Douglas M. Bern is the Lead Partner at Bern & Associates LLC, where he has built a reputation as a trusted legal advisor in business organizations and transactions, land use, real estate, environmental, redevelopment, municipal and finance, commercial litigation, and regulatory compliance.

With more than 25 years of experience, Doug has successfully guided clients through high-stakes real estate development, construction, and transactional matters. His work spans due diligence, acquisitions, entitlements, redevelopment strategies, sales, and financings. Under his leadership, Bern & Associates has consistently delivered positive results for its clients, earning recognition as a firm committed to practical solutions and successful outcomes.

Doug brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of public service and leadership. As a former City Councilman, Council President, County Commission Chairman, and Associate Counsel to the New Jersey Senate, he understands government operations at every level—insight that gives his clients a distinct advantage. He continues to serve as legal counsel to multiple municipalities and agencies while advising private sector clients across industries.

Before co-founding Bern & Associates with Matthew Root, Esq., Doug was a Partner at Rubenstein, Meyerson, Fox, Mancinelli, Conte & Bern PA and at Kaufman, Bern & Deutsch.

Doug is admitted to practice in both New York and New Jersey and has been recognized repeatedly for his excellence in the field. He has been named among New York’s Area’s Top-Rated Lawyers by New York Magazine and honored as a Top Rated Lawyer in Land Use and Zoning by National Law Review/American Lawyer. For over 30 years, he has also maintained the prestigious AV Pre-eminent Rating in Martindale-Hubbell, the highest distinction for legal ability and ethical standards.