NJSBA Family Law Section

Good afternoon Family Law Section members,

On Saturday, Feb. 20, NJICLE in cooperation with the NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section will present Webcast- The 2021 Solo and Small Firm Conference - Surviving and Thriving in 2021 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Register today for a full day of practical solutions for solo and small-firm attorneys.

And, if you are impressed by the great work that the NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section is doing, you can become a member of the Solo and Small-Firm Section. Send an email to [email protected] to join today.

Find out more about the Solo and Small-Firm Section on their webpage here.

Now to the great news about the conference!
Join us for a practical, optimistic and uplifting Solo and Small-Firm Conference as seasoned and successful practitioners demonstrate not just how to survive, but how to thrive in in the new year. We'll begin the day with an inspiring and motivating kickoff presentation. Then, we'll move into successive round table discussions on topics that will help your practice grow and flourish.

Program Agenda:
8:00 Introduction and Welcome from the Section Chair - William E. Denver, Esq.

8:05 Kickoff Speaker - James A. Lewis V, Esq.
Challenges Can Equate to Opportunity. Facing 2021 with Optimism
Start the morning with a shot of excitement and optimism! To survive and thrive in changing legal, social, and economic tides-- all successful attorneys must embrace adaptability. Here is an opportunity to reflect on maintaining flexibility so that we can bend rather than break in the face of inevitable changes, and some thoughts on transforming the challenges of 2020 into opportunities in 2021.

8:50 New Ideas for Getting New Business in 2021
What Works, What Doesn't and Concrete Tips for Success in the New Year
Invigorate your practice! New business is the key to success for every firm. This segment will focus on clear, concrete, practical steps that you can immediately put to use to attract new clients. From some of the tried and true fundamentals to social media "how tos," these experienced attorneys in varying fields of practice will show you how they grow their practices and how you can grow yours.
George E. Veitengruber III, Esq. (Moderator); Michael J. Callahan, Esq.; Laura M. Fisher, Esq.; Robyn E. Ross, Esq.

9:50  How to Make Strong Financial and Management Decisions to Keep Your Firm Thriving
The business of law is sometimes more challenging than the practice of law. Hear from a panel of expert attorneys who are also experienced business strategists and problem solvers as they provide you with concrete steps to help make your firm more profitable
and efficient.
William E. Denver, Esq. (Moderator); Craig M. Aronow, Esq.; Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, Esq.; Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq.

10:50 Break

11:00 Why Diversity? How Promoting Diversity Inside and Outside of your Firm Leads to Greater Success
Join a panel of successful attorneys as they present a segment on the power of diversity. They will draw on their personal experiences to discuss how their diversity has been an asset that has enhanced their careers and has been a benefit to their clients. They will provide you with strategies that will demonstrate how to promote diversity in a way that helps you grow your practice and make you a better counselor and advocate.
Thomas H. Prol, Esq. (Moderator); Rajeh A. Saadeh, Esq.; Leslie A. Farber, Esq.; Carolyn V. Chang, Esq.

12:00 Lunch, Keynote Speaker and Presentation of Lawyer of the Year Award to Ayesha K. Hamilton
Kimberly A. Yonta, Esq., NJSBA President

12:45 Ethics: How to Prosper and Flourish – The Link between Client Expectations and Collecting Fees
Earning a fee is difficult enough – collecting it can be even harder. This segment will focus on how to ensure that your hard work literally pays off. The speakers will discuss how to set client expectations at the beginning of the matter, invoicing and time sheets, what should be in every retainer agreement, how to collect outstanding fees and how to do all of this while staying in compliance with the RPC's.
Ayesha K. Hamilton, Esq. (Moderator); Alice M. Plastoris, Esq.; David B. Rubin, Esq.; Howard B. Weber, Esq.

2:00 How Hitting the "Off" Switch Can Help You Thrive
This is a law office management segment you won't want to miss! Do you lose focus during the day? Want a better quality of life? Need a less awkward/more efficient way to conduct end of year reviews for your staff? Need suggestions for how to set goals in the coming year? Four experienced solo and small firm practitioners from different areas of law will provide answers to some of these questions and others too. Maritza Rodriguez, Esq. (Moderator); Tabatha L. Castro, Esq.; Kiomeiry Csépes, Esq.; Beth C. Manes, Esq.

3:00 What I Wish I Knew in 2019 – Succession Planning Tips to Secure Your Future
The difference between effective succession planning and a crisis is time. Many attorneys in 2019 couldn't envision retiring from law any time soon – and then 2020 happened. The pandemic highlighted the importance of planning ahead. The decline in business and the health issues caused by COVID-19 forced many to abruptly leave the practice even though they had no strategic plan in place. Whether you are recently admitted or have been practicing for decades, it is never too early to plan for retirement so that you can achieve the results that are optimal for you. Join 3 seasoned lawyers as they discuss vital succession planning tips. They will help you analyze your goals, provide you with specific scenarios to consider, and help you start moving in a direction toward retiring that is right for you. You work too hard to get caught without a success plan. This ion segment will prepare you to optimize your value even if the unexpected happens.
Randall P. Brett, Esq. (Moderator); Barry F. Gartenberg, Esq.; Hanan M. Isaacs, Esq.

3:55 Wrap Up - William E. Denver, Esq.
4:00 Adjourn

FACULTY
Solo and Small-Firm Section Officers:
William E. Denver, Esq.
Chair
The Denver Law Firm, LLC, Red Bank
George E. Veitengruber III, Esq.
Vice Chair
Veitengruber Law, Wall
Laura M. Fisher, Esq.
Secretary
Law Office of Laura M. Fisher, LLC, Jersey City
Edward J. Zohn, Esq.
Immediate Past Chair
Zohn & Zohn, LLP, Warren

Special Presentation By:
Kimberly A. Yonta, Esq.
NJSBA President
Yonta Law, LLC, New Brunswick

Solo and Small-Firm Conference Speakers:
Craig M. Aronow, Esq.
Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo, LLP, New Brunswick
Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, Esq.
KSBranigan Law, PC, Montclair
Randall P. Brett, Esq.
Law Office of Randall P. Brett, Princeton
Michael J. Callahan, Esq.
Michael J. Callahan, LLC, Spring Lake
Tabatha L. Castro, Esq.
The Castro Firm, Inc., Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Kiomeiry Csépes, Esq.
Kiomeiry Csépes Law Offices, Trenton
Carolyn V. Chang, Esq.
Past President, Association of Black Women Lawyers of NJ
Law Office of Carolyn V. Chang, Mt. Holly
William E. Denver, Esq.
The Denver Law Firm, LLC, Red Bank
Leslie A. Farber, Esq.
Leslie A. Farber, Attorney at Law, Montclair
Laura M. Fisher, Esq.
Law Office of Laura M. Fisher, LLC, Jersey City
Barry F. Gartenberg, Esq.
Barry F. Gartenberg, LLC, Springfield
Hanan M. Isaacs, Esq.
Kingston Law Group, Kingston
Jeralyn L. Lawrence, Esq.
NJSBA First Vice President
Lawrence Law, Watchung
James A. Lewis V, Esq.
Chasan Lamparello Mallon & Capuzzo, Secaucus
Beth C. Manes, Esq.
Manes & Weinberg, LLC, Westfield
Alice M. Plastoris, Esq.
Law Office of Alice M. Plastoris, Morristown
Thomas H. Prol, Esq.
NJSBA Past President
Sills Cummis & Gross, PC, Newark
Maritza Rodriguez, Esq.
Rodriguez Law Firm, LLC, Newark
Robyn E. Ross, Esq.
Ross & Calandrillo, LLC, Mountainside
David B. Rubin, Esq.
The Law Office of David B. Rubin, A Professional Corporation, Metuchen
Rajeh A. Saadeh, Esq.
The Law Office of Rajeh A. Saadeh, LLC, Somerville
George E. Veitengruber III, Esq.
Veitengruber Law, Wall
Howard B. Weber, Esq.
The Law Office of Howard B. Weber, New York, NY

CLE Credits:
NJ CLE information: This program has been approved by the Board on Continuing Legal Education of the Supreme Court of New Jersey for 6.3 hours of total CLE credit, out of which 1.5 qualify as hours of ethics/professionalism and 1.2 qualify as Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias.
NJ CLE (Intermediate): This program has been approved for 6.3 credits (50 minute hour), including 1.5 ethics credit and 1.2 Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias credit
PA CLE: 3.0 substantive and 2.0 ethics credits pending ($20 fee – separate check payable to NJICLE must be submitted at the end of the program)
NY CLE (nt): 3.5 practice management, 1.5 ethics credit and 1.0 Diversity, Inclusion, and Elimination of Bias credit

The tuition for Section and NJSBA members is $159. The general tuition is $199.

Click here to register for Webcast- The 2021 Solo and Small Firm Conference - Surviving and Thriving in 2021.

For questions or to register by phone, please contact an association representative at 732-214-8500, or by email at [email protected].

All the best,
Barb

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Barbara Straczynski
Director of New Media and Promotions
New Jersey State Bar Association
New Brunswick NJ
(732) 937-7524
[email protected]
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