The following is a summary of actions taken at the Dec. 11, 2015,
meeting of the New Jersey State Bar Association Board of Trustees at the New
Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. This summary does not constitute official
minutes. 
New trustee named to board: The New Jersey State Bar
Association ’s (NJSBA) Board
of Trustees selected a new member earlier this month to fill the vacancy
created when Thomas Scrivo was tapped as counsel to Gov. Chris Christie.
Alexandra V. Gallo joined board, which is the association’s governing body.
Gallo is of
counsel to McElroy, Deutsch,
Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP in Morristown, where she practices corporate law
and handles appellate work and local government matters. She co-chairs the NJSBA’s Equity Jurisprudence
and is a former trustee of the Essex County Bar Association. She received her
law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law.
Diversity action plan approved: The trustees approved the
Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan and Checklist, the latest development in a
series of moves to ensure the association is diverse and inclusive at all
levels.
Creation of the
action plan and checklist culminates two years of work by the NJSBA Diversity
Committee. The tool is designed to give association members in leadership
positions — trustees in particular — a way to measure and certify their efforts
to make the organization more open.
Bylaws to be reviewed: The New Jersey State Bar
Association is seeking input from its groups, county bar associations and
specialty bar associations on a proposal to streamline and modernize the
organization’s bylaws.
The Bylaws and
Resolutions Committee has been examining the association’s rules since 2013,
working with the recommendations of a nationally recognized parliamentarian.
The goal is to eliminate ambiguities resulting from piecemeal revisions made
since the last comprehensive review a decade ago, and to produce a clear,
cohesive document to guide the organization. It would include a policy manual
for administrative details and set forth definitions.

This winter, the bylaws
committee plans to gather, review and evaluate suggestions and then submit a final document to the board. If the
board approves the proposal, the full membership would vote on adopting the
recommended changes.
 
NJSBA offers comments on proposed changes related to metadata:
With much of the practice of law being conducted electronically, many in
the legal community are concerned about what happens when bits of sensitive
information embedded in legal documents are shared.
The New Jersey Supreme Court formed
the Working Group on Ethical Issues Involving Metadata in Electronic Documents,
which studied what happens when information is inadvertently disclosed. The
group recently released its recommendations.
The NJSBA, the state’s largest group of lawyers and judges,
supported much of the report, including recommendations that:
•    Steps
be taken to minimize the disclosure of metadata in documents electronically
filed with the Judiciary;
•    Judges,
lawyers and law students be educated about metadata;
•    Rules
be modified to create ways for documents with metadata to be reviewed in a
manner that won’t prejudice a
case or lead to an ethics violation; and that
•    The
Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC) should reference metadata.
Based on comments from a wide swath of
sections and committees in the association, the NJSBA does not support adopting
the committee’s proposed change to the RPCs. Doing so would place the burden of
determining whether metadata was inadvertently sent on the recipient, and the
possibility of an ethics violation is too great, the trustees determined. Read
the full comments here.
Uniform Bar Exam should wait in NJ: The Uniform Bar Exam
should not be implemented in New Jersey until data from other jurisdictions
where it’s used is collected and reviewed, the trustees said.
The association
previously expressed concerns about use of the uniform exam, which is used in New
York and 16 other states. While the UBE has some benefits, there are unanswered
questions about the impact its use would have on law students, newly admitted
attorneys, employers and the profession, the trustees said. The data should be
collected and reviewed for at least one year. The Court’s report is here.
Action on legislation: The board of trustees supported A3301,
which prohibits a person appointed to a case as an arbitrator and who
subsequently serves as a mediator from returning as an arbitrator unless the
parties agree; and A4230, which
establishes a separate class of claims against insolvent estates for child
support judgments.
The trustees
opposed
S1270/A3065,
related to drunk driving; S2336,
which transfers immunity from civil liability for healthcare providers; and S2479/A4294, which raised
concerns among family law practitioners because it sought to add aggravating
factors in sentencing of certain domestic violence situations.
 
Examining the future of the legal profession: The trustees
reaffirmed the association’s
opposition to the prospect of non-lawyers being allowed to offer legal
assistance.
At issue are two
items from the American Bar Association (ABA) that the NJSBA believes would
open the doors to allowing limited-license legal technicians and other
non-lawyers to handling legal matters, as well as the possibility of
non-attorney owned law firms.
The association
forcefully contends that the public and profession are best served when trained
attorneys, who are subject to stringent ethics rules, provide legal advice.
The trustees
directed the association’s
representatives to the ABA’s
House of Delegates to
oppose a resolution that would encourage courts to create a regulatory
framework and implement regulations allowing legal services to be offered
outside the traditional legal model. The trustees also agreed the association
should provide feedback on another ABA paper, reaffirming that the public has
been well served under the traditional legal model.
Hotel selected for Mid-Year Meeting 2016: The NJSBA
Mid-Year Meeting will be headquartered at the Hilton Amsterdam, Oct. 22-29,
2016.

About


Founded in 1899, the NJSBA is the largest organization of attorneys, judges and legal professionals in New Jersey. At the core of our mission is improving the lives of our members, advancing the rule of law and serving as the voice of the profession. With 85 sections and committees, the NJSBA allows attorneys to benefit from being part of the most wide-reaching legal association in the state, while still cultivating expertise and building networks within specialized practice areas.

MORE ABOUT NJSBA

Diversity


The New Jersey State Bar Association is committed to promoting and fostering a diverse and inclusive bar association. The Association recognizes that the broad concept of diversity includes race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age and disability. The NJSBA fosters and promotes an inclusive environment that gives value to the unique contributions of diverse individuals and organizations in all aspects of the Association.

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Advocacy


The NJSBA Legal and  Government Affairs Department serves as the liaison between NJSBA members and the state’s three branches of government.

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The New Jersey Law Center is located at 1 Constitution Sq, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901. Need directions to the Law Center? Click on the button below to get started right away.

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One Constitution Square
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

732-249-5000
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Fax 732-249-2815

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NJSBA Meetings and Events Calendar


From section, committee and division meetings with valuable CLE credit, to receptions and dinners and special events, the New Jersey State Bar Association regularly holds meetings so our members can meet their mandatory CLE requirements and network with the state’s largest attorney membership.

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2025 Family Law Retreat


The New Jersey State Bar Association is thrilled to announce the 2025 Family Law Retreat will be held in Mexico, San José del Cabo from March 23-27.

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2025 Annual Meeting and Convention


The New Jersey State Bar Association is thrilled to announce the 2025 Annual Meeting and Convention will be held at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City from May 14-16.

More information coming soon.

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Practice HQ Training Events


Lawyers aren't taught practice management skills, and the NJSBA is here to fill the gap — no matter whether you are just starting out, mid-career or thinking about wrapping up their practices. Our PracitceHQ is here to help with webinars, informative articles, free consultations, comparison charts and so much more.

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Decisis


The new NJSBA member benefit Decisis will help you level-up your legal research.

Decisis gives members access to a robust database of local and federal case law is necessary information often used to structure your case. Decisis provides industry-leading tools to make legal research easier and more intuitive, and it’s a free benefit to all active New Jersey State Bar Association members.

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The NJSBA provides a host of networking events so members can maintain relationships with existing colleagues and make new connects. Join us at a baseball game, the hockey arena, for a community service project, or another event.

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Benefits Of Membership


As a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA), you will join a powerful network of 16,000 legal professionals across the state of New Jersey. NJSBA membership grants you access to year-round virtual and in-person networking events, leadership and professional development opportunities, member-only discounts, educational resources to help you stay in the know and much more!

Practice Management Tools


The NJSBA provides tools lawyers need to improve their practice, from our comprehensive PracticeHQ library of resources; a career center to find your next colleague or opportunity; an intuitive and high-powered legal research platform; and a robust Member Assistance Program to connect members, and those who live in their households, with experienced counselors and resources to address mental health needs.

 

Advocacy


As an NJSBA member, you'll become part of the collective power of the NJSBA network, giving you the ability to influence legislation and caselaw in New Jersey. Let’s work together to shape the future and solve critical issues facing attorneys and the public.

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Membership helps you build and maintain a powerful network through our in-person and online events with attorneys all over the state.

 

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The New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) offers an exclusive partnership opportunity to amplify your organization’s impact and drive success. By harnessing the power of the NJSBA legal community, you can connect with our vibrant network of 16,000 legal professionals from 35+ different areas of practice, unlocking unparalleled opportunities for growth and achievement.

 

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Learn more about the accomplishments of the Association, its members and events from regular news updates, press releases, and our award-winning magazine.


 

Reports


Read the comments, reports, resolutions and Board of Trustee news from the state’s largest organization of lawyers, judges and legal professionals.


 

Statements and Positions


The NJSBA is the voice of the profession and takes public positions on a range of issues with the legal community and government officials. It also takes positions on legislation and files friend-of-the-court briefs on matters that impact the profession. 

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