Blogs

Capitol Report: NJSBA-Supported Bill Regarding Termination of Alternate Names Becomes Law

By Tom Nobile posted yesterday
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed into law a bill that would allow certain limited liability companies to terminate alternate names before the end of a five-year registration period. The New Jersey State Bar Association supported this bill because it puts LLCs on equal footing with corporations, which are already able to do so. S1395 (Lagana)/A4955 (Swain) also makes updates to the statute to reflect the transition of duties from the filing office and the Secretary of State to the State Treasurer. The bill was later amended to prohibit LLCs operating as residential landlords from being able to terminate prior to the end of the expiration period. The law ...
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Capitol Report: NJSBA to Supreme Court: Public Policy Calls for Broad Standing in Will Contests

By Tom Nobile posted 7 days ago
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The New Jersey State Bar Association argued for broader standing in will contests in a case examining whether a beneficiary named in an unprobated will has standing to contest a final, probated will. The Association participated as amicus curiae in In re Estate of Carone , involving the standing of disinherited grandsons to challenge a final will that omitted them as beneficiaries. It should be exceedingly rare to deny standing once someone is named a beneficiary in a will, Gerard G. Brew argued on behalf of the NJSBA. Very few wills are contested and, unless a challenge is totally devoid of merit, the generous rule of standing is warranted, Brew said. ...
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Cohabitation Agreements in Modern Family Law Practice

By Tom Nobile posted 9 days ago
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(Editor’s Note: This article by Valerie Jules McCarthy and Linda Torosian appears in the October 2026 edition of New Jersey Family Lawyer , a publication of the Family Law Section. Section members can read the full issue here .) The legal institution of marriage has long served as the primary framework through which intimate partners organize their financial affairs and establish support obligations. Yet a significant and growing segment of the population now builds shared lives outside that framework. Non-marital cohabitation has risen steadily across all demographic groups, fundamentally altering family formation in New Jersey and throughout the United ...
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Capitol Report: New Jersey Senate Committee Blesses Bill to Impose Joint and Several Liability to Corporate Entities for Unpaid Charges on Residential Properties

By Tom Nobile posted 15 days ago
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The state Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee passed S2191 (Ruiz) , which expands liability of certain individuals associated with limited liability companies and other commercial entities acting as residential landlords for unpaid charges associated with those properties. The New Jersey State Bar Association is monitoring the bill, which has drawn concerns in the past because it undermines the standard corporate structures that protects individual liability and can deter investment in New Jersey’s rental housing market. The bill has previously passed the committee with tenant advocates calling it an ...
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NJSBA Board Acts on Key Matters at September Meeting

By Tom Nobile posted 16 days ago
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The New Jersey State Bar Association’s governing body took key actions to support its members and advance the organization’s mission during its September meeting. The Board agreed to submit a letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit supporting Thomas’s reappointment as Federal Public Defender. The court had invited public comments on his reappointment. The NJSBA’s Federal Practice and Procedure Section reviewed the matter and recommended supporting Thomas, describing him as a consummate professional and one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the administration and operation of the Federal Public Defender’s Office. ...
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Explore More NJSBA Member Benefits

By Tom Nobile posted 21 days ago
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Fall is a season for fresh starts. It’s great time to take a closer look at everything your NJSBA membership has to offer. From valuable discounts and professional resources to programs that help strengthen your practice and connect you with colleagues across the Garden State, your membership provides benefits you can put to work all year long. Whether you're looking to save on essential products and services, find new tools for your practice or make the most of your connection to New Jersey's legal community, there's plenty to explore. Take a look below and discover more ways to get value from your NJSBA membership this fall and beyond. Run Your Practice ...
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NJSBA-Supported Bill Allowing LLCs to Terminate Alternate Names Sooner Clears State Assembly

By Tom Nobile posted 21 days ago
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The New Jersey General Assembly passed a bill that would permit certain limited liability companies to terminate alternate names before the end of the five-year registration period. A4955 (Swain) would afford LLCs the same flexibility that corporate entities currently have to resolve a trade name dispute, comply with the requirements of a merger or acquisition agreement, or reflect a change in business direction. The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) supported the bill. The bill was amended in the state Senate to clarify that residential landlords would not be permitted to file a termination certificate prior to the expiration of the five-year ...
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Capitol Report: NJSBA-Supported Bill Requiring Representation By an Attorney in PIP Arbitration Hearings Clears Assembly Panel

By Tom Nobile posted 29 days ago
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The Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee voted out a bill that would require parties in arbitration hearings involving claims for personal injury protection (PIP) to be represented by New Jersey-licensed attorneys. The New Jersey State Bar Association supports A5297 (Hutchison) , which also carves out an exception for pro se litigants appearing on their own behalf. Earlier this year, the bill’s prime Senate sponsor, Joseph Lagana, noted concerns that in certain PIP arbitration proceedings where arbitrators were awarded attorney’s fees, paralegals and insurance adjusters have been arguing cases, raising concerns of the unauthorized practice ...
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Capitol Report: Assembly Committee Gives Nod to Breastfeeding Accommodation Bill; NJSBA Supports With Clarifying Language

By Tom Nobile posted 09-10-2026
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The Assembly Community Development and Women’s Affairs Committee sent out of committee a bill that would amend the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination to clarify and strengthen workplace accommodation protections for employees who are lactating and expressing breast milk. The New Jersey State Bar Association supports A4704 (Speight)/S2689 (Timberlake) with a recommendation to use “lactating” or “lactation” in place of breastfeeding throughout the bill to clarify protections for lactating individuals. The bill makes clear that accommodations for milk expression must be provided for as long as the employee desires and clarifies that accommodations may also ...
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What’s Ahead This Fall at the NJSBA

By Tom Nobile posted 09-09-2026
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This fall, the NJSBA has a full calendar of opportunities to learn, connect and engage with the legal community. From timely CLE and practical professional development to networking receptions, special celebrations and signature events, there’s something for every attorney in the months ahead. Mark your calendar and make the most of the season with these upcoming NJSBA programs. Here's a primer of what’s coming. Visit njsba.com for the full calendar. Sept. 15 Wellness for Lawyers: Preparing Your Wellness Plan for the Busy Season – Join NJICLE on for a special program on preparing for the busy season while balancing professional and personal ...
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NJSBA President Addresses Seton Hall Law Students at Orientation

By Tom Nobile posted 09-08-2026
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The New Jersey State Bar Association kicked off the academic year with a visit to Seton Hall Law School, where NJSBA President Norberto A. Garcia welcomed incoming 1L students and offered advice as they begin their legal education. Garcia, who earned his undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University, shared words of inspiration and guided the students through the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law’s Lawyer’s Pledge, emphasizing the values and responsibilities that come with entering the legal profession. He noted that, before long, the students would graduate and join the ranks of practicing attorneys, a journey into what he called “the greatest ...
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Captive No More: Employer Speech, Worker Choice, and the New Labor Law Landscape

By Tom Nobile posted 09-04-2026
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( Editor’s Note: This article by Arlene Quiñones Perez of DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP appears in the latest issue of Labor and Employment Law Quarterly . Section members can log in to read the full edition here . ) Few labor law labels are as intuitively powerful as the “captive audience” – a workplace gathering where employees must attend (often on paid time) while management delivers a message about unionization or other protected activity. The National Labor Relations Board detonated decades of precedent when it issued Amazon.com Services LLC and Dana Joann Miller and Amazon Labor Union. 1 In Amazon.com Services LLC, the NLRB held that ...
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Capitol Report: Governor Issues Executive Order Continuing the Judicial Advisory Panel, Appoints NJSBA Past President

By Tom Nobile posted 09-03-2026
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Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed Executive Order 22 to continue the Judicial Advisory Panel to assist the Governor in evaluating candidates for appointment to the Superior Court and Supreme Court. NJSBA Past President John Keefe Jr. will serve as a member of the panel, which is composed of former judges and practicing attorneys. The panel evaluates candidates for positions on New Jersey’s courts and provides the governor with recommendations regarding those candidates’ qualifications and fitness to serve as judges. The other panelists include: Justice Jaynee LaVecchia (Ret) (Chair) - Chief Justice James R. Zazzali (Ret.) - Justice Virginia A. Long (Ret.) ...
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Tips on How to Manage Work Stress

By Tom Nobile posted 09-03-2026
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The NJSBA's Member Assistance Program is a free confidential service that offers 24/7 phone, text or mobile access to a mental health professional with at least seven years of experience, who will provide individual counseling and connect members with a wellness library of more than 25,000 self-help resources. The program is available to all NJSBA members and those in their households. Get help today by calling 800-531-0200. The following article is from a newsletter by Charles Nechtem Associates, the program’s provider. Picture an ideal week at work: everything goes smoothly, and you feel genuinely satisfied with your job. It may sound unrealistic, doesn’t ...
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First-Generation Law Student Builds a Path Through Service

By Tom Nobile posted 08-23-2026
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For Rutgers Law School student and Army National Guard member Luzisania Figueras, the path to the legal profession has been anything but conventional. As first-generation college student, she once faced the possibility of putting her education aside when financial aid ran out. Rather than abandon her goals, she joined the military, beginning a journey that would allow her to serve her country while continuing her education and discovering a passion for advocacy. Today she is balancing law school, a full-time career and a new role as a mother, all while preparing for a future as a litigator. As a recipient of a New Jersey State Bar Foundation scholarship, she ...
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Capitol Report: Daniel’s Law Ruling Shapes Reach of Law on Data Brokers, Public Facing Websites

By Tom Nobile posted 08-20-2026
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Two significant events in recent days invoking Daniel’s Law is shaping its reach on publication of addresses deemed protected under the law. Earlier this month, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued an opinion that Daniel’s Law does not contain a mental state requirement for actual damages liability under N.J.S.A. 56:8-1.66.1(c)(1), leaving open the question of constitutionality of the law for further review by the Third Circuit. Just this week, the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) released a statement by Chairman Thomas H. Prol regarding its decision to temporarily restrict immediate online access to certain pre-2021 campaign finance ...
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Court Rules Amendments, Updates to Evidence Rules and RPCs Take Effect Sept. 1

By Tom Nobile posted 08-13-2026
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Several amendments to the New Jersey Rules of Court will take effect Sept. 1, impacting a number of areas of the law including motions for reconsideration, nonparty discovery, warrants of satisfaction, and guardianships. The Supreme Court also approved amendments to the Rules of Professional Conduct regarding attorney-client relationships and New Jersey Rules of Evidence 702 regarding testimony by experts. New Jersey Rules of Court Amendments The Supreme Court’s order on July 23 outlines the following amendments: - Rule 1:6-2(d) now provides that a request for oral argument on a motion for reconsideration in the Civil and Family ...
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NJSBA Delegation Joins ABA in Adopting National Policy Priorities

By Tom Nobile posted 08-11-2026
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New Jersey State Bar Association leaders joined the American Bar Association's policy-making body last week to debate and adopt national policies on issues ranging from judicial independence and immigration enforcement to legal ethics and law school recruitment. The action came during the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago, held July 29 through Aug. 4, where nearly 600 delegates representing ABA entities and state, local and specialty bar associations convened for the association's two-day House of Delegates meeting. Representing the NJSBA were President Norberto A. Garcia, President-Elect G. Glennon Troublefield, NJSBA Past Presidents Karol Corbin Walker, Thomas ...
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Bar Foundation Awards Scholarships to NJ Law Students

By Tom Nobile posted 08-10-2026
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The New Jersey State Bar Foundation has awarded $75,000 in scholarships to 13 students attending the state’s law schools. Since 1975, the Foundation has supported growth in the legal profession by offering annual scholarships for second- and third-year law students or students who attend part time and have completed two semesters. From one scholarship in 1975 to more than 10 today, the Foundation fosters pride in the legal profession by supporting the education of future lawyers. The scholarships range from $2,500 to $10,000. “We are pleased to support this year’s scholarship recipients,” said Ralph J. Lamparello, president of the NJSBF. “Their experiences ...
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Capitol Report: Supreme Court Limits Reach of Child Sexual Assault Claims

By Tom Nobile posted 08-06-2026
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The New Jersey Supreme Court rejected arguments made by the New Jersey State Bar Association and others to apply amendments expanding liability for passive abuse in child sexual abuse matters to instances of abuse that occurred prior to the amendments’ effective date. The court held, instead, that the elimination of language in the Child Sexual Abuse Act (CSAA) requiring passive abusers to be “within the household” of the alleged abused individual applies prospectively under the plain language of the Child Victim’s Act (CVA). The Court reversed the Appellate Division’s ruling in J.H. v. Warren Hills Board of Education , declining to hold the Board of Education ...
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