Municipal attorney Michael J. Herbert, who represented both West Windsor and Plainsboro and occasionally found himself a bone of contention in West Windsor, died September 12 at the age of 73 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was remembered fondly by both his clients and his adversaries.
At West Windsor Town Council and planning board meetings this summer Herbert was replaced by Karen Cayci, his partner in the Lawrenceville-based firm of Herbert, Van Ness, Cayci and Goodell. Mayor Shing Fu-Hsueh, who knew Herbert for over 13 years, called Herbert a kind, respected professional who helped West Windsor in a multitude of ways.
Mayor Hsueh and his wife visited with Herbert at his home on September 1. The mayor said it was a stark change from the course of recent events as Herbert was actively involved in meetings until July with interest in seeing the transit village project move forward.
In Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu called Herbert a great public servant and adviser, a respected professional, and a fun man to be around, equipped with a good sense of humor.
“I worked closely with Mike since becoming township administrator,” said Plainsboro Township Administrator Robert Sheehan. “We came from similar backgrounds; working-class Irish Catholic and Catholic school-educated. We used to share stories about growing up. Mike always had a story for you and he always had a smile on his face. It was a real pleasure to work with him, and we miss him already.”
Cantu and Sheehan both commented on Herbert’s statewide reputation as a legal professional. “Mike was integral in the preservation of the Bulk Farm and he guided us through a lot of day-to-day proceedings. He was solid as a rock when it came to the advice he gave us in how to navigate projects and get things done. In addition to his friendship his legal advice will be missed,” Sheehan said.
West Windsor Councilman Charles Morgan noted that he and Herbert held distinctly different views regarding the role of a township attorney and occasionally disagreed on the meaning of “the law.”
“He always took my phone calls, always listened to my views, occasionally changed his views after listening to me, and was courteous above all. On a personal level he was a nice man who was an amiable companion,” Morgan said.
Steve Goldin, CEO of InterCap Holdings, crossed paths with Herbert several times. Goldin first encountered Herbert when he was working on a development project in Hamilton and Herbert was the township attorney.
Despite being on opposite sides, Goldin says Herbert never allowed animosity to build up. “Business litigation is different from personal litigation because achieving a settlement is in everybody’s best interest. Mike could beat you up on behalf of his client, but do it in a way that you maintain respect and affection for him. In turn, that allows for talks to become cordial in working towards a settlement. That generation of lawyers is going by the wayside — guys that can go at it hard and do it in a way that each side respected,” Goldin said.
Both West Windsor and Plainsboro plan to continue with Cayci and the firm’s other attorneys.
