About Justin D. Turner, Esq.

Justin Turner is a Cape May County attorney with a boutique practice focused on land use, environmental law, real estate and business transactions, and complex litigation. As a lifelong resident of the Jersey Cape, he brings not only legal expertise but also a deep understanding of what it means to live, work, and do business in this unique coastal community.

A Different Kind of Environmental Lawyer

Justin doesn't just practice environmental and land use law—he lives it. As owner-operator of Ocean View Resort Campground, New Jersey's largest privately owned camping resort with 180 wooded acres and 1,173 campsites, and general counsel to multiple multigenerational family businesses throughout Cape May County's tourism sector, he understands the practical challenges his clients face. Whether you're navigating complex zoning approvals, managing environmental compliance for a seasonal business, planning for business succession, or protecting family legacy operations, Justin has been in your shoes.

What We Do

Land Use & Zoning

Justin guides clients through planning and zoning board approvals across Cape May and Atlantic Counties. From variances and site plan approvals to subdivision applications and use variances, he helps property owners and businesses secure the approvals they need to move forward.

Real Estate & Business Transactions

Justin handles both commercial and residential real estate transactions, including purchases, sales, and complex closings. He also represents clients in business transactions, such as the sale or acquisition of businesses, helping to structure deals that protect your interests and preserve family legacies.

Chancery Division Litigation

When disputes can't be resolved through negotiation, Justin litigates in New Jersey's Chancery Division—the court of equity. His practice includes actions for partition (dividing co-owned property), actions for specific performance (compelling parties to fulfill contracts), quiet title actions, and actions in lieu of prerogative writ. He also practices before the Law Division's Civil Part and Special Civil Part when cases require it.

Justin approaches litigation with a focus on practical solutions. As a volunteer mediator for the New Jersey courts and a certificate holder in Negotiation Essentials from Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation, he seeks resolution over unnecessary conflict—but he's prepared to fight when his clients' interests demand it. (In fact, he successfully tried what Judge Mendez noted was likely the first—and possibly only—de minimis defense to a residential noise violation in Cape May County's vicinage.)

Guardianships

Justin has a strong background in complex adult guardianship cases, where he is frequently appointed by the court to represent incapacitated persons or serve as temporary guardian. This work requires both legal skill and genuine compassion for vulnerable individuals and their families.

Credentials That Matter

Justin is a contributing researcher to the New Jersey Environmental Law Handbook (8th edition) and holds professional credentials as a NREC Registered Environmental Professional and Certified Natural Resource Professional. He earned his J.D. from Delaware Law School at Widener University, where he received a Certificate in Environmental Law and the school's Pro Bono Distinction, and holds a B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in Cognitive Science from Villanova University.

Admitted to practice in New Jersey and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, Justin is a member of the New Jersey Association for Justice and the American Association for Justice. He has also served as municipal prosecutor and assistant municipal solicitor, giving him insight into how local government works from the inside.

Deep Community Roots

Justin serves as Secretary and incoming Treasurer of the Cape May County Bar Association, where he has coordinated the county's high school Mock Trial program for six of the past eight years and hosts the association's annual Trivia Night at Shore Gate Golf Club. He serves as Vice Chairperson of the Dennis Township Environmental Commission and as a trustee of the Cape May County Historical and Genealogical Society.

His commitment to the community extends beyond legal service: Justin volunteers with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (as both stranding responder and education volunteer) and the Cape May County Medical Reserve Corps, and served as a volunteer EMT for over fifteen years.

Beyond the Office

When he's not working with clients or serving the community, you might find Justin exploring shipwrecks around the world as a PADI Divemaster and Master Scuba Diver, photographing wildlife (he's a member of both the Professional Photographers of America and the North American Nature Photography Association), or tending to his beehives. These aren't just hobbies—they reflect the same curiosity, discipline, and respect for the natural world that shape how he practices law.

Ready to work with an attorney who understands your community? Contact Shoreside Legal today to discuss how we can help with your land use, environmental, real estate, or business needs.

Credentials & Affiliations

Bar Admissions
• State of New Jersey
• United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

Education
• J.D., Delaware Law School at Widener University (2014)
 – Certificate in Environmental Law
 – Pro Bono Distinction
• Certificate, Negotiation Essentials – Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation (2023)
• B.A., Psychology – Villanova University (2009)
 – Concentration in Cognitive Science

Professional Affiliations
• Secretary and Trustee, Cape May County Bar Association
• Court-Appointed Volunteer Mediator, New Jersey Judiciary
• Vice-Chair, Dennis Township Environmental Commission
• Trustee, Cape May County Historical and Genealogical Society
• Member, New Jersey Association for Justice
• Member, American Association for Justice

Other Credentials
• Registered Environmental Professional – NREP
• Certified Natural Resource Professional – NREP

Publications
• Contributing Researcher – New Jersey Environmental Law Handbook (8th ed.)