Decades of trial work in New York and New Jersey have given Michael Maggiano a perspective shaped by different courts, complex cases, and an early interest in investigation.
A legal case can change depending on which side of the Hudson River it lands. After nearly five decades practicing in New York and New Jersey, Michael Maggiano has learned to account for those differences. The founder of Maggiano, DiGirolamo & Lizzi is licensed in every state and federal court in both states, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. His approach to the work, however, began taking shape before he entered private practice.
An Early Lesson in Building a Case
While attending Chicago-Kent College of Law, Maggiano interned with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago, working on political corruption and organized crime investigations. The experience taught him to approach a case as an investigation rather than simply a legal argument.
In personal injury law, that investigative approach can mean acting quickly when evidence is time-sensitive. In trucking cases, for example, electronic control module data and driver logs may not remain available indefinitely. Maggiano’s firm works to send a spoliation letter within days of a crash to legally require the carrier to preserve that evidence.
“Preparation is the first one, and it’s not close,” Maggiano says of the traits most important in his career. He also points to persistence and curiosity.
A Practice Shaped by Two States
Maggiano founded his practice in 1976 and eventually expanded into Fort Lee, Hackensack, and the Bronx. Rather than spending his career within one court system, he became accustomed to working under the different rules of New York and New Jersey.
Years of moving between the two states have given Maggiano a different instinct for how a case can develop depending on where it lands.
Location continues to factor into the firm’s decisions. In 2025, it signed a lease for office space near the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, putting its attorneys close to one of northern New Jersey’s busiest civil calendars.
Taking Experience Into the Classroom
Outside the courtroom, Maggiano has spent more than 30 years teaching continuing legal education. He has lectured for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education on subjects including cross-examination, expert testimony, and forensic evidence. He also organized Medicine for Lawyers, bringing medical specialists in to help attorneys understand the medicine involved in serious injury claims.
His interest in learning extends to newer technology. Maggiano sees AI as useful for time-consuming tasks such as organizing medical records or producing an initial summary. He draws a firmer line around courtroom work. Reading a witness or jury and knowing when to push an argument are skills he believes come from years of working with people in person.
Nearly five decades after opening his practice, Maggiano is still working within two legal systems while adapting to changes in how cases are built. From his law school internship to his current practice, Maggiano has not depended on doing the job one particular way. His career has depended on knowing when the rules, facts, and people in front of him require a different approach.
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