William H. Mergner Jr. took the oath of office on May 16 as president of the New Jersey State Bar Association for the 2024-2025 term, assuming leadership over the state’s largest organization of legal professionals.
New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart J. Rabner swore in Mergner at the NJSBA’s Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. A host of Mergner’s friends, family and colleagues – along with the NJSBA’s Executive Committee and Board of Trustees – were on hand to watch the West Caldwell attorney begin his term in the Association’s 125th year.
In a speech at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Mergner said he plans to focus his term on three key issues – continuing the NJSBA’s study of artificial intelligence and its applications in the legal profession, combating the threat of non-lawyers practicing law and owning firms and boosting membership in the Association’s sections and committees.
“I cannot emphasize enough the influence our Association has when our members are engaged. As we all know, when the state bar mobilizes around a cause, we can speak powerfully on the issues that face our profession,” Mergner said.
The rapid rise of AI has prompted complex ethical questions about its place in the law and how far the technology will encroach on the work lawyers do, Mergner said. In the next year, he will look to a recent report by the NJSBA’s Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in the Law as a guide on how to address these issues.
“I pledge to further the Association’s review of the complex legal and ethical questions raised by AI and how attorneys can best use the technology to their advantage,” Mergner said. “My hope is that we strike the right balance in finding how AI can help attorneys deliver legal services while protecting the essential role they play in the law and society.”
Mergner acknowledged the Association’s many sections and committees as the “heartbeat of the NJSBA,” the groups relied on for expertise and insight on the most pressing issues in the profession. Increasing participation in the sections and committees is vital to building interest in the Association and expanding its mission to serve as the voice of New Jersey attorneys, he said.
“This year, I encourage everyone who can attest to the benefits of your membership to pay it forward and spread the word among your colleagues and friends, as I pledge to do. With a vibrant and dedicated membership, we can sustain the Association and its mission for decades to come,” Mergner said.
With Chief Justice Rabner in attendance, Mergner reaffirmed the NJSBA’s commitment to promoting judicial independence. The Association denounced a recent proposal in the state Senate that would shift control of Appellate Division appointments from the Chief Justice to the Governor and Senate. If adopted, it would threaten the independence of the Judiciary, further expose the courts to the political process and likely create a vacancy crisis in the Appellate Division, as seen in the Superior Courts, Mergner said.
“New Jersey has a stellar Appellate Court, indeed one of the nation’s best, due in large part to the Chief Justice’s wisdom in making appointments to ensure a balanced, fair and complete bench of appellate judges,” Mergner said. “I want to be clear that the Association firmly opposes this proposal and will remain the Judiciary’s strongest advocate in promoting its independence.”
Mergner is co-managing partner at Leary, Bride, Mergner & Bongiovanni, in Cedar Knolls, where he practices civil litigation. An accomplished trial attorney, Mergner has tried hundreds of cases to verdict in New Jersey’s state and federal courts. He handles the defense of construction site accidents, multi-party construction defect cases, environmental/toxic tort claims, products liability claims, professional liability claims including medical, engineering, agents/brokers claims, as well as complex general liability claims involving serious injury or death.
Prior to becoming NJSBA president, Mergner’s service in the Association was extensive. As a former Trustee of the Association, he was active with the Pandemic Task Force and spearheaded its work on the resumption of jury trials, which released several reports. He was chair of the Association’s Special Task Force on the Practice of Law, Amicus Committee, Civil Trial Bar Section and Judicial Administration. He is a member of the Meeting Arrangements and Program, Judicial Administration, and Insurance Defense committees.
In addition to Mergner’s installation, other members of the Executive Committee moved up the succession ladder and were sworn in by Chief Justice Rabner. Each officer holds the position for one year.
• Christine A. Amalfe became president-elect. She is a labor and employment law attorney in Newark.
• Norberto A. Garcia became first vice president. He specializes in medical malpractice law in Jersey City.
• G. Glennon Troublefield became second vice president. He specializes civil litigation and intellectual property in Roseland.
• Diana C. Manning became treasurer. She practices in complex commercial litigation in Florham Park.
• Craig J. Hubert, whose practice in Lawrence Township focuses on personal injury, joined the Executive Committee as secretary.
• Timothy F. McGoughran, a family law attorney based in Ocean Township, began a term as immediate past president of the Association.
Before passing the torch to Mergner, McGoughran addressed the membership as NJSBA president for a final time. In a speech, McGoughran said leading the Association was the privilege of a lifetime and one of the greatest honors in his professional life.
“This year has flown by so quickly and has been more rewarding than I ever dreamed. Serving as president of this great organization and on behalf of the dedicated and compassionate volunteer members of the New Jersey legal community has been an incredible gift,” McGoughran said.
Under McGoughran’ s leadership, the Association took concrete steps to support mental health in the legal profession. In July, the NJSBA launched the Member Assistance Program, a service that has helped thousands of attorneys and their immediate family to get the resources they need to stem the decline in mental health and wellness that threatens our profession. McGoughran also supported the expansion of mental health diversion programs in the state to help nonviolent criminal defendants who suffer from a mental health disorder.
McGoughran was also a staunch advocate for the state Senate and governor to address the vacancy crisis in New Jersey’s Superior Courts. During his tenure, judicial vacancies in the state dropped to the lowest rate since 2019.