Case Name: JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS; JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. OKS REALTY, INTERVENOR-RESPONDENT, AND ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS
Court: Supreme Court of New Jersey
Jurisdiction: New Jersey
Decision Date: 2017-11-14
Citations: 231 N.J. 135
Docket Number: 078207
Parties: JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS. JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. OKS REALTY, INTERVENOR-RESPONDENT, AND ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS.
Judges: CHIEF JUSTICE RABNER and JUSTICES LaVECCHIA, ALBIN, PATTERSON, FERNANDEZ-VINA, SOLOMON, and TIMPONE join in this opinion.
Reporter: New Jersey Reports
Volume: 231
Pages: 135–136

Head Matter:
172 A.3d 548
JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS. JOHN GIOVANNI GRANATA, PLAINTIFF, v. EDWARD F. BRODERICK, JR., ESQ., AN ATTORNEY AT LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY; BRODERICK, NEWMARK & GRATHER, DEFENDANTS. OKS REALTY, INTERVENOR-RESPONDENT, AND ROTENBERG, MERIL, SOLOMON, BERTIGER & GUTILLA, P.C.; AND ELLIOT H. GOURVITZ, ESQ., INTERVENORS-APPELLANTS.
A-31 September Term 2016
A-32 September Term 2016
078207
Argued October 24, 2017
Decided November 14, 2017
Robert L. Podvey argued the cause for appellant Rotenberg, Meril, Solomon, Bertiger & Gutilla, P.C. (Connell Foley, attorneys; Robert L. Podvey, of counsel and on the brief).
Ari H. Gourvitz argued the cause for appellant Elliot H. Gour-vitz, Esq. (Gourvitz & Gourvitz, attorneys; Ari. H. Gourvitz, on the briefs).
Robyne D. LaGrotta argued the cause for respondent OKS Realty (LaGrotta Law, attorneys; Robyne D. LaGrotta, of counsel and on the briefs).

Opinion:
PER CURIAM
The Court granted certification to review petitioners' challenges to the Superior Court, Appellate Division's determinations regarding the distribution priorities of the attorney's fee award, more specifically the rulings that an attorney's pledge of anticipated attorney's fees can be considered an account receivable and se cured under Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), and that the lender here complied with the requirements of the UCC to perfect its security interest by filing a financing statement covering the collateral of the anticipated attorney's fees. Having considered the parties' arguments presented in their briefs and at oral argument, the judgment of the Appellate Division is affirmed substantially for the reasons expressed in those parts of Judge Guadagno's opinion addressing the distribution priorities of the attorney's fee award, reported at 446 N.J. Super. 449, 143 A.3d 309 (App. Div. 2016).
CHIEF JUSTICE RABNER and JUSTICES LaVECCHIA, ALBIN, PATTERSON, FERNANDEZ-VINA, SOLOMON, and TIMPONE join in this opinion.