A recent federal ruling, the impact of new state and local regulations, a discussion of diversity and inclusion, and key advice for new lawyers are highlighted in the latest edition of Dictum, a publication of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s (NJSBA) Young Lawyers Division (YLD), available to NJSBA members at njsba.com.
In his column, YLD Chair Ryan Gaffney, who is also a NJSBA trustee, praises the enthusiasm displayed by division members and vows to support initiatives such as career development after the pandemic, diversity and inclusion, and maintaining the YLD’s philanthropic commitments to Wills for Heroes and its Earth Day program.
Alexandra Loprete kicks off her first issue as Dictum editor with a call to make law firms more inclusive for lawyers of all backgrounds.
“Systems that award compensation based on spending more than 50 hours a week in the office, and a hyper-competitive culture based on extreme workloads are failing women and working-class families where one spouse is pursuing a legal career,” Loprete writes in her letter from the editor. “Such systems also disproportionally reward individuals that are not the primary caretakers for children or aging parents, and who have a non-working spouse at home to handle household and family responsibilities.”
The Dictum Fall 2021 edition also analyzes some legal updates, including the federal court ruling granting widowed same-sex spouses Social Security survivor benefits. The ruling waived the nine-month marriage requirement for survivor benefits eligibility for same-sex couples who were prevented from marrying earlier due to previous bans on same-sex marriage.
Additional legal updates include:
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation requiring insurers offering private automobile insurance coverage to disclose the policy limits of their insureds to attorneys who make a written demand.
- Monsanto-Bayer is ending sales of glyphosate-based herbicides, including Roundup, in U.S. residential lawn and garden markets starting in 2023, in order to “manage litigation risk.” This comes amid legal challenges against the Environmental Protection Agency regarding its approval of glyphosate, and after a $289 million award issued to a plaintiff in 2018 after a jury determined Roundup exposure was a significant factor in causing his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
The issue also provides a recap of tips for young lawyers, presented at a recent NJSBA seminar organized by the YLD. At the event, a panel of judges and lawyers offered substantive pointers; identified common missteps; and provided invaluable advice for new attorneys, including being prepared, respectful, generous, and self-aware.
The edition also acknowledged YLD 2021 Professional Achievement Award winner Samuel J. Berse. Berse, an associate at Berse Law, LLC, accomplished the rare feat of prevailing in two published decisions in family law in one year.