New Jersey State Bar Association
Board of Trustees Report
April 8, 2022
Note: This is a summary of the recent Board of Trustees meeting. The report does not constitute official minutes.
COREL: Two years after the murder of George Floyd and the creation of the NJSBA Commission on Racial Equity in the Law, COREL delivered a comprehensive report to the NJSBA’s Board of Trustees at its April meeting, offering recommendations on addressing inequities within and outside of the justice system, including educational awareness and how to advance the careers of young attorneys of color. The group brought together thought leaders and shareholders from around the legal community to share perspectives and insights. The report and its recommendations will next be disseminated widely within the Association and the legal community to collect comments. In addition, the Board converted the Commission into a special committee, which will continue its work, review the comments collected and make recommendations about implementation. The report stated: “Legal issues of ongoing anti-Black racism in New Jersey’s legal system and in certain segments of the practice of law continue to reveal themselves,” the report states. “Systemic racism exists and eradicating it from our justice system is crucial to ensuring public confidence in the system to which we, as lawyers, have pledged our professional lives. The NJSBA must be a leading and consistent voice in helping to achieve these goals.”
Trustee updates: The Board approved the appointment of Alexandra Gallo, of O’Toole Scrivo, as the Essex County trustee to replace G. Glennon Troublefield, of Carella Byrne Checci Olstein Brody & Agnello, who will be sworn in as secretary at the Annual Meeting and Convention on May 19. NJSBA President Domenick Carmagnola recognized the outgoing trustees whose terms are ending in May. They are: Diana C. Manning, of Bressler Amery & Ross PC; Jeffrey Fiorello, of Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf; Shirley B. Whitenack, of Schneck Price Smith & King; and Frank D. DeRienzo, of Leary Bride Mergner & Bongiovanni PA.
The Association Board also approved several reappointments for members to serve as trustees on the New Jersey State Bar Foundation’s Board of Trustees. The reappoinments are: Kelly Ann Bird, of Gibbons PC; Katrina Homel, of the New Jersey School Boards Association; Mikeisha Anderson Jones, of Milbank LLP; Foundation Secretary Thomas Manzo, of Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein & Blader PC; Loren Pierce, of Bressler, Amery & Ross; and Alexandra Gallo. It also appointed Craig Compoli Jr., of O’Toole Scrivo, as a new trustee to the Foundation board.
Government affairs: The trustees supported several pieces of pending legislation and will work with officials in Trenton as they proceed through the approval process. They are:
• A217 Rooney which would prohibit Department of Children and Family Institutional Abuse Investigation Units from interviewing certain children without prior parental consent in the context of conducting an investigation into specific allegations of child abuse or neglect.
• A662 Verrelli that would require notice to be provided by municipal courts to applicants seeking a public defender of any applicable fees and the process to waive fees for inability to pay.
• S333 Singleton / A2826 Murphy which would prohibits persons convicted of animal cruelty offenses from owning domestic companion animals and from working or volunteering at animal-related enterprises. The measure is known as “Moose’s Law.”
Pro Bono Committee awards: The Board supported the Pro Bono Committee’s plan to revamp its annual awards that aim to increase awareness of pro bono initiatives. The existing awards will be renamed: Champion of Justice Pro Bono Award, which will recognize an individual; the Pillar of Justice Pro Bono Award will recognize law firms; Distinguished New Lawyer Pro Bono Award, which will recognize a new attorney. And two new categories were created. They are:
Mark Daniel Excellence in Pro Bono Award, which will honor corporate legal departments involved in pro bono efforts, and the Outstanding Law Student Pro Bono Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award will remain the same.