships between CSG and the region’s leading companies. He serves on the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Board of the Nature Conservancy’s New Jersey Chapter and is a former board member of NAIOP New Jersey. He is also a Trustee of the Little Flower Parish in Berkeley Heights.
Wells, an esteemed member of CSG’s Executive Committee and leader of the Employment Group, has leveraged her unique position to make important internal changes within the firm. Under her leadership, the firm has solidified its commitment to supporting working parents by formalizing and expanding its flexible work arrangement and leave of absence policies.
She also played a key role in the initial formation of CSG’s Women’s Initiative, which maintains a focus on internal mentorship, professional development and ensuring that women at all levels of their careers are supporting each other and sharing knowledge. Wells is a past recipient of NJBIZ’s Best 50 Women in Business award, which recognizes women who are shaping their organizations, industries and the economic landscape of the Garden State, as well as of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund’s "Trustee of Justice" award – presented annually to professionals who have gone the extra mile in their commitment to helping others realize their full potential by improving educational opportunities.
For the full list of the New Jersey Law Journal’s 2020 Professional Excellence Award recipients, please click here.
Visit csglaw.com/award-methodology for additional details on the selection process for the above-mentioned recognitions.
