The NJSBA Summer Conference- A Special One-Day Virtual Event
Date: Aug 21, 2024 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Online
Member Price: $185.00
Non-Member Price: $225.00
Section Price: $0.00
Areas of Law: For All Attorneys
Earn up to 8 credits, including 2.0 in Ethics! (More Information)
Keynote
Moderator
Presenters
- Hon. James J. Guida, J.S.C. (Ret.)
- LoFaro Carver, LLC
- Hon. Ronald J. Hedges (Ret.)
- Former USMJ
Principal, Ronald J. Hedges LLCis Senior Counsel for Dentons in New York City and a member of the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Practice Group. He has extensive experience in e-discovery and the management of complex civil litigation matters, and has served as a special master, arbitrator and mediator. He also consults on the management and discovery of electronically stored information (ESI).
Admitted to practice in New Jersey, New York, Texas and the District of Columbia, and before several federal courts, Judge Hedges is a former United States Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey (1986-2007), where he was the Compliance Judge for the Court Mediation Program, a member of the Lawyers Advisory Committee, and a member of and reporter for the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee. A member of the Advisory Group of Magistrate Judges from 2001-2005, he has also been a member of the American Law Institute, the American and Federal Bar Associations, and the Historical Society and the Lawyers Advisory Committee of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Judge Hedges has served on the Sedona Conference Judicial Advisory Board; the Sedona Conference Working Group on Protective Orders, Confidentiality, and Public Access; and the Sedona Conference Working Group on Best Practices for Electronic Document Retention & Protection. He has also been a member of the Advisory Board of the Advanced E-Discovery Institute of Georgetown University Law Center. He is a former Fellow at the Center for Information Technology of Princeton University and has been a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas.
Judge Hedges has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers School of Law-Newark and is a former adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and Seton Hall University School of Law, where he has taught courses on electronic discovery and evidence and mediation skills. He is the author of “Rule 26(f): The Most Important E-Discovery Rule” (New Jersey Law Journal, 5/18/2009) and has authored, edited and co-edited a number of other publications on ESI topics including Discovery of Electronically Stored Information: Surveying the Legal Landscape (BNA, 2007). He is the principal author of the third edition of the Federal Judicial Center’s Pocket Guide for Judges on Discovery of Electronic Information.
Judge Hedges received his B.A. from the University of Maryland and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
(8/23) - Hon. Julien Xavier Neals, U.S.D.J.
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.
- Former Morris County Prosecutor and Certified Trial Attorney
The Bianchi Law Group, LLC, Parsippany - David J. Bruno, Esq.
- The Bianchi Law Group, LLC, Parsippany
- Cristina Dolan
- Engineer, Computer Scientist
CEO, Inside Chains - Timothy M. Ferges, Esq.
- McCarter & English, LLP, Newarkis a Partner in McCarter & English, LLP in the firm’s Newark, New Jersey, and New York City offices, where he concentrates his practice in trust and estate law, including trust and estate litigation, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. Mr. Ferges brings and defends breach of fiduciary duty claims and handles contested accounting proceedings, Will and trust construction matters, and other fiduciary disputes; and represents beneficiaries, individual fiduciaries, and large institutional trust companies as well as charitable and non-profit organizations in those disputes. He also counsels high-net-worth individuals and families in estate planning goals while integrating asset protection and minimizing exposure to income and transfer taxes.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, and before the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Mr. Ferges has been a member of the American Academy of Attorney—CPAs and the American Bar Association Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, where he has served as Vice Chair of a committee in the Trust & Estates Litigation Group. He is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute of the American College of Trust & Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and the New Jersey State Bar Association Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Section and the New York State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Law Section, where he has served on the Estate Litigation Committee. In addition to being an attorney, he is also a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Springpoint Senior Living Foundation.
Mr. Ferges has lectured for ICLE, the National Business Institute and other organizations, and his articles have appeared in the New Jersey Law Journal and other publications. He is the recipient of several honors.
Mr. Ferges received his B.S. from Rutgers University; his M.B.A. from Rutgers Business School; his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he served as Director of the Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Board and as a member of the Interscholastic Moot Court Board; and his LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law. He was Law Clerk to the Honorable Walter Koprowski, Jr. and the Honorable Renee Jones Weeks, Probate Part, Chancery Division, Superior Court of New Jersey.
(8/23) - Mark R. Friedman, Esq.
- Friedman Law, Bridgewaterpractices estate planning, elder law and special needs law with Friedman Law in Bridgewater, New Jersey. His work includes creating special needs trusts for disabled clients so litigation proceedings, child support and other payments will not disrupt public benefits; helping seniors plan to prevent long-term care costs from wiping out their savings; and estate planning in first marriages, second marriages and for unmarried clients.
Admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York, Mr. Friedman is Past Chair and former Roundtable Coordinator and Legislative Coordinator of the New Jersey State Bar Association Elder and Disability Law Section. He was Somerset County representative to and Executive Committee member of the NJSBA Young Lawyers, and served on the NJSBA Blue Ribbon Commission on Unmet Legal Needs. Prior to joining the firm Mr. Friedman was a Contributing Editor for The FCPA Blog in Singapore, ROS, where he provided analysis on compliance, corruption and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). He is the author of articles including “Modern Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples” (New Jersey Law Journal, October 14, 2013).
Mr. Friedman received his B.A. from Binghamton University, State University of New York, and his J.D. from New York University Law School, where he was selected as an inaugural Fellow with Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics, which sends law and medical students to Germany and Poland to study their profession’s role in the Nazi genocide. He also created the Darfur Victims Project at NYU, leading a team of law students in support of litigation before the International Criminal Court.
(9/23) - John M. Hockin, Jr., Esq.
- Ronan, Tuzzio & Giannone, Tinton Falls
- Thaddeus J. Hubert, III, Esq.
- Hoagland Longo Moran Dunst & Doukas LLP, New Brunswick
- W. Lois Kahagi, Esq.
- W.Lois Kahagi Family Law Services, Iselin
- Naju R. Lathia, Esq.
- Day Pitney, Parsippany
- Jennifer Mara, Esq.
- Baldassare & Mara, LLC, Roseland
- Ron McCormick, Esq.
- Chief Assistant Prosecutor, Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, Hackensack
- Charles Murray, III, Esq.
- Farkas and Donohue, Florham Park
- Rekha V. Rao, Esq.
- Rao Legal Group, Princeton
- Victoria A. Schall, Esq.
- Schall At Law LLC, Marlton
- Christina Vassiliou Harvey, Esq.
- Lomurro Munson, LLC, Freeholdis a Partner in Lomurro, Munson, Comer, Brown & Schottland, LLC (Lomurro Law) in Freehold, New Jersey. She focuses her practice in appellate matters, personal injury litigation, disability matters, attorney ethics and horseracing law, and has experience litigating personal injury case for both the plaintiff and defense sides, medical malpractice cases for plaintiffs, commercial disputes, and prosecuting and defending insurance brokers and attorneys in claims of professional negligence.
Ms. Harvey is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania at the trial and appellate levels, and before administrative agencies. A former Trustee of the New Jersey State Bar Association, she has been a member of the New Jersey Law Journal’s Young Lawyer Advisory Board and is Past Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division. Having served as President of the Mercer County Women Lawyers Caucus, she is a founding board member of the Community Justice Center, a non-profit organization that assists disabled veterans in obtaining disability benefits.
Ms. Harvey has authored articles for the New Jersey Lawyer newspaper, NJ Esq., The Affiliate, The Young Lawyer and the New Jersey State Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Newsletter. She has lectured for ICLE on professional responsibility as part of the Skills and Methods course and for the NJSBA and other organizations on ethics, collections and client relations. She has received three "Star of the Quarter" awards and one “Star of the Year” award for her work in the American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division and was the recipient of the Service to the Bar Award in 2009 and the Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year Award in 2013 from the NJSBA-Young Lawyers Division.
Ms. Harvey received her B.A. from Douglass College, Rutgers University. She was a contract specialist for the United States Navy before attending Rutgers University School of Law and receiving her J.D. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Dorothea O’C. Wefing, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. - Cipora Winters, Esq.
- Keith, Winters, Wenning & Harris, LLC, Bradley Beach
A Special One-Day Virtual Event
Presented in cooperation with SABA-NJ
The New Jersey State Bar Association is excited to host the 2024 CLE event of the summer! Beat the heat, pour yourself some lemonade or iced tea and enjoy the very best of CLE. You’ll earn up to 8.0 credits, including ethics, as you explore the hottest topics and most important information for your practice.
Just like our Annual Meeting and other major conferences, there’s no need to pre-register for individual seminars. Log in to our easy-to-navigate conference website to attend the sessions you want throughout the day.
Get a jump on your credit requirements and dive in!
Here is a sample of some of the topics to be offered. Speakers and topics will be added regularly, so check back often for updates.
8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
For Every Attorney
Attorneys and New Technology – How Versed Are You?
New or improved technologies appear on a seemingly daily basis. These technologies are often available to, and used by, both attorneys and their clients. The technologies can have benefits – they solve problems, help you work faster and can make you more efficient. However, they also carry risks.
This cutting-edge segment will fill you in on the latest technology for your practice. You’ll receive practical information about how to use it, plus important caveats about what to be aware of as you implement it. This will be presented by esteemed judges who are well-versed in technology – its benefits and potential problem – as well as an attorney who is the co-chair of her firm’s data privacy, protection and litigation group, and an internet pioneer and MIT Media Lab alumna.
Live Commentator:
Dr. Robert Spangler
Assistant Executive Director and CISO
New Jersey State Bar Association
Speakers include:
Hon. Ronald J. Hedges (Ret.)
Former USMJ
Principal, Ronald J. Hedges LLC, Hackensack
Hon. Julien X. Neals, U.S.D.J.
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Cristina Dolan
Engineer, Computer Scientist
CEO, Inside Chains
Naju R. Lathia, Esq.
Day Pitney, Parsippany
Civil / Criminal
The Truth about Lie Detection
We are in a profession in which discerning the truth can mean the difference between success and failure, a large verdict or a no-cause, a conviction or an acquittal. We may think that we lawyers and judges are astute lie detectors. We may be confident, but are we accurate?
Mark Smith is a retired county prosecutor’s detective and expert in the science of polygraph testing. He has conducted over 5,000 polygraph examinations covering virtually every topic including murder, sexual assault, arson, theft, fraud, infidelity and many others. He has acted as an expert witness in the areas of polygraph, child sexual abuse and criminal investigation. He has cleared hundreds of people accused or suspected of wrongdoing. In this seminar, he will take you through the science of lying and show you in a practical way how to best determine whether someone is lying or telling the truth.
Topics will include: Developments in the 1950’s- The Reid Technique; The lasting influence of Reid: airport screening and your tax dollars; Using micro-expressions to detect lies; Using body language to detect lies: The DePaulo meta-analysis; Does polygraph add value? New technologies in lie detection; Using plausibility to detect lies; Verbal content analysis; Five rules for evidence-based lie detection and the future of lie detection.
Speaker includes:
Mark P. Smith
Expert Polygraph Testing
Ron McCormick
Assistant Prosecutor, Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
Estate Planning
A Matter of Trusts
When we discuss estate planning, we can’t overlook the importance of proper trust drafting. This seminar goes beyond the basics to explore some of the more complicated techniques in trust creation. The speakers will begin with the foundation of solid trust drafting rules and then provide the latest information QTIP trusts in divorce, tax planning trusts such as SLAT, Medicaid protection trusts, and special needs trusts. They will also discuss the Uniform Trust Code – when was it passed, what does it require, how can you use it in your practice.
Speakers include:
Mark R. Friedman, Esq.
Friedman Law, Bridgewater
Timothy M. Ferges, Esq.
McCarter & English, LLP, Newark
Rekha V. Rao, Esq.
Rao Legal Group, LLC, Princeton
10:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Civil
Avoiding Affidavit of Merit Pitfalls
The Affidavit of Merit Statute has a simple premise of weeding out frivolous litigation while permitting meritorious ones to go forward. But the statute has become a trap for the unwary. Learn about the latest updates affecting medical malpractice, nursing home malpractice as well as other professional negligence matters.
Speakers include:
Christina Vassiliou Harvey, Esq.
Co-Chair, Medical Malpractice
Lomurro Munson, LLC., Freehold
John M. Hockin, Jr., Esq.
Ronan, Tuzzio & Giannone, Tinton Falls
Charles Murray, III, Esq.
Farkas and Donohue, Florham Park
Victoria A. Schall, Esq.
Co-Chair, Medical Malpractice
Schall At Law LLC, Marlton
Estate Planning
Where There’s a Defective Will – Is There a Way?
Most people are aware they need a will, but they are not necessarily aware of the requirements that allow a will to be probated. Some wills are handwritten on napkins, or printed out with blanks filled in and signed but not witnessed. If you represent an estate, how can you have imperfect wills admitted into probate? What can you do post mortem to perfect a will? Find out what the best options are and how to make it work so that the decedent’s intentions are carried out. Topics will include post-mortem techniques for dealing with imperfect wills, such as disclaimers, reformations, modifications and more.
Speaker includes:
Tara S. Sinha, Esq.
Witman Stadtmauer, P.A., Florham Park
Family
Religious Divorce and Custody
New Jersey is a diverse state, which means that your clients are also diverse, from many religious and cultural backgrounds. Nowhere do religion and culture have a greater impact than in family law issues. Marriages are almost always influenced by cultural norms and values and therefore, so are divorces.
Religion and culture not only influence someone’s decision to get a divorce or file for custody, but they also influence their expectations in the legal process, and their interpersonal relationships within their communities. In order to properly represent your clients, it is vital that you understand the large role that a client’s ethnic, culture or religious background plays in their life during this especially trying time.
Register today to hear a thorough comparison of black-letter law with the realities of daily life for your clients, opening a window into their lives and enabling you to become a better advocate, advisor and litigator.
Speakers include:
Stacey L. Miller, Esq.
Atkins, Tafuri, Minassian D’amato, Beane & Miller, P.A., River Edge
Cipora Winters, Esq.
Keith, Winters, Wenning & Harris, LLC, Bradley Beach
10:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
Ethics / DEI
Cautionary Case Law – Ethics for All Practitioners
Ethics cases and rules can make you feel like you’re getting caught in the undertow!This presentation focuses on Cautionary Case Law. It’s the kind of case law in which a New Jersey lawyer never wants to be mentioned. The individual topics cross many of the primary ethical duties of a lawyer that every practitioner not only needs to know something about but also needs to know a lot about to avoid disciplinary complaints and malpractice claims. Ultimately knowing the ethical rules is one of the major risk management tools available to lawyers to ward off claims and keep insurance premiums manageable. This two-hour presentation is geared to that objective.
Topics include: The Risk of 11th Hour Electronic Filing, The Tragedy of Substance Abuse, The Ethical Obligation to Report Another Lawyer’s Misconduct, Attorney/Client Privilege, Duty of Communication, Referrals and Associates, Negligent Settlements, and the Entity Theory of Representation.
Speaker includes:
Thaddeus J. Hubert, III, Esq.
Hoagland Longo Moran Dunst & Doukas LLP, New Brunswick
2:50 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Criminal Law
From TV Drama to Legal Insight: High-Profile Trials in Focus
Join our panel of criminal law experts as they explore the most captivating moments from recent high-profile trials, including the Young Thug trial, the Karen Read trial, and more. They will create an informative discussion that connects theory with real-world practice. This exciting seminar brings the true crime genre to continuing legal education!
Speakers include:
Hon. James J. Guida, J.S.C. (Ret.)
LoFaro Carver, LLC, Hackensack
Robert A. Bianchi, Esq.
The Bianchi Law Group, LLC, Parsippany and Red Bank
David J. Bruno, Esq.
The Bianchi Law Group, LLC Parsippany and Red Bank
Jennifer Mara, Esq.
Baldassare & Mara, LLC, Roseland
Civil
Public Records Challenges for Litigators – OPRA 2.0
The revisions to the Open Public Records Act signed by the governor on June 5 will drastically change New Jersey’s OPRA law and will have a negative impact on many litigators who have depended on OPRA. While discovery is limited to parties involved in litigation, and obtaining information from non-parties requires a subpoena, OPRA has allowed the requester to obtain information from any state or local agency, whether it’s a party to a case or not. This is bound to change.
Join seasoned litigators as they discuss the new law, how it will change litigation practice and what litigators can do to minimize the negative impact the new law will have on your practices.
Speakers include:
Jordan M. Asch, Esq.
Riker Danzig, LLP, Morristown
Stuart J. Leiberman, Esq.
Leiberman Blecher & Sinkevich, PC, Princeton
Michael G. Sinkevich, Jr., Esq.
Leiberman Blecher & Sinkevich, PC, Princeton
Family
Handling International Custody Disputes
More and more, marriages in New Jersey are comprised of one spouse from outside of the United States. In divorce occurs, it can lead to complex custody battles if a parent wants to raise their children in their original home country. International custody disputes are more complicated than domestic ones not only for the logistical problems in visitation and parenting time, but also because of legal issues such as jurisdiction, the Hague Convention and the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act.
This presentation will demystify the issues involved in international custody battles and help you represent a client involved in these complicated cases.
Speaker includes:
W. Lois Kahagi, Esq.
W. Lois Kahagi Family Law Services, Iselin
Law Office Management
A Watchful Eye? Considerations on Staff and Office Security
There has been an increase in potentially harmful incidents directed at members of the judiciary, attorneys and staff. All practitioners must ensure that we are providing a physically secure environment for ourselves, our clients and our employees.
Join us for what may be the most important 100 minutes of your month as panelists will discuss the following:
1) What physical security measures are appropriate for the office? For instance, can you install a security camera at the point of entry or any other parts of the office to monitor the comings and goings of visitors/clients?
2) What federal and state privacy laws are impacted here?
3) What are the restrictions on recording employees?
4) Does capturing a client on camera in for an office visit a violation of attorney client privilege? Is it potentially discoverable evidence?
5) Are there other lesser security measures that can be taken? What about obtaining a security assessment from a consultant or perhaps giving some basic safety training to staff?
6) What kind of disclosures on these security measures need to be made to clients and/or staff? (i.e., posting a sign? Disclosure in a retainer agreement?)
7) How can you keep yourself and your employees safe online?
Moderator/Speaker:
Jill Roth-Gutman, Esq.
Roth-Gutman Law, LLC, Voorhees
Speakers include:
Donald Newman
Office of Small Business Advocacy, New Jersey Business Action Center
Lindsay Lieberman, Esq.
Lindsay Lieberman LLC
Alix R. Rubin, Esq.
Rubin Employment Law, Fairfield
Important Information About Our Events, Meetings, and More:
To secure your spot and receive important updates about our events, meetings, and other gatherings, such as schedule changes, remember to register in advance.
Digital Materials & Environmental Commitment: As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, unless otherwise noted, all seminar materials are provided as digital downloads. You can access these materials through:
- The “My Links” section at the top of our website for in-person or online events
- Or, for online programs, the event access link included in your joining instructions
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
If you need to cancel your registration and are not transferring to another program or date, please submit a written request to us at least three business days before the event, meeting, or gathering. You will receive a refund minus a $20.00 cancellation fee. No refunds or registration changes will be issued within three business days of the event, meeting, or gathering.
Stay Informed:
Registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For updates regarding inclement weather, please check your email or visit NJSBA.com.
Media Consent:
By participating in our events, meetings, or other gatherings, you agree to be photographed and/or recorded. Additionally, all media content captured during these gatherings will become the property of NJSBA. This content, including your image and name, may be used in our future promotional materials without additional consent or compensation.
Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy:
Read our Scholarship & Financial Assistance Policy and submit an Application here: https://njsba.com/njicle/cle-programs/scholarship/