Villas Lawyers

Brian received his bachelor's degree in political science from Rutgers University College Camden where he graduated summa cum laude, earning the Jack Marvin Weiner award and the Armitage award for highest overall grade average. He graduated from Rutgers School of Law Camden in 2008. While in law school he performed pro bono work for the Community Dispute Resolution Pro Bono Mediation Project and completed a pro bono research project for a local maritime non-profit. Brian has over twenty years experience as a licensed mariner and over fifteen years in marine management positions, including Port Captain. He has extensive experience in...

An experienced, knowledgeable attorney practicing Family Law since 1986. I specialize in divorce, child custody & visitation, child support, alimony, domestic violence/restraining orders, pre/post nuptial agreements, uncontested divorces, marital settlement agreements and adoption. I have been certified by the NJ Supreme Court as a matrimonial attorney since 2003.

Mr. Petro is a founding partner and heads the Workers’ Compensation Department of the firm. He has limited his practice to handling workers’ comp cases over the past 45+ years. Mr. Petro is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Workers’ Compensation Law Attorney, which is the highest specialty certification available to workers’ compensation lawyers in New Jersey. He is one of only 18 lawyers in the state that have held this certification since its inception in 1998. For twenty-seven consecutive years, Mr. Petro has been named on the Best Lawyers in America® list for workers’...

A founding partner and current managing partner of Petro Cohen, P.C., Ms. Petro focuses on personal injury litigation and has more than 30 years of experience. She is bilingual, fluent in English and Spanish.  She is a former president of the Atlantic County Bar Association and served nine years as master in the Vincent S. Haneman America Inn of Court. Ms. Petro has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University and received her law degree at Rutgers University School of Law.  Ms. Petro is a Phi Beta Kappa and has served on numerous boards and committees during her legal tenure. -...

Ms. Holz Meola heads the Social Security Disability Department at Petro Cohen, P.C. and has nearly 30 years of legal experience. In addition to Social Security disability, she handles workers’ compensation claims for the firm. Ms. Holz Meola graduated cum laude from Mount St. Mary’s College (Emmitsburg, MD) in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in political science and minoring in business. In 1989, she received a Juris Doctor degree from Dickinson School of Law of Pennsylvania State University (Carlisle, PA). As part of her legal education, Ms. Holz Meola assisted in providing free legal services to victims of...

Ms. Hiles is an associate at Petro Cohen, P.C. focusing on workers’ compensation claims with more than 25 years of legal experience. Her practice at Petro Cohen has included working in all areas of workers’ compensation, including traumatic injury claims as well as occupational exposure claims. Ms. Hiles attended West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia where she majored in political science and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993. She then enrolled in law school at Widener University School of Law located in Wilmington, Delaware. During law school, Ms. Hiles she completed the Intensive Trial Advocacy Program, and also participated...

Mr. Scimeca is an associate at the law firm Petro Cohen, P.C. focusing on workers’ compensation litigation. In 2013, Mr. Scimeca graduated from Temple University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 2018 from Widener University Delaware School of Law and was admitted to the New Jersey bar in November 2018. During his years in law school, Mr. Scimeca served a legal intern for a Pennsylvania and New Jersey licensed business law firm focused on providing comprehensive legal services to both small and large clientele, as well as a Compliance Volunteer for Temple University...

Firm founder, John Zarych, brings to each federal and state criminal case a wealth of strong academic and courtroom experience. While attending the University of Maryland School of Law, where he graduated cum laude, John Zarych distinguished himself by being elected as an Editor of the prestigious Maryland Law Review and by achieving the highest grade in the law school for criminal procedure and administrative law. These two subjects deal with the protections afforded to individual citizens by the U.S. Constitution and the manner in which attorneys use those protections to assist citizens who are being illegally accused or oppressed...

Mr. Rosenthal is an associate at Petro Cohen, P.C. focusing on workers’ compensation litigation. Mr. Rosenthal has more than 10 years of workers’ compensation experience, and has appeared before the Division of Compensation throughout New Jersey. In 2007, Mr. Rosenthal graduated with honors from Rutgers College (now Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, NJ, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, double-majoring in Journalism and Media Studies, as well as Political Science. He received his Juris Doctor degree in 2010 from Rutgers University School of Law in Camden, NJ. Mr. Rosenthal was selected as Henry J. Raimondo Legislative Fellow with...

Rich is an attorney with Petro Cohen, P.C. with nearly 20 years of litigation and trial experience. As part of the Personal Injury team, Rich handles all matters on behalf of those injured as a result of the fault of another. A graduate of St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, Rich attended New York Law School where he achieved the honor of becoming a Law Review Articles Editor. While studying in law school, Rich worked as a Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant for various professors during his tenure. During that time, Rich also volunteered for the New York Bar Foundation, representing...

Mr. Cohen was a founding partner and currently is Of Counsel. For more than 35 years, his practice was civil litigation, focusing on personal injury, maritime, product liability, professional negligence, and construction accident claims. Mr. Cohen is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney (2001 to present), which is the highest specialty certification available to NJ civil trial attorneys. Mr. Cohen has been recognized for his outstanding legal work as well as his service to the community.