The following is a summary of actions taken at the June
meeting of the New Jersey State Bar Association Board of Trustees. This meeting
was held via conference call, due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. This
summary does not constitute official minutes.
Commission on Racial Equity in the Law: The board
approved the creation of the NJSBA Commission on Racial Equity in the Law, a
panel of leaders in the profession that will take an incisive study of the
legal system to identify methods of addressing root causes of inequities in the
profession and in the law. It will examine strategies that break down the
barriers of systemic bias and discrimination and look specifically at ongoing
anti-Black racism in the legal system and in the practice of law. Leading the
Commission as co-chairs are Carolyn V. Chang, a Burlington County family
lawyer, former mayor, and former president of the Association of Black Women
Lawyers of New Jersey; and G. Glennon Troublefield, an Essex County commercial
litigation and intellectual property lawyer, NJSBA Trustee, and past Chair of
the American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section.
Diversity and inclusion in MCLE requirements: The
trustees supported a proposal to request that the New Jersey Supreme Court
amend mandatory continuing legal education requirements for attorneys include
programs on diversity, inclusion and the elimination of bias. While there are
no easy solutions to combat persistent racism in our society, any solution must
include the element of education, the NJSBA said. Read the letter here.
Annual budget approved: The trustees approved the
Association’s budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, which begins July 1. The
roughly $9.7 million budget reflects adjustments due to the ongoing financial
crisis and public health pandemic. The plan continues to invest in the needs of
members and producing events, seminars and conventions that keep members
up-to-date and provide benefit to their practice and professional endeavors.
Section bylaws updated: The trustees approved an update
to the Family Law Section’s bylaws to reflect that the Serptentelli Award is
given each year to a retired judge for contributions to family law and the
methodology for selection of that award; and a proposal from the Environmental
Law Section to update its bylaws to include adding an officer at-large;
requirements, elections, terms and removal of officers and directors;
encouraging diversity in membership and using gender neutral language. Each
section will finalize the changes.
Attorney-client privilege: Saying that the relationship
between an attorney and client is sacrosanct and essential to the right of the
accused to receive effective counsel, the trustees opposed a proposal from the
New Jersey Supreme Court’s Working Group on the Duty of Confidentiality and
Wrongful Convictions to modify RPC 1.6(g). The modifications would have allowed
a lawyer to reveal confidential information that an innocent person had been
wrongfully incarcerated. While the trustees agreed wrongful convictions are an
abomination, the proposal could do more harm than good the trustees found since
there is more likely damage to the justice system if clients cannot seek the
guidance of their attorney and trust their counsel. Read the letter here.
Committee chairs: The board also approved additional
terms for the chairs of several committees whose terms were extended beyond two
terms.
They are:
Animal Law – Michelle A. Newton, Thomas Leach
Aviation Law – Albert J Pucciarelli
Cannabis Law – Michael F. Schaff, Seth Tipton
Equity Jurisprudence – Andrea J. Sullivan, Alexandra V.
Gallo
Ethics Diversionary Program – Steven L Menaker
Higher Education – Edward G. Sponzilli
In-House Counsel – Cristal Reyes
Intellectual Property – Committee-Thomas J. Bean
International Law and Organizations Committee – David H
Nachman
Lawyers in Transition – Lori Ann Buza
Malpractice Insurance – Robert W. McAndrew
Maritime and Admiralty Law – Edward R Petkevis
Media Law – CJ Griffin
Medical Malpractice – Jonathan H. Lomurro
Privacy Law – Angelo A. Stio III, Fernando M. Pinguelo
Professional Responsibility – James J. Uliano
School Law – Arsen S. Zartarian
Senior Lawyers – Neil S Dornbaum, Eli L. Eytan
Special Civil Part – Russell P. Goldman
