New
Jersey State Bar Association Board of Trustees June 2019 Report
Budget: The
trustees approved the 2019-2020 budget for the NJSBA. The roughly $12
million budget includes several proposals to help members, including a plan
to allow young lawyers to join substantive sections for free with the goal of
providing them additional reasons to stay invested in the organization
throughout their careers. It also continues the MentorMatch program
to connect experienced attorneys and retired judges with attorneys who are
starting out or facing a career transition. The budget anticipates launching a
law practice management component so that members can get valuable information
and guidance about running their practice. The NJSBA also plans to conduct a
survey of young lawyers to learn more about how they want to communicate, what
services they need and what benefits they want from their membership. The
budget was introduced in March and it was published for review by the NJSBA’s
members in May.
Special speakers: The trustees
approved several speakers who will enhance the New Jersey Institute for
Continuing Legal Education’s offerings. The speakers are:
Psychologist Stuart Green, who is the executive director of
the New Jersey Coalition for Bullying Awareness, and will present Bullying,
the Law and Your Clients on Aug. 21;
Award-winning filmmaker Keith Beauchamp, who will tell the
untold story of the murder of Emmett Till in November;
Jack Marshall, who will present Ethics
Blues: A Musical Legal Ethics Seminar Featuring the Immortal Ballads of the
1930s, 40s and 50s in August;
“That’ll
Never Happen Here,” a program that will look at scenes from The Office and
Parks and Recreation as case studies on what not to do in the workplace.; and
Michael Kahn and Chis Olson to present “Passing the Torch…
While It’s Still Got Heat,” a program targeted at solo and small-firm attorneys
considering succession planning will be presented soon.
Underrepresented groups: As
required under the NJSBA bylaws, the trustees
conducted the annual review of underrepresented groups on the board, including
a review of the latest attorney demographic data. The underrepresented
designated groups are African-American; Hispanic; Asian-Pacific; women; gay,
lesbian, bisexual or transgender; attorneys over age 70; and attorneys with
disabilities. The trustees designated a seat each for members who are:
African-American; Hispanic; Asian-Pacific; women; and gay, lesbian, bisexual or
transgender. Three additional at-large seats are open to members of any of the
designated underrepresented groups.
Section bylaws: The Board of
Trustees approved a request from the Family Law Section to update its bylaws,
including the criteria for the Tischler Award, and to permit the chair to
appoint both chairs of its Young Lawyers Committee.
ABA Resolution: The
trustees joined a coalition of bar associations that support a resolution that
will be up for a vote before the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates
in August. The resolution urges that the nation’s broadband infrastructure must
be fortified so that attorneys and pro se litigants can overcome challenges in
adequately defending and prosecuting cases because of limitations of high-speed
internet access.
Committee chairs: The trustees
approved the reappointment of chairs to a collection of committees. The bylaws
require that the trustees review any reappointment of a committee chair if they
have already served two terms.
The reappointed standing committee chairs are:
Glenn A. Henkel, CLE Advisory
Craig J. Hubert, Judicial Administration
Katherine Dart, Law Office Management
Christina Vassiliou Harvey, Membership
Angela Foster, New Jersey Lawyer Editorial Board
The reappointed special committee chairs are:
Alexandra V. Gallo and Andrea J. Sullivan, Equity
Jurisprudence
Steven L. Menaker, Ethics Diversionary
Michael R. Morano, Fidelity and Surety Law
Edward G. Sponzilli, Higher Education
Robert W. McAndrew, Malpractice Insurance
Jonathan H. Lomurro, Medical Malpractice
Fernando M. Pinguelo and Angelo A. Stio III, Privacy Law
William A. Despo, Securities Law
