Hoboken Mayor Bhalla joins high-powered Morristown law firm as of counsel

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Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has earned a new gig at a high-powered Morristown law firm as of counsel at a salary “well south of $100,000,” according to a spokesman for the mayor.

Ravi Bhalla

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“Lavery, Selvaggi, Abromitis & Cohen, P.C. is pleased to welcome Ravi S. Bhalla as Of Counsel to the Firm. In this capacity, Ravi will provide strategic advice and counsel to the Firm, enabling it to draw on his broad range of legal expertise as a seasoned litigator and trial attorney,” the firm wrote on their website yesterday.

“Among Ravi’s areas of expertise are employment, commercial, civil rights, criminal defense, and governmental affairs. While not practicing law, Ravi will serve as a valuable resource to clients and attorneys at the Firm.”

Prior to being sworn in as mayor last month, Bhalla left his job at another reputable law firm, Florio Perucci Steinhardt and Fader.

Leaving that job came as no surprise, given that the former councilman-at-large previously said he would be “working full-time for the people of Hoboken, severing my employment with the firm,” according to a post on his campaign website.

Now, less than two months later, Bhalla will again be working in the private sector. A spokesman for the mayor said his salary will be much less than $100,000 and that his main role will be advising young lawyers.

“Since it is an affiliation with the firm and Ravi will not be practicing any case law, the salary is well south of $100,000–in the range of what clerical staff is paid,” Rob Horowitz said in an email.

‘”He will focus on mentoring the firm’s young lawyers and providing over-all advice,” he added, declining to comment further.

As mayor, Bhalla earns a salary of $116,950.08, the highest annual wage out of all 12 Hudson County mayors, according to public records.


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45 COMMENTS

        • Boy, you are going to have to do better than that with your talking points. First of all, Fulop only collects the mayoral salary or can’t you read? The additional amount is longevity pay. The mayors that have another job are, by and large, receiving a stipend. Here in Hoboken, the job is full time for full pay.

          This mayor is …(what were his words?)…. a disgrace.

          • David Roberts made a fortune from owning Hoboken bars and real-estate so he had a very large second income while he was Mayor. Did running and being a multiple bar owner, developer and property owner landlord in Hoboken hold any sway over what he did or did not do as mayor ?

            Anthony Russo took massive amounts of bribe money as mayor and went to prison for his crimes. Being that crooked in office had to take a lot of his time.

            Peter Cammarano’s, time line lawyer councilman, mayor, crook, felon, prison inmate…

            Back farther then that who knows what was done .

          • Roberts was his own boss not a employee of a political firm.
            FTR he divested his management of the bars. Did Ravi divest his investment property that he RENTS out at the shipyard where he made wrong way right turns out of the garage when he lived there to avoid the traffic?

        • Dawn didn’t get paid as a photographer for her hubby’s business marketing ?
          Would be shocked if she wasn’t paid a salary by their family business and there’s nothing wrong with that

          The difference is Ravi said he wouldn’t

  1. Wow, mentoring? Yeah why not volunteer at a inner city legal defense fund if you want to help?
    This sounds like a scam and Rob Horrible is tap dancing…

  2. Don’t jump to conclusions. There is the matter of an extended staff in the Office of the Mayor. There is probably an explainable shift in plans. Adding another $85,000 staff member to an already loaded Office, he may just provide oversight to the business manager, chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, several attorneys, etc. with an attendant adjustment to the salary for the Mayor. Don’t forget, Leo Peligrini has frequently served as acting Mayor, so Hoboken’s actual need for a full-time Mayor is diminished. Also, we have a City Council whose job it is to represent the people and keep the executive power balanced. Who knows perhaps we will have some cut backs in the charitable contributions that the city chooses on our behalf. Some Mayors feeling that their salaries are more than adequate tithe 10% back to the local non-profits. Let’s see.

  3. Ravi is chowing down selling out Hoboken lickety-split.
    When he’s done there won’t be a single ravioli left for anyone.
    Who believes Ravi cashing-in ends here? He’s only getting warmed up!

  4. That stuff just feeds Ravi’s “I am being attacked by racists” narrative and doesn’t belong on this site.

    All this does is distract from the headline that ‘Trump bashin’ Ravi is already cashing in on his new notoriety. This is so dumb it seems almost designed to backfire and stir up sympathy.

    Oh wait!

    I’ve seen this movie before.

    • Wait, so Ravi will share the ravioli? How dare you call ravioli racist. Maybe in Jersey City you can blame the ravioli, never in Hoboken!

      Ravioli is the best but Ravi showed us he’s the worst. You backed a liar.
      No ravioli for you!

    • Nice try Ravi Race baiting Robots… How is evoking a Ravioli racists?
      Is that different that MarshMello-Bhalla a term they all used when they ran with Dawn?
      Oh wait Marshmallows are white, so I guess youre right- unless they are toasted

  5. Wow wow what!?

    Didn’t he say to “hudson county view” that he’d be a full time mayor? Think we should be asking what changed between answering that question and now.

    This guy lies straight he says “mentoring younger lawyers” but the release clearly says he’ll be practicing law as a primary job responsibility.

    He put so much work into creating that racist flier to win and is bored already? Or wait, maybe he’s looking for a fallback when it’s found that his paid political blogger created it and he’s forced to resign.

    Also, don’t give me “well south of 100k” a lot of ppl make their primary salary off that — this guy really is as entitled as they say he is

    • Actually the release clearly says Ravi won’t be practicing law:

      “While not practicing law, Ravi will serve as a valuable resource to clients and attorneys at the Firm.”

      When accusing others of lying it’s bad form to be caught in a lie. Something to think about “Bob.”

      Re the flyer – falsely accusing people of crimes detracts from what little credibility you might otherwise have. It also carries at least some litigation risk if the people you’re accusing get annoyed enough. There’s lots more downside for you in this tactic than upside. Something to consider.

      • Something to consider when you attempt to deflect and threaten others for their opinion:

        RAVI LIED!

        This is a payday. For what and how much he will really pull down remains to be seen.

        So what do you know about all the loot coming in this back room deal?

      • Bob could be telling a lie, Caballo Blanco, but so could Ravi.

        Wonder who?

        You could get a clue by reading the law firm’s press release. It sure sounds more like a hire of a lawyer/litigator expected do work for clients than someone tasked to run a mentoring daycare center for young lawyers on evenings, weekends, and national holidays.
        ………………………………………………………………………………………………

        As for the flyer my guess is you are right. I don’t think Ravi’s team used their Paid Political Blogger for the Terrorist Flyer job. I’m sure they had lots of other choices.

        On the other hand, the Hoboken Crime Family flyer sure did look a lot like PPB’s work though. Remember, she did post that clean copy after a day of rain.

  6. The more I think about this the more outraged I become. If he couldn’t afford to be Mayor, he should not have run for the office. He has a chief of Staff, a Deputy Chief of Staff and Melli is still on the payroll as the City Spokesman. None of their titles are recognized by Civil Service. That means that the NJ Department of Personnel deems them as unnecessary positions. Come on folks, it’s a mile square town. We don’t need these vultures feeding off the carcass of a town that is choking it’s residents.
    There is a way to deal with this, Under State law, the City Council may, by way of ordinance, establish the working hours of the Mayor. They can even require him to complete time sheets or punch in and out every day.
    Let’s see if the council members have the guts to stop Bhalla from following through on his plan to work elsewhere while collecting a check from the taxpayers. If he does follow through, then plans should get underway to RECALL him. The law permits a recall election anytime after an official has serve one year in office. Time to start planning.

  7. Years ago they said he was cold, tone deaf and power hungry.
    They were right
    Hoboken, you were warned – and you fell for the self inflicted flyer hack
    #DidItToHimself

  8. For all those who were hard core Bhalla supporters and attacked Jen Giattino at least I know now why I voted for her and not Ravi. I saw it coming and I told you so. He has proven me right that his focus is not on Hoboken as it should be and only less than 2 months in. If he wants respect as Mayor Ravi needs to show respect for the office of Mayor first by treating it as the full time obligation it is.

    Instead of throwing more shade I will leave you with this musical moment that seems appropriate and a damn good song to boot (Part time Lover by Stevie Wonder)

    https://youtu.be/jN2AdOjI4FI

  9. So he lasted longer that 22 days, lets see of he makes it to 6 months.
    The way he’s acting already, it would be no shock he gets a second term — 18-24 in Lewisburg

  10. I have been following Hoboken governance since 2004 and I have not seen a Mayor rightfully blasted by the City Council and the public like Ravi Bhalla did tonight at the City Council meeting. This was for his disrespect of the office of Mayor by taking a political side job that some speculate is a glorified money laundering operation or a mechanism for payola. To say the optics on this move are bad optics is an understatement. There are so many questions and nothing but a political campaign manager still campaigning and spinning nonsensical drivel.

    26 Questions on a resolution from the City Council is about as epic as 95 theses by Martin Luther in the movement that started the Protestant Reformation. The only difference is there is no reforming Ravi. Time for a total recall. Hasta la vista Ravi!

    Where are hard core Bhalla supporters like Phil “Upzone” Cohen, carpetbagger Jake “Emails R Us” Stuiver, Paul “Appoint my hubby” Sommerville, Jersey City interloper Mark “Butt Hurt Expressionist” Heyer and so many others on this issue? These ardent supporters had every right to support their candidate but I am curious to see how they try and justify this. It’s ok to eat crow by the way. I once supported Beth Mason. You can cone around on this and realize just perhaps you got behind the wrong candidate “Bait and Switch” Bhalla.

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