Sandra T. Ayres

Prior to entering private practice, Ms. Ayres was with the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate, where she served as a Deputy Public Advocate and participated in court, administrative and legislative proceedings involving a wide range of environmental issues.

These included hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste, sewerage, water quality, coastal management, pinelands planning, air quality and ocean dumping issues. Ms. Ayres supervised the Division’s Environment and Energy Section and acted as liaison to the Division of Rate Counsel on water and solid waste utility matters. While with the Public Advocate, Ms. Ayres won a precedent-setting New Jersey Supreme Court decision on the public’s right to use ocean beaches.

Ms. Ayres worked for the first NJ Department of the Public Advocate, Division of Public Interest Advocacy, from 1976 to 1983 ultimately as a Deputy Public Advocate. She left the State in the Fall of 1983, and had a solo practice before joining Schwartz, Tobia & Stanziale in 1988, where she was a partner. Ms. Ayres and other members of her former firm moved to Scarinci Hollenbeck in 2005.  She continues to work in the field of environmental law with a special focus on solid waste regulatory matters, and on related land use, contract and permitting issues. She has successfully represented interests of private and public sector clients in the courts and before administrative agencies.