The New Jersey State Bar Association’s governing body held its July meeting during a two-day work retreat at the Molly Pitcher Inn in Red Bank, where the Board discussed a strategic plan outlining the Association’s renewed commitment to advancing the profession and delivering greater value to its members.
The retreat proved highly productive, with trustees engaging in in-depth discussions that shaped a clear path to broaden the Association’s reach and enhance the membership experience across five core pillars: advocacy, continuing legal education, finance, membership and the sections and committees.
As part of its regular business meeting, the Board agreed to seek clarification from the state Supreme Court on an order that provides a limited stay of DWI prosecutions involving the new Alcotest 9510 machines. The machine is currently the subject of a special adjudicator hearing to determine its reliability. Municipal court practitioners have noted that the Supreme Court order is not being applied uniformly throughout the state, with many municipal court judges staying all Alcotest 9510 cases, regardless of whether they can proceed without the machine readings. The NJSBA is participating as amicus in the case of State v. Cunningham.
The Board approved contracts with The Conrad in London, England to host the 2027 Mid-Year Meeting and the Hyatt New Brunswick for the 2026 Family Law Symposium.
The Board also supported the following honorees for the 2025 Pro Bono Awards, which will be held on Oct. 22 at the New Jersey Law Center:
• Champion of Justice Award: Thomas H. Prol
• Pillar of Justice Award: Bressler Amery & Ross P.C.
• Distinguished New Lawyer Award: Kevin L. Bazur
• Mark Daniel Excellence in Pro Bono Award: BASF Corporation Legal Department
• Lifetime Advancement of Pro Bono Service Award: Nancy Eberhardt