Blogs

Members in Motion - Career Updates from NJSBA Members

By Tom Nobile posted 2 days ago
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New Jersey State Bar Association members form the core of the state’s legal community. Read on for updates about the latest moves among members. Please share news about NJSBA members with [email protected].   Ephrat Orgel joined the estates and trusts department at Stevens & Lee in Elmwood Park. Graham Staton joined Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC in Little Falls as counsel where he will practice litigation and public law. The New York office of Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC added Amanda Kronemeyer as a senior associate in the firm’s real estate and land use practice. Mandelbaum Barrett PC welcomed Harrison McAvoy to the firm’s Roseland headquarters ...
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Key Provisions Every Construction Contract Should Address

By Tom Nobile posted 8 days ago
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(Editor’s Note: This article by Jacqueline Greenberg Vogt and Boris Peyzner appears in the latest issue of the Construction Law Section Newsletter . Section members can log in to read the full edition here .) The success of a construction project is often determined not only by its execution, but by the terms that govern it. A well-drafted construction contract sets expectations, defines responsibilities, and reduces the risk of costly disputes. Owners and contractors alike benefit from understanding the key provisions that determine how risk, responsibility, and payment are handled. Below, we break down seven essential clauses that every construction ...
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Capitol Report: NJSBA Expresses Concerns About Third-Party Litigation Funding Bill Advancing in the Legislature

By Tom Nobile posted 9 days ago
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The Assembly Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee advanced A2159 (Pintor Marin) , which would require disclosure of third-party litigation funding agreements and establishes certain responsibilities for litigation funders. The New Jersey State Bar Association opposes the bill and continues to monitor its progress. “Mandated disclosure of litigation funding agreements could provide an unfair advantage to the defendant by signaling a potential weak financial position of the plaintiff,” the NJSBA said in a letter to the sponsors. “This knowledge could be used to impact a matter, which information is unrelated to the merits of a case.” Amendments ...
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NJSBA Alert: New Phone-Based Phishing Scam Targeting Organizations

By Tom Nobile posted 9 days ago
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The New Jersey State Bar Association is alerting law firms to a new phishing tactic targeting organizations and their employees. As email security systems become more effective at blocking malicious messages, cybercriminals are increasingly turning to phone calls to gain trust and bypass traditional defenses. Unlike robocalls, these calls are often made by real people, making them more convincing and harder to detect. The calls usually take one of two forms: - Urgency about a webinar or event you supposedly signed up for but never joined (you’ll be sent a malicious link to join quickly). - A claim that they're looking for a colleague or volunteer leader, ...
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New Jersey Legal Community to Gather for 2026 Professionalism Awards

By Tom Nobile posted 12 days ago
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The 2026 New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law Awards will take place June 11, honoring attorneys and legal professionals who exemplify the profession’s highest ideals through distinguished careers, service and leadership. Jeffrey J. Greenbaum, chair of the Class Action Practice Group at Sills Cummis & Gross P.C., will receive the Daniel J. O’Hern Award. Joyce M. Maxberry Malliet, a longtime federal prosecutor and chief of the National Security Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, will receive the Charles J. Hollenbeck Award. Nancy Eberhardt, executive director of Pro Bono Partnership, will be honored with the ...
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Section Spotlight: Gaming Law Section Embraces Expanding Industry Landscape

By Tom Nobile posted 15 days ago
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The New Jersey State Bar Association offers more than 80 sections, committees and divisions that help members stay current on developments in their practice areas, shape legislation and strengthen their service to clients. The Association’s Casino Law Section recently changed its name to the Gaming Law Section to reflect how the practice has expanded beyond traditional brick-and-mortar casinos and evolved into a broader, rapidly changing industry. Section Chair Connor Martin, a regulator with the New Jersey Racing Commission, recently discussed the reasons behind the name change, New Jersey’s leadership role in the gaming industry and why attorneys practicing ...
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Capitol Report: Bill Securing Protections for Patients and Providers Accessing Reproductive Health Services Passes Senate

By Tom Nobile posted 16 days ago
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The Senate passed S2260 (Ruiz), which would secure protections for patients and providers accessing and providing reproductive healthcare services and establish the right of residents to reproductive healthcare activity that is restricted in other states. The New Jersey State Bar Association supports the bill because it ensures New Jersey remains a safe haven where residents’ safety is prioritized and reproductive rights and bodily autonomy are legally protected.. Earlier this month, the bill was substituted with a bill that creates a new crime of “interference with reproductive health care services” and to allow for civil actions against a person ...
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NJSBA Issues Alert About Email Scam

By Tom Nobile posted 16 days ago
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Be on the lookout for a recent wave of fraudulent emails impersonating NJSBA staff, leadership, and fellow members. These scammers often use deceptive display names to request unexpected wire transfers, gift cards, or invoice payments. Check the Sender : It is sometimes easy to spot a fake; always verify that the actual underlying email address comes from an official domain rather than a free, personal account. Watch for Financial Requests : Be highly suspicious of any message arriving from a non-official email address that urgently asks for money or payment. Always Verify by Phone : Never transfer funds without first speaking to the person directly ...
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Recent New Jersey and Third Circuit Cases Provide Clarification on Arbitration Issues

By Tom Nobile posted 18 days ago
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(Editor’s Note: This article by Beth P. Zoller and Katie Ann Insinga appears in the latest issue of Labor and Employment Law Quarterly . Section members can log in to read the full edition here .) Two recent cases, one in the Third Circuit and one from the New Jersey Supreme Court, provide guidance and clarification with respect to arbitration issues in New Jersey. Cornelius v. CVS Pharm. Inc. In Cornelius v. CVS Pharm. Inc.,¹ the Third Circuit evaluated whether a claim fell within the purview of the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act,² the type of evidence to be reviewed by the court, and when to discern if the parties ...
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‘The Attorney’: Professional Identity, Respect, and Why We Should Gently Reclaim Our Place at the Table

By Tom Nobile posted 24 days ago
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(Editor’s Note: This article by Jacob P. Davidson appears in the latest issue of the NJSBA Young Lawyers Division’s Dictum . YLD members can read the full issue here .) Most attorneys—particularly those early and mid career—have experienced some version of this moment: You are copied on an email chain involving your client and other professionals. The client refers to you not by name, but as “the attorney.” Or you are sitting at a closing table, having shepherded a transaction for months, and the client calls a realtor or lender to say, “I’m here with the attorney,” as though you were an anonymous accessory rather than a known collaborator. ...
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New Jersey’s Top Judges Highlight Court Reforms, Threats to Judiciary at NJSBA Meeting

By Tom Nobile posted 26 days ago
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New Jersey’s top two jurists outlined major developments in the state and federal court systems during their annual State of the Judiciary remarks at the NJSBA Annual Meeting and Convention. New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and U.S. District Court Chief Judge Renée Marie Bumb highlighted progress in improving court efficiency, expanding public outreach and reentry initiatives and confronting growing threats against the Judiciary and the rule of law. Justice Rabner struck a pragmatic tone as he discussed initiatives aimed at improving services for attorneys, litigants and the public. He noted that judicial vacancies in the state Superior ...
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Annual Meeting Programs Explore Judicial Appointments, Expungement, Leadership and Appeals

By Nicole Crippen posted 30 days ago
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The second day of the New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting and Convention brought thousands of attorneys and judges together for networking and dozens of educational seminars. The lineup on Thursday covered every practice area from LGBTQ rights matters; to estate law updates; to criminal, municipal and immigration sessions. Demystifying the Path to the Bench Attendees were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at how to carve a pathway to the bench from senators, members of Association’s Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee and legislative and administrative staff who walked hand in hand in the process. JPAC Vice Chair Carlos ...
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Fireside Chat Spotlights NJ Attorney General Jennifer Davenport’s Path to Public Service

By Nicole Crippen posted 30 days ago
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New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport’s path to public service began long before she became the state’s top law enforcement officer. During a fireside chat at the New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City this week, Davenport reflected on the experiences that shaped her career, the values that guide her leadership and her priorities for keeping New Jersey safe. She spoke with former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino, now a partner at Lowenstein Sandler. Davenport talked about growing up and spending summers working at the beach. Her path to the legal profession began in earnest when Davenport worked ...
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NJSBA Installs New President, Slate of Officers

By Tom Nobile posted 30 days ago
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Norberto A. Garcia took the oath of office on May 14 as president of the New Jersey State Bar Association for the 2026–2027 term, becoming the first foreign-born president in the Association’s history. New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner administered the oath during the NJSBA’s Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. Garcia was joined by family, friends, colleagues and members of the NJSBA Executive Committee and Board of Trustees as he began his term in the Association’s 127th year. Speaking at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Garcia reflected on immigrating to the United States from Cuba at a young age with his ...
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Annual Meeting and Convention Seminars Examine Hot Topics Facing the Profession

By Laurie Weresow posted 05-13-2026
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The biggest annual event in the legal profession brought together thousands of attorneys, judges and legal professionals at the Annual Meeting and Convention. The Wednesday sessions examined issues facing the profession, including seminars on artificial inte lligence, an update about legislative matters, sessions on jury trial strategies, and what practitioners need to know about handling matters in federal courts. Other sessions looked at land use, family law and labor and employment matters. Affordability a Universal Priority in Trenton No matter the political affiliation, affordability is at the heart of state legislators’ concerns. At the annual ...
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Importance of Making Connections Focus of Opening Business Session

By Nicole Crippen posted 05-13-2026
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Ryan Jenkins, author of Connecta ble , d elivered an address focused on helping attorneys navigate an increasingly multi-generational profession at the Opening Business Session of the NJSBA Annual Meeting and Convention. “What if there’s a single factor determining whether your multi-generational team survives or thrives?” he asked. That factor, he explained, is connection. The program explored how connection has evolved from a “nice-to-have” soft skill into a strategic imperative for law firms that are confronting shifting expectations around communication, engagement and workplace culture with so many different generations in the ...
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Board of Trustees Convenes at Annual Meeting and Convention, Welcomes New Members

By Nicole Crippen posted 05-13-2026
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The New Jersey State Bar Association’s governing body welcomed several new members at a meeting that kicked off the Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. The Board of Trustees convened to consider several business matters. Several new trustees will be sworn into the Board at the installation ceremony on Thursday. The new trustees are: Yolanda Garcia Balicki, Shoshana Schiff, Diane Cardoso, Michael G. Donahue, Natalya Johnson, retired state Superior Court Judge Harriet Farber Klein, and Maralee Sanders. The trustees also considered amicus matters, changes to evidence rules, a report of the state Board of Attorney Certification, ...
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Thousands Return to Atlantic City for NJSBA’s Annual Meeting and Convention

By Tom Nobile posted 05-12-2026
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The New Jersey State Bar Association launched its Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City, the premier gathering of the state’s legal community. More than 3,000 judges, attorneys, law clerks, and law students are expected to attend the three-day educational and networking event, held at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa from May 13–15. Attendees from across New Jersey will have the opportunity to connect through seminars, keynote addresses, and networking programs spanning a wide range of practice areas. The agenda features more than 120 seminars, offering up to 16 CLE credits in programming designed to support professional development across nearly ...
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‘Do the Next Right Thing’ – Meet 2026-2027 NJSBA President Norberto A. Garcia

By Tom Nobile posted 05-11-2026
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Succeeding as a trial attorney often comes down to who can tell the better story. Norberto A. Garcia approaches each case with that goal in mind. “Really, lawyers are frustrated actors. Being a trial lawyer is like putting on a production. You’re getting the actors, writing the script, the effects. If you’re successful, that show never gets performed because you resolve the case, but you’re prepared regardless,” Garcia said. If Garcia had to make the case to a jury for why he should lead the New Jersey State Bar Association, his story would carry the day. In addition to a thriving personal injury practice, he has devoted years of service to the profession ...
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Capitol Report: New ABC Test Rules Set Off New Round of Questions

By Tom Nobile posted 05-07-2026
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On the heels of a moratorium imposed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill on all pending regulations, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development adopted new regulations addressing the ABC test for determining whether someone is an employee or an independent contractor. The New Jersey State Bar Association voiced strong opposition to the proposed rules by then-Gov. Phil Murphy and remains concerned about these new rules. The NJDOL said the new rules take into consideration the extensive comments on the last administration’s proposed rules and “provide New Jersey businesses with clarity and guidance to be able to compete fairly and comply with the state’s ...
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