NJSBA Annual Meeting: Daily Educational Programming Schedule
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Animal Law | Artificial Intelligence | Bankruptcy, Business & Taxation | Business of Law | Cannabis and Psychedelics | Civil Litigation | Criminal Litigation | Dispute Resolution | Diversity and Inclusion | Environmental Law | Ethics and Professionalism | Family Law | Federal Practice | Immigration | In-House | In-House Counsel | Labor & Employment | Law Practice Management | Municipal Court | Real Property Trust and Estate Law | Solo and Small-Firm | Special Interest | Women in the Profession | Workers Compensation | Young Lawyers
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Wednesday | Thursday | Friday
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14
9:30AM - 11:00AM
The Right Stuff – Hiring Staff to Ensure Firm Growth and Success
Solo and Small-Firm Track (Studio 3)
Making the decision to hire is a big step for a solo and small firm attorney. Adding staff affects the bottom line and is an anxiety-production decision. However, getting the right people at the right time can enhance a small firm’s overall productivity in the end and attorneys should not necessarily be bound by their anxieties. This panel will be presented and moderated by an immigration law attorney who will describe her small firm’s decision to hire an office manager and how hiring that person has not only increased the firm’s overall profitability but also positioned her firm to handle the current wave of new immigration law clients. Other panelists will describe how virtual services are helping their firms to grow. Finally, panelists will discuss new technology and if AI/GAI can be used to streamline or replace functions.
CLE: Earn up to 1.8 CLE Credits. Full Credits: NJG (1.8); NYPT (1.5); PAS (1.5).
Moderator/Speaker:
Lauren Anselowitz, Esq., Harlan York & Associates
Speakers:
Ana Raquel Reis, Esq., Ana Raquel Reis-Attorney At Law
Erdal Turnacioglu, Esq., Erdal Employment Law, LLC
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14
3:45PM - 5:15PM
Clients, Culture and the Bottom Line: Why DEI Matters in Law Practice
Solo and Small-Firm Track (Studio 3)
In today’s evolving legal landscape, it is more important than ever for attorneys to understand how to work effectively with clients from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Cultural competence and a strong foundation in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles are not only ethical imperatives but also business advantages. This program will begin by exploring the importance of recognizing and addressing implicit biases—those often-unconscious presumptions and inclinations that can impact how clients are perceived and treated. Lawyers will gain tools to better connect with clients, maintain strong attorney-client relationships, and represent their clients effectively and ethically across cultural and ideological divides. Building on this foundation, the program will then shift to the practical application of DEI in the business and operational side of legal practice. Attendees will learn about DEI certifications available to law firms, including the process of obtaining and maintaining them. The program will further explore strategic advantages and leveraging DEI-focused opportunities, including trade shows and corporate vendor programs, to grow your practice. The program will also examine the implications of recent Executive Orders on DEI certifications and explore how legal professionals can leverage these developments to expand their networks, enhance business development, and lead with inclusivity. This comprehensive session will provide both the ethical insight and practical strategies needed to integrate DEI into your legal practice meaningfully and effectively.
CLE: Earn up to 1.8 CLE Credits, including 1.8 in Diversity. Full Credits: NJDB (1.8); NYDIVN (1.5); PAE (1.5).
Speakers:
Lori Ann Buza, Esq., KSBranigan Law, PC
Felicia T. Farber, Esq., Farber Resolutions, LLC
Robyn E. Ross, Esq., Ross & Calandrillo, LLC
Paula M. Zwiren, JD, MBA, CTP, Zwiren Title Agency, Inc.
THURSDAY, MAY 15
8:45AM - 10:00AM
Open Your Own Law Firm: Action Items and Considerations for the Attorney Entrepreneur
Solo and Small-Firm Track (Studio 1)
This CLE will cover practical guidance and big-picture considerations for attorneys who are going out on their own or are curious about doing so. Topics will include: 1. Initial investment costs and budgeting 2. Building a support network of attorneys 3. Finding and hiring vendors, including banks, insurance brokers, case management software, IT specialists, Solo 401k/SEP IRA options, etc. 4. Creating your brand 5. Managing business and trust accounts and staying compliant with ethics rules 6. Knowing when to hire 7. Marketing (to general public) and networking (to build referrals from attorneys) 8. Managing the chip on your shoulder that develops from adversaries treating you differently in your first year solo 9. Developing 1/3/5 year plans
CLE: Earn up to 1.5 CLE Credits. Full Credits: NJG (1.5); NJ_NALO (1.5); NYMT (1.5); PAS (1).
Moderator/Speaker:
Christopher J. Keating, Esq., Keating Law Firm, LLC
Speakers:
Ayesha Krishnan Hamilton, Esq., Hamilton Law Firm PC
Brandon H. Rutter, Esq., Brandon Rutter Law, LLC
Antoinette Solomon, Law Office of Antoinette Solomon
THURSDAY, MAY 15
10:30AM - 11:45AM
Cultivating a Thriving Practice: From Public Service to Rainmaking, and the Ethics of It All
Solo and Small-Firm Track | Women in the Profession Track | Young Lawyers Track (Studio 4)
SPONSORED BY: Solo and Small Firm Section, Women in the Profession Section, Young Lawyers Division. This panel offers actionable strategies to begin, build, and sustain a successful practice or impactful public service career while maintaining happiness, fulfillment, and ethical standards. Topics include— GROWTH STRATEGIES: Cultivating relationships and maximizing professional networks, bar memberships, and public service opportunities to expand your career while upholding ethical standards. SUSTAINABILITY: Strategies for maintaining long-term career momentum while balancing leadership responsibilities, client advocacy, ethical obligations, and personal well-being. CAREER POSITIONING: Aligning your practice or public service role for long-term success through ethical branding, strategic growth, and expanding your impact with integrity. TRANSITIONS AND SUCCESSION: Navigating career shifts, from securing your first role to advancing into leadership, ensuring ethical continuity in client service, institutional values, and succession planning.
CLE: Earn up to 1.5 CLE Credits, including 1.5 in ethics. Full Credits: NJE (1.5); NYET (1.5); PAE (1).
Moderator/Speaker:
Jamie M. Zug, Esq., Law Office of Jamie M. Zug
Speakers:
Jonathan Ilan Amira, Esq., Gloucester County, Prosecutors Office
Craig M. Aronow, Esq., RAM Law (Rebenack Aronow & Mascolo LLP)
Judith Bachman, Esq., The Bachman Law Firm PLLC
Kimberly M. Gilhooly, Esq., Monmouth County, Prosecutor's Office
Jennifer Gillman, Esq., Gillman Strategic Group, LLC
Corinne McCann Trainor, Esq., Fox Rothschild
Brandon Lee Wolff, Esq., Brandon Wolff
FRIDAY, MAY 16
11:45AM - 1:15PM
Ethics and E-Discovery
Solo and Small-Firm Track (Central Meeting Room 2/3)
Discovery production of electronically stored information can be challenging and costly (particularly to a solo/small-firm practitioner). What once adversaries would accomplish through a “document dump” is now done via ESI particularly hundreds if not thousands of emails. This panel will discuss how E-Discovery can be managed by the solo and small-firm practitioner in an efficient manner, so it does not become overwhelming. This panel will also discuss the relevant Rules of Professional Conduct that the practitioner needs to know. See attached document for specific points covered and potential speaker information.
CLE: Earn up to 1.8 CLE Credits, including 1.8 in ethics. Full Credits: CT_CRT (1.8); NJE (1.8); NYET (1.5); PAE (1.5).
Moderator/Speaker:
Thomas J. Perry, Esq., Hutt Shimanowitz & Plocker PC
Speakers:
Jordan Ellington, Virtual Data Corp.
Todd Mattson, Esq., Law Office of Todd Mattson, Esq.
Asaad K. Siddiqi, Esq., Trenk Isabel Siddiqi & Shahdanian PC
Anthony C. Valenziano, Esq., Sherman Atlas Sylvester & Stamelman LLP