Friday | Feb 20
6 – 8:30 p.m.
Cuzin’s Seafood, New Brunswick

Friday Night

Join us for the Solo and Small-Firm Conference Friday night seminar at Cuzin’s Seafood in New Brunswick. Please arrive by 5:45 p.m. to place your dinner order.

Program Agenda:

6:00 | Special Presentation! Comedy set by Senator Jon Bramnick, New Jersey’s Funniest Lawyer

6:30 | Welcome from the Chair
– Thomas J. Perry, Esq. – Chair, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section

6:35 | Insurance – How to Only Pay for What You Need
Learn how to save money on insurance while choosing the best options for your firm. You’ll hear about the necessities for every solo and small firm practitioner and additional options based on your practice area, firm size and lifestyle.

Speakers:
– Jeremy M. Del Priore – USI Insurance Services
– Christopher Sloane – My Benefit Advisor

8:30 | Adjourn

Saturday | Feb 20
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
New Jersey Law Center, New Brunswick and Online

Saturday

Program Agenda:

9:00 | Welcome from the Chair
– Thomas J. Perry, Esq., Chair, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section

9:05 | Opening Remarks from Richard F. Klineburger, III, Esq., Secretary, NJSBA

9:10 | How Artificial Intelligence is Reshaping the Legal Practice, Particularly for Solo and Small-Firms

• AI’s impact on online search/SEO and ways lawyers can increase their visibility
• Business innovation and development via AI – current uses and emerging trends
• Ethical AI usage based on a classification framework – always safe, sometimes appropriate, and never acceptable
• Compliance with New Jersey’s Rules of Professional Conduct
• Liability prevention strategies, and six practical key takeaways to integrate AI effectively and responsibly in your practice

Moderator:
– Brandon Lee Wolff, Esq. – Secretary, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section, King of Prussia

Speakers:
– Ryan Bankston – PSM Partners
– Jill Roth-Gutman, Esq. – Roth-Gutman Law, LLC
– Paula H. Simpkins, Esq. – Corp-Tech Law
– Brad Wetherall – Esquire Digital

10:30 | Break

10:40 | Breakout Sessions (Choose one of three)

• Growing Your Practice Through Transactional Work: A Guide for Solos and Small Firms
  Are you hesitant to guide your small business clients when they’re ready to sell their business or pursue a new acquisition? Don’t be. Unlike massive corporate transactions, these deals are well within reach for Solos and small firms. You have the unique ability to deliver tailored, cost-effective solutions—benefiting both your firm and your clients. Even if you don’t have deep expertise in every legal aspect by collaborating with other solos and small firms you can offer a seamless, comprehensive service that builds trust and drives results.Moderator:
  – Ronald J. Cappuccio, J.D., LL.M. – Director, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm SectionSpeakers:
  – Karen Wachs, Esq. – Director, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section
  – Brandon H. Rutter, Esq. – Brandon Rutter Law, LLC
  – Antoinette Solomon, Esq. – The Law Offices of Antoinette Solomon, Esq.
• Complex Business Litigation Track – A Decade Later
• Mastering Case Management for the Modern Solo and Small Firm
  
  Moderator:
  – Richard F. Klineburger, III, Esq. – Secretary, NJSBASpeakers:
  – Catherine Finnerty, Esq. – Immediate Past Chair, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section
  – Alice Plastoris, Esq. – Law Office of Alice M. Plastoris, Esq.
  – Carol Johnston, Esq. – Carol Johnston Ethics Law
  – Kathleen Dotoli, Esq. – Law Office of Kathleen M. Dotoli, LLC

12:05 | Lunch and Solo and Small-Firm Attorney of the Year Presentation

1:00 | Build. Grow. Transition. The Business of Law Workshop
Speakers:
– Judith Bachman, Esq. – The Bachman Law Firm PLLC
– Ayesha Krishnan Hamilton, Esq. – Hamilton Law Firm PC; Past Chair – NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section
– Craig M. Aronow, Esq. – RAM Law
– Carol Johnston, Esq. – Carol Johnston Ethics Law
– Rekha V. Rao, Esq. – Rao Legal Group

Session 1 – Building the Practice
Launching and stabilizing a firm with a focus on the real-world operational details: insurance considerations, physical/virtual space, essential technology, budgeting, and foundational marketing.

1:55 | Break

2:00 | Session 2 – Growing the Practice
Navigating the growth phase with a discussion on when and whether to hire, creating systems and operational infrastructure, identifying and tracking KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), and incorporating AI and automation to support expansion.

2:55 | Break

3:00 | Session 3 – Succeeding Beyond the Day-to-Day
Planning for sustainability and succession: stepping back from daily operations, leadership teams, and succession planning.

3:55 | Break

4:00 | Closing remarks from Erdal Turnacioglu, Esq., Vice Chair, NJSBA Solo and Small-Firm Section

4:05 | Wine and Cheese Reception

5:00 | Conference Ends