Blume Forte Attorneys Recognized in the 2027 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®

By: Blume Forte Attorneys at Law

Blume Forte attorneys recognized in the 2027 Best Lawyers in America and Ones to Watch, with headshots of the seven honored lawyers and the firm logo.

Best Lawyers in America 2027: What Does This Recognition Mean for New Jersey Injury Victims?

Choosing a legal team after a serious personal injury is one of the most consequential decisions a person can make, and it often has to happen quickly, while emotions are raw and the medical picture is still unfolding. Third-party recognition from peers in the legal community is one of the clearest signals available to help guide that decision. Blume Forte Best Lawyers recognition in the 2027 edition confirms what the firm’s clients and courtroom opponents have seen for decades: that the attorneys at this firm are regarded by their peers as among the most capable plaintiff-side litigators practicing in New Jersey today.

Attorneys from Blume Forte have been named to the 33rd edition of The Best Lawyers in America and the seventh edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America. Both programs are built entirely on peer review, meaning other practicing attorneys in the same field evaluate and nominate candidates. No paid submission process is involved. For injury victims weighing their options, that distinction matters.

This recognition adds to a long-established body of peer acknowledgment that spans multiple independent programs and reflects the firm’s record across some of New Jersey’s most complex personal injury and medical malpractice litigation. If you have questions about a serious injury, a medical error, or the loss of a loved one, the team at Blume Forte is ready to talk. Call the firm at 973-845-4421 or reach out through the online contact form to discuss your situation at no cost.

Best Lawyers Recognition Explained: How Does the Selection Process Actually Work?

The Best Lawyers in America program has been running for more than three decades, and its methodology has remained consistent throughout: attorneys are evaluated by other practicing lawyers in their field, not by marketing submissions, application fees, or self-reported data. The 33rd edition represents one of the longest-running peer-review programs of its kind in the American legal market, which gives the recognition a degree of credibility that newer or self-nominated rankings simply cannot match.

The program distinguishes between two lists. Best Lawyers in America recognizes attorneys with established careers and sustained peer respect across their practice areas. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, now in its seventh edition, focuses on attorneys who are earlier in their careers but are already drawing meaningful recognition from peers for the quality of their work. Both lists use peer review as the foundation of selection, and both carry real weight when injury victims are evaluating a firm.

The selection process involves several distinct steps that help ensure the results reflect genuine professional standing rather than popularity or visibility alone:

  • Peer nomination: attorneys are nominated and then evaluated by other practicing lawyers in the same practice area and region, the people best positioned to judge the quality of their work
  • Confidential balloting: evaluations are submitted privately through invitation-only voting that isn’t publicly accessible, which encourages candid assessments rather than professionally cautious ones
  • Standardized peer scoring: rather than a general popularity contest, voters respond to a specific question about whether they would refer a client to the attorney, rated on a set scale, so recognition reflects genuine professional confidence
  • Tabulation and eligibility verification: the confidential votes are analyzed to identify the top candidates, who are then confirmed to be in good standing with their local bar association before the list is published

Understanding how the selection works helps injury victims use the recognition appropriately. It is not a marketing badge, it is a signal that other attorneys in the field have evaluated these lawyers and found their work worthy of recognition.

In the 2027 editions, seven Blume Forte attorneys earned recognition. Six were named to The Best Lawyers in America, and one was named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, each in the plaintiff-side practice areas that define the firm’s work:

  • Carol L. Forte — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
  • Michael B. Zerres — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs; Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs
  • Mitchell Makowicz, Jr. — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
  • Harris S. Feldman — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs
  • Cynthia M. Craig — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs
  • Abraham N. Milgraum — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

One additional attorney was recognized on the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch list, reflecting strong early-career peer recognition:

  • Connor Turpan — Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs; Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs

Blume Forte’s Track Record in New Jersey: Why Peer Recognition Reflects Real Results

Blume Forte Attorneys at Law was founded in 1929 and has spent nearly a century representing injured New Jerseyans in some of the state’s most demanding plaintiff-side litigation. The 2027 Best Lawyers recognition does not stand alone. It adds to a body of peer acknowledgment that includes the firm being named the number one Best Personal Injury Law Firm in New Jersey by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2023, three Tier 1 New Jersey rankings in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms for medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability litigation on the plaintiff side, an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and ongoing inclusion in Best Lawyers in America across multiple editions.

The firm’s documented results provide the factual foundation beneath that recognition. In the past five years alone, Blume Forte has recovered more than $320 million for clients in settlements and verdicts above $350,000. That figure includes a $46.7 million toxic chemical exposure settlement and a $28.6 million medical malpractice verdict, among many others. These outcomes are stated here not as a promise of what any future case will produce, but as a matter of record that reflects the firm’s willingness to prepare cases fully and take them to trial when necessary.

Practice Areas Covered: What Types of Cases Do Blume Forte’s Recognized Attorneys Handle?

The attorneys recognized in the 2027 Best Lawyers editions handle cases across the full range of Blume Forte’s practice areas. For injury victims trying to determine whether this recognition is relevant to their own situation, the scope is broad:

One resource that directly supports the depth of preparation these cases require is Blume Forte’s in-house medical staff. The firm keeps a full-time doctor and two full-time nurses on staff, along with a substantial in-house medical malpractice law library. In complex medical negligence matters particularly, this internal capacity allows the legal team to evaluate medical records, identify deviations from the standard of care, and develop case theories with a level of clinical precision that most firms cannot replicate. The firm serves clients in Morris County, Hudson County, Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Union County, and Essex County, as well as throughout New Jersey.

Serving New Jersey From Chatham to Jersey City: Where Blume Forte’s Attorneys Practice

Blume Forte Attorneys at Law operates four offices positioned to serve clients across the full breadth of New Jersey. The firm’s headquarters are located in Chatham, with additional offices in Jersey City, Sea Girt, and North Bergen. That geographic footprint means the firm is accessible to clients in communities ranging from the suburbs of Morris County to the urban neighborhoods of Hudson County, from the Jersey Shore communities along Monmouth County’s coastline to the densely populated areas served by the Garden State Parkway corridor.

Cases have been handled across virtually every county and court venue in the state, from proceedings in Morris County Superior Court to matters filed in courts serving Hudson County, Middlesex County, and beyond. For a family in Union County dealing with a nursing home neglect claim, a worker injured on a construction site in Essex County, or a family in Monmouth County navigating a birth injury case, the recognized attorneys at Blume Forte are positioned to help regardless of where in New Jersey the harm occurred.

Choosing a Recognized New Jersey Attorney: What Should Injury Victims Actually Look For?

Recognition programs like Best Lawyers in America are most useful when understood in context. An award is a signal, not a guarantee, and injury victims are best served by evaluating recognition alongside several other practical factors before making a decision about legal representation.

  • Peer-reviewed recognition: honors like Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers reflect how other attorneys in the field evaluate a lawyer’s work, which carries more weight than self-reported rankings or paid directory listings
  • Documented case results: look for a firm that publishes specific outcomes across a range of case types, not just a handful of headline verdicts
  • Trial willingness: some firms resolve every case before a courtroom is ever involved; others are prepared to take a case to a jury when that is what reaching a fair result requires
  • Medical and investigative resources: in complex injury cases, the depth of preparation, including access to medical professionals and case-specific research, can affect how a case develops and ultimately resolves
  • Contingency fee basis: Blume Forte Attorneys at Law handles personal injury and medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients pay no legal fees unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf

Recognition like the 2027 edition of the Best Lawyers in America is one meaningful signal among several. It reflects sustained peer respect, which is earned over time through the quality of actual legal work. The best starting point for any injury victim is a direct conversation with the firm, where the specific facts of a situation can be evaluated honestly and without obligation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Blume Forte’s Best Lawyers Recognition in New Jersey

What is the difference between Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch?

Best Lawyers in America recognizes attorneys with established careers and sustained peer respect in their practice areas. Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, now in its seventh edition, focuses on attorneys who are earlier in their careers but are already earning recognition from peers for the quality of their work. Both lists use peer review as the foundation of selection, and both reflect meaningful professional standing.

Does being listed in Best Lawyers mean a firm is more likely to win my case?

No attorney recognition program can predict or guarantee the outcome of any specific case. What peer-reviewed recognition like Best Lawyers reflects is that other attorneys in the field regard the recognized lawyers as among the more capable and respected in their practice areas. For injury victims, it is one useful signal to consider alongside documented case results, trial experience, and the resources a firm brings to complex litigation.

Do Blume Forte’s recognized attorneys handle cases outside of Chatham and Morris County?

Yes. Blume Forte serves clients across all of New Jersey. In addition to the firm’s Chatham headquarters, offices are located in Jersey City, Sea Girt, and North Bergen, making the firm accessible to clients throughout Hudson County, Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Union County, Essex County, and beyond.

How do I find out which attorney at Blume Forte would handle my injury case?

The best way to find out is to contact the firm directly. Blume Forte Attorneys at Law handles personal injury and medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to speak with the firm and no legal fee unless compensation is recovered. You can reach the firm by phone at 973-845-4421 or through the online contact form to get started.

Contact Blume Forte: Talk to a Recognized New Jersey Injury Attorney Today

If you are dealing with a serious injury, a medical error, or the loss of a loved one, the attorneys recognized in the 2027 edition of The Best Lawyers in America and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch are ready to talk through your situation. Peer recognition from other practicing attorneys reflects the kind of sustained, results-oriented legal work that matters when the stakes are high and the other side has resources of their own.

Blume Forte Attorneys at Law handles personal injury and medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning no legal fees are owed unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf. To speak with a member of the team, call 973-845-4421 or submit your information through the online contact form. The firm serves clients throughout New Jersey, from Morris County and Hudson County to Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Union County, Essex County, and communities statewide.

Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.