Hellen Tuckett, General Attorney in Roseland, New Jersey

Hellen is an associate in the firm's Casualty Department where she handles all areas of general liability, premises liability, automobile liability, personal injury protection (PIP) and civil rights litigation. She has experience in a wide range of matters including motor vehicle accidents, slip and falls, civil rights and sexual assault claims.

Hellen began her career with a local boutique firm. Through this position, she obtained critical training in matters involving affirmative and defense personal injury, complex and business litigation and class actions. Thereafter, Hellen worked in public service, where she specialized in the defense of motor vehicle and slip and fall, civil rights and sexual assault matters. In that position, she successfully prevailed on several motions to dismiss and motions for summary judgment and participated in intensive discovery, arbitration, mediation and settlement hearings.

Hellen received her juris doctor in 2020 from Rutgers Law School where she was recognized with the Chief Justice Richard J. Hughes Prize, which is awarded to the graduating student who has achieved the best record in the New Jersey Practice course. She graduated summa cum laude in 2015 from Kean University with a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Political Science. Hellen also graduated in 2008 from Essex County College with an Associate in Science in Paralegal Studies.

While pursuing her J.D. and undergraduate degrees, for over a decade, Hellen simultaneously worked full-time as a paralegal and conflicts analyst for other firms in the tri-state area focused on class actions, personal injury, and employment litigation.

Hellen is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York and in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Results

Summary Judgment Won in a Dog Bite Case in New Jersey

We secured summary judgment in a general liability case involving a dog bite. The plaintiff alleged a laceration to the face from a dog bite. The dog was owned by a co-defendant, not by our client, the landlord of the property where the bite occurred. There were no issues of material fact or proof to support a theory of liability under strict or ordinary negligence, and no behavioral signs of aggression were observed by the plaintiff or the property owner’s son who hosted the party where the plaintiff was bitten. We argued that the elements under both theories could not be met, and the judge agreed, granting summary judgment.