Denise Mariani is an expert Civil Trial Attorney, having been certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 20 years as such. Ms. Mariani is also the Chair of the Nursing Home Negligence practice at Stark & Stark, focusing her advocacy skills and experience to protecting the rights of our elderly population and holding accountable those who cause harm to them.
For 30 years, she has fought tirelessly to defend the rights of those who have been injured or killed through the negligence of others. As the Chair of the Nursing Home Negligence litigation group, Ms. Mariani specializes in representing individuals and the families of individuals who, through negligence or abuse, have died or been seriously injured in a nursing home, assisted living facility, rehabilitation center, group home, or hospital.
As a native of Trenton, Ms. Mariani is dedicated to serving her community. She is a founding Board Member of “I Believe in Pink,” a nonprofit organization which raises money to provide assistance to breast cancer patients in need of financial support in Mercer County and the surrounding areas. She is a Board Member of the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Women In Business Alliance (WIBA) which sponsors programs for women to focus on professional development, collaboration with business and community leaders, and advocacy for women’s issues, including its signature New Jersey Conference for Women. She also chaired the Community Projects Committee of the Mercer County Bar Association for many years, leading various charitable events and fundraisers throughout the County.
Prior to joining Stark & Stark, Ms. Mariani served as judicial law clerk to The Honorable Paul T. Koenig and The Honorable Linda R. Feinberg of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division-Family Part. She also served as a certified legal intern in the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office in Trenton, New Jersey and the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney
- J.D., Widener University School of Law, 1992
- B.A., Biology and Economics, Randolph-Macon Women’s College, 1989
- Panelist, Hot Tips in Civil Litigation. New Jersey State Bar Association NJICLE. February 18, 2026.
- Panelist, Interactive Civil Jury Selection Strategies. New Jersey State Bar Association NJICLE. January 14, 2026.
- Author, The Hidden Threat of Forced Arbitration in Nursing Homes. Mercer County Woman. November/December 2025 Issue.
- Speaker, Recent Trial Experiences and Appeal. NJAJ Meadowlands Seminar. November 20, 2025.
- Author, As the Summer Heats Up, Ensure That Protections are in Place for Your Elderly Loved Ones. Mercer County Woman. July/August 2025 Issue.
- Panelist, 25th Annual Bench Bar Luncheon. Mercer County Bar Association CLE. May 8, 2025.
- Panelist, The Ethical Pitfalls of Handling Medical Malpractice Cases. NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar. May 2, 2025.
- Speaker, Resident “Human” Rights – Increase the Valuation of Your Case & Trial Review. AAJ Nursing Home Litigation Group Webinar. March 5, 2025.
- Speaker, Lessons from the Trenches: Trying Your Fall Fracture Case. 2024 NJAJ Meadowlands Seminar – Nursing Home Litigation Group Program. November 22, 2024.
- Panelist, Civil Litigation Track. New Jersey State Bar Association 2025 Annual Meeting & Convention. May 17, 2024.
- Author, Age Like Betty White, Plan Like Warren Buffet. Hopewell Valley Neighbors Magazine. August 2024.
- Moderator, Women in the Workforce: Redefining Wellness. Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce. April 24, 2024.
- Panelist, Juggling Act – How have times changed, or have they? Mercer County Bar Association Women Lawyers Committee CLE. March 7, 2024.
- Author, Be Prepared as Your Loved Ones Age. Mercer County Woman. November/December 2023 Issue.
- Featured, I Believe in Pink: Making a Difference. Mercer County Woman. September/October 2023 Issue.
- Quoted, Families want answers and action after abrupt closing of Princeton Care Center. Planet Princeton. September 5, 2023.
- Speaker, Voir Dire. 2022 NJAJ Meadowlands Seminar. November 18, 2022.
- Moderator, Women in the Workforce: Navigating Success in the Evolving Workplace. Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce. April 27, 2022.
- Quoted, Bar Report – A retrospective look at 25 years of the NJ Commission on Professionalism in the Law. New Jersey Law Journal. November 23, 2020.
- Quoted, Stark & Stark’s Mariani Named Professional Lawyer of the Year. Patch.com Princeton, Mid Jersey News, American Towns Lawrenceville, Patch.com Lawrenceville. Hopewell Valley News/CentralJersey.com, Shore News Magazine, & New Jersey Law Journal. November 16, 2020.
- Featured, Op-Ed: Attorney General’s Investigation Into Nursing Home Negligence is Badly Needed. ROI-NJ. July 9, 2020.
- Featured, Guest Oped: Pandemic Spurs Overdue Investigation into NJ Nursing Home Negligence. The Trentonian. June 13th, 2020.
- Panelist, Long Term Care Litigation and the Covid-19 Pandemic-Injury and immunity. New Jersey State Bar Association. June 1st, 2020.
- Presenter, Nursing Home Roundtable- What’s Next? NJAJ 2019 Meadowlands Seminar. November 21, 2019.
- Co-Chair, Nursing Home: Latest Litigation Trends. NJAJ 2019 Meadowlands Seminar. November 21, 2019.
- Moderator, Cultivating Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace. Princeton Chamber of Commerce. April 25, 2018.
- Featured, Bride’s Mother Settles Suit Over Hotel Trip and Fall for $1.65M. New Jersey Law Journal. April 21, 2014.
- 2025 “Attorneys Feature” List issued by South Jersey Magazine (Methodology)
- 2024 Community Quarterback Award issued by the United Way of Greater Mercer County
- 2022 Michael J. Nizolek Award issued by the Mercer County Bar Association
- 2020 Best Women in Business Award issued by NJBIZ (Methodology)
- 2020 Professional Lawyer of the Year Award issued by the Mercer County Bar Association
- 2019 New Jersey Top Verdicts issued by Top Verdicts (Full List)
- New Jersey Super Lawyers List issued by Thomson Reuters (Methodology)
- 2014 – 2025; Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff
- 2021 – 2022; Top 50 Women in New Jersey Super Lawyers List (Methodology)
- 2003 Young Lawyer of the Year Award issued by the Mercer County Bar Association
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Professional Organizations
- Mercer County Bar Association – Past President, 2009; Trustee & Officer (1997-2008); Past Community Projects Committee, Past Chair
- Mercer County Bar Foundation – Committee Member (2011-2017)
- New Jersey Association for Justice – Nursing Home Committee
- New Jersey State Bar Association – Civil Trial Bar Executive Committee 2019 – Present
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America – New Jersey
- Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce – Women in Business Alliance – Board Member; Subcommittee for the New Jersey Conference for Women
- I Believe in Pink, Founding Member
