The NJSBA Virtual Fall Conference

Conflict Resilience – How to Negotiate and Win and Thrive in High Stakes Situations

Master conflict and come out with a win even in the most uncomfortable circumstances.

An attorney’s life is all about conflict. It is our “bread and butter.” From high stakes lawsuits to business deals, real estate to decedents’ estates, client meetings to difficult adversaries, conflict is pervasive and our job is to win. Winning, though, sometimes has a collateral cost. We lose sleep, lose relationships or lose time because we don’t deal with the discomfort and anger associated with conflict. What if you could use conflict as a tool to win and yet become more strategic and focused?

Join an internationally recognized lawyer and negotiation expert and a renowned behavioral neurologist as they join forces to introduce conflict resilience: the radical act of sitting in and growing from conflict to break the bad habits that sabotage our politics, workplaces, relationships and cases. Conflict resilience will allow us to better serve our clients and ourselves in times of personal conflict by providing innovative techniques and an understanding of how conflict affects the brain. The result of this is to make us more resilient, strategic and controlled.

In this powerful presentation based on the best-selling book, Robert Bordone and Dr. Joel Salinas delve into the inner mechanics of conflict – literally what’s going on in our bodies and our brains during moments of distress – to produce a groundbreaking guide for how to successfully navigate it, including:

• How to get out of your own way as a communicator
• Understanding the importance of timing
• How to embrace disagreement as an opportunity
• Learning how to anticipate and manage defensiveness

William Ury, the coauthor of “Getting to Yes,” called “Conflict Resilience” “the book we need now… A groundbreaking guide to facing our most daunting conflicts with grit, authenticity, and creativity.” Jeannie Suk-Gersen, the John H. Watson., Jr. Professor of Law, Harvard School, called “Conflict Resilience” “the book that I have long wished were available. It is vital, helpful, and profound.”

Bordone and Salinas will provide you with this vital information and will be joined by panel of prominent NJSBA members who will further connect the themes they discuss to the practice of law, settlement, and dealing with difficult counterparties. You will find a better path to resolving conflicts in a way that will help you better serve your clients but also yourself.

Speakers include:
– Robert C. Bordone, JD, Senior Fellow, Harvard Law School, Founder and Principal, The Cambridge Negotiation Institute
– Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, Clinical Associate Professor, Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Isaac Health 

It’s Not You, It’s Me – How to Ethically End the Attorney-Client Relationship

Attorneys often face difficult decisions about whether – and how – to withdraw from representing a client. Whether the client is failing to pay their fees, engaging in fraudulent activity, being disruptive or abusive, or for a multitude of other reasons, an attorney may need to end the attorney-client relationship.

This program will explore the ethical and practical dimensions of terminating representation, with a focus on minimizing risk to both the client and the attorney.

Using real-life examples from practice areas such as real estate, matrimonial, and trust and estate law, we’ll walk through the key considerations under RPC 1.16, including:

• When withdrawal is mandatory versus permissive
• How to avoid prejudice to the client
• Best practices for returning client property and files
• Drafting effective termination letters
• Coordinating with successor counsel
• Managing reputation and mental health during difficult withdrawals

We’ll also discuss early warning signs during client intake and how to protect yourself from problematic engagements. The session will include practical tools such as sample templates, checklists, and a panel discussion with experienced practitioners.

Whether you’re a solo attorney or part of a larger firm, this session will help you navigate the withdrawal process with confidence, professionalism, and care.

Speakers:
– Jacob P. Davidson, Esq., Falk, Flotteron & Davidson, LLP, Woodbridge
– Tara L. Hanna, Deputy Ethics Counsel, Office of Attorney Ethics, Trenton
– Barry J. Muller, Esq., Secretary, New Jersey Supreme Court District VIII Ethics Committee, Fox Rothschild LLP, Princeton
– Rahool Patel, Esq., Porzio Bromberg & Newman, P.C., Morristown
– Kimberly Roman, Assistant Deputy Statewide Ethics Coordinator, Office of Attorney Ethics, New Jersey

Representing Muslim Clients in Residential Real Estate Closings

Residential real estate attorneys in New Jersey serve clients from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds. Representing Muslim clients in residential real estate closings presents unique considerations because Islamic law prohibits the charging and paying of interest. This requires replacing the traditional lender-borrower relationship with alternative legal structures, such as co-ownership or lease-to-own agreements, that are finalized at closing.

Join a knowledgeable panel of speakers as they equip practitioners with the tools they need to provide competent and effective representation to their Muslim clients in residential real estate closings. Participants will gain practical information as the panel delves into the legal and financial issues that can arise and learn strategies for ensuring smooth and successful transactions.

Topics include:

• An overview of Islamic finance principles and their impact on mortgage structures
• Understanding Sharia-compliant lending and purchase agreements
• The various financial structures offered by different institutions and how to determine which one best suits your clients
• How to navigate title, escrow, and insurance matters with sensitivity to faith-based concerns
• Answers to your questions.

Speakers include:
– Saad Admani, Esq., President, New Jersey Muslim Lawyers Association, Admani Law, Jersey City
– Hisham Hamed, Esq., President, Fertile Crescent Title Agency, Law Offices of Hisham Hamed, LLC, Woodbridge

CLE Credits