Domenick Carmagnola is NJSBA’s Immediate Past President

May 19, 2022
For Immediate Release
Contact: Thomas Nobile
732-937-7527
   
NEW BRUNSWICK – Domenick Carmagnola became the immediate past president of the New Jersey State Bar Association on May 19.  
   
The Denville attorney, of Carmagnola & Ritardi, LLC in Morristown, said leading the Association as its NJSBA’s 123rd president was one of the greatest honors in his professional life. 
   
“I have always had the utmost respect for the bench, the bar, and my colleagues in this profession. That respect has grown tenfold after working closely with so many smart, talented and committed members who have volunteered their time, expertise and passion to address the critical issues facing the profession,” Carmagnola said. “I love lawyers and our profession, and I look forward to helping the Association continue to meet and exceed its goals.” 
   
Throughout his tenure, Carmagnola advocated for attorneys to have the necessary tools to flourish. This included advancing critical legislation, examining the issue of bias and discrimination in both jury selection and the profession, helping the New Jersey legal community successfully transition from the pandemic-induced shutdown and raising alarm bells about the judicial vacancy crisis facing our court system. 
   
As president, Carmagnola spotlighted the statewide issue of judicial vacancies, which has risen to more than 70 open seats on the bench, including two vacancies on the state Supreme Court. The NJSBA has been outspoken about the problem for the past several years, and amplified its advocacy as the vacancies reached historic levels this year, leading to staggering backlogs and too many people waiting for justice. 
   
“The historic numbers of vacancies throughout the court system, many of which have been pending for several years, mean there are too few judges serving the bench,” Carmagnola said. “We are and will remain completely dedicated to alleviating this issue that is affecting the lawyers, businesses and people of this state.” 
   
The NJSBA’s advocacy efforts in State v. Dangcil helped ensure that trials with virtual jury selection feature jurors that represent a fair of a cross-section of the community. Dangcil was the first in-person criminal jury trial held after the pandemic shut down all in-person trials in March 2020. The New Jersey Supreme Court’s opinion reflected the Association’s recommendation to collect demographic information about potential jurors to guard against the risk of unconstitutional jury selection and under-representative juries.
   
“I am proud and thankful to all the volunteers who shared their expertise to research, brief and argue matters on a pro bono basis. That is the true heart of this profession, and their efforts reflect greatly on our Association,” Carmagnola said. 
   
Carmagnola also helped roll out a report by the NJSBA’s The Commission on Racial Equity in the Law (COREL) that outlined areas of bias in New Jersey’s legal system and profession. More than 40 NJSBA members worked intensively on the comprehensive report for two years, examining where racial injustice occurs in legal world and offering guidance on how to improve policies and practices that have a disproportionate negative impact on communities of color.
   
“I believe the recommendations contained within COREL, created through the outstanding work of many dedicated and experienced attorneys, will help promote a fairer and more inclusive legal system in New Jersey,” Carmagnola said. 
   
Carmagnola is a certified civil trial attorney and concentrates his practice in the areas of labor and employment law, representing management and individual defendants in both the private and public sector. He has written numerous articles, contributed to several books, and is a frequent lecturer on labor and employment law matters and litigation.
    
He has previously served as trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, chair of its Labor and Employment Law Section and editor of the section’s publication. In addition to his NJSBA involvement, he is a former president of the Essex County Bar Association and the Sidney Reitman Labor and Employment Law American Inn of Court.
     
He lives on Cedar Lake in Denville with his wife, Gabriella, and two sons.