The New Jersey State Bar Association’s Board of Trustees convened in November to respond to proposals in the state Disciplinary Oversight Committee’s 2024 budget, support rule amendments to the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program and back pending legislation.
The Board voted to send the Judiciary a letter on a proposed rate hike of $27 in the Oversight Committee’s annual assessment, staff additions at the Office of Attorney Ethics and an increase in the fringe benefit rate for employees. The NJSBA has long opposed raising the annual assessment, as it would cause financial hardship for many attorneys and law firms in the state. In two years, the assessment has increased nearly 38%.
On a recommendation by the NJSBA Young Lawyers Division and Professional Responsibility Committee, the Board agreed to support amendments that would allow for third party referrals to the New Jersey Lawyers Assistance Program in any context, not just in the wake of a disciplinary hearing.
The Board also voted to support the following pending legislation:
A5235 Lampitt / S3627 Vitale – A bill that revises health insurance coverage requirements for infertility treatment.