Overview

Eric Chase leads Bressler’s franchise law practice, as he has done for many years. His work includes representation of automotive dealers nationwide in litigation, complex negotiation and transactions.  His courtroom experience spans decades, including his early years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Newark.  He has been, and continues to be, lead counsel for clients in state and federal courts at trial and appellate levels.

Eric has an exceptional background in professional and legal writing. His approximately 200 publications, include articles in many highly regarded automotive publications such as Automotive News.  He also had a distinguished military career.  A highly decorated retired Marine colonel with combat experience, he has written numerous articles and reviews on military history and national security.  His byline has appeared in, among others, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, and the Marine Corps Gazette, which has designated him a Distinguished Author, “For clarity of thought, quality of writing and sustained commitment to professional discourse and the intellectual life of the United States Marine Corps.”

Awards & Accolades

  • Selected to the list of Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent lawyers
  • Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2005-2007, 2009-2014, 2016-2021
  • Included in the list of the Best Lawyers in America®, 2023, 2024
  • Two-time recipient of the Legion of Merit
  • Received the Purple Heart
  • Received the Navy Commendation Medal with combat "V"
  • Received the Combat Action Ribbon
  • Received the Vietnamese Campaign Medal
  • Received the Vietnam Service Medal
  • Received the National Defense Medal
  • Designated a Distinguished Author by the Marine Corps Association and Marine Corps Gazette

No aspect of this or any advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the award methodologies can be found here.

Experience

Experience

  • Consultation and development of strategies to avoid formal disputes
  • Advice on best practices that may cure problems before they happen (see his annually published checklist for dealers)
  • Dealership policy manuals
  • Transactional matters, including dealership buy-sells
  • Estate Planning for dealers and their families
  • Lawsuits for damages, injunctive relief and/or declaratory judgment
  • Class and mass actions
  • Administrative actions, such as a dealer protesting or defending the establishment or relocation of competitive dealerships
  • Appearances before factory dispute resolution bodies, such as the Ford Dealer Policy Board
  • Settling hundreds of disputes
  • Appeals in state and federal courts

News & Insights

News & Alerts

Speaking Engagements & Events

Articles & Publications

Associations & Organizations

Professional Affiliations

  • Board of Directors, Marine Corps Association
  • Member, Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • Member, Federal Bar Association
  • Member, American Bar Association
  • Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
  • Member, New Jersey State Bar Association, Franchise Law Committee
  • Member, National Association of Dealer Counsel

Civic Involvement

  • Member, Marine Corps Association
  • Member, Reserve Officers Association
  • Member, Marine Corps Reserve Association

More About Eric

More About Eric

Eric's article, “After the Cold War:  Expand the Reserves,” Marine Corps Gazette (June 1990) was reprinted in The Congressional Record (June 12, 1990) upon the motion of Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), then Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, with the unanimous consent of the Senate.

 Senator Nunn commented in the Record:  “I agree with Colonel Chase that there is a need to develop a new total force package that will include a greatly increased role for the Reserve Components, and I think his article in the Marine Corps Gazette makes an important contribution to this effort.”

Education

  • Harvard Kennedy School, completed program for Senior Executives in National and International Security
  • Stanford University, Graduate Certificate in International Security (4.0 GPA)
  • University of Minnesota, J.D., cum laude
  • Princeton University, B.A.

Selected Military Education

  • Reserve Components National Security (Pensacola)
  • Command and Staff College I and II (Quantico)
  • Law of War (Newport)
  • Amphibious Warfare School I and II (Quantico)
  • International Law (U.S. Army Judge Advocate General School, Charlottesville), First in Class of 80
  • Vietnamese Language (32 weeks) (Defense Language Institute, Monterey), First in Class of 29
  • The Basic School (Top 10%)

Admissions

  • New Jersey
  • District of Columbia
  • New York
  • Virginia
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Tax Court
  • U.S. Claims Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • US District Court, Northern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
  • 2024 Best Lawyers
  • SL2021
  • 2020 Super Lawyers
  • 2019 Super Lawyers
  • 2018 Super Lawyers
  • 2017 Super Lawyers
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