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Sunday, November 27, 2016

NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF CHILD PROTECTION AND PERMANENCY VS. G.S. AND K.S. IN THE MATTER OF A.S. AND B.S. A-5222-15T2/


NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF CHILD PROTECTION AND PERMANENCY
          VS. G.S. AND K.S. IN THE MATTER OF A.S. AND B.S.
          A-5222-15T2/A-5223-15T2 (CONSOLIDATED)
We review the Family Part's series of orders that concern the potential need to disqualify one or both staff attorneys from the Office of Parental Representation ("OPR") who respectively represent the father and the mother in defending this child welfare case. The conflict-of-interest questions were prompted by defendants' advocacy of competing parenting plans for the future care of their twin children.
With some modification, we affirm the trial judge's determination to conduct a hearing to explore the conflict and waiver issues that arose in this particular case.
We agree with the OPR, the Office of Law Guardian, and the amicus New Jersey State Bar Association that, with appropriate screening measures, the law does not categorically prohibit or even presumptively disfavor two staff attorneys working out of the same OPR regional office from separately defending each of the parents in child welfare cases. In addition, when a significant divergence arises between the parents during the course of such litigation, the actual or potential conflict often may be mutually waivable by those clients, with appropriate consultation and substantiation of that waiver.
We further conclude that the trial court has an appropriate institutional role in assuring that the zealous independence of the staff attorneys will not be compromised, and that the confidentiality of client communications and attorney work product will be scrupulously maintained. The court retains the authority and discretion to conduct a hearing to explore such matters on a case-by-case basis to address specific instances where particularized concerns have arisen about the propriety of ongoing representation by the staff attorneys or the sufficiency of any client waivers. 

Monday, November 21, 2016

CUMBERLAND FARMS, INC. VS. NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, ET AL. A-4335-14T2

CUMBERLAND FARMS, INC. VS. NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, ET AL.
A-4335-14T2
In this opinion, we conclude that plaintiff, the owner of convenience stores and gas stations throughout the State, failed to establish that it had an enforceable settlement agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection ("the DEP") that purportedly resolved natural resource damage claims the DEP had asserted under the New Jersey Spill and Compensation Act, N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11 to -23.50. Although the DEP sent plaintiff a draft settlement agreement for review, plaintiff never formally responded to the DEP's overtures and never sought
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to participate in the negotiations necessary to complete the process.
We also address the applicability of N.J.S.A. 58:10-23.11e2 to the settlement process. That provision, which went into effect in April 2006, requires the DEP to publish public notice concerning the terms of a proposed settlement at least thirty days prior to its agreement to any settlement. Here, we hold that the parties never agreed upon the terms of the settlement and, therefore, the DEP was not required to publish notice of the proposed settlement pursuant to the statute. However, we make clear that had the parties agreed upon the settlement terms and published those terms for public comment, the DEP would have had the authority to thereafter consummate, withdraw from, or modify the agreement based upon the responses received during the public comment period. 

THE ESTATE OF FRANCIS P. KENNEDY, ET AL. VS. STUART A. ROSENBLATT, C.P.A., ET AL. A-5397-15T4


THE ESTATE OF FRANCIS P. KENNEDY, ET AL. VS. STUART A. ROSENBLATT, C.P.A., ET AL.
A-5397-15T4
This interlocutory appeal involves a conflict-of-interest issue that arose after plaintiffs' attorney, who had filed and dismissed a professional negligence action while at his former firm, recommenced the action after joining his new firm, which had represented a defendant in the original action. That defendant, now represented by the same individual attorneys (who had since joined another firm) moved to disqualify plaintiffs' new firm under RPC 1.10(b), on the basis that attorneys there had information protected by RPC 1.6 and RPC 1.9 material to the action, namely, electronically stored confidential documents.
Construing RPC 1.10(b) in light of recent amendments to RPC 1.6 (confidentiality of information) and its commentary, we concluded the senior member of plaintiff's new firm/defendant's former firm, who reviewed the electronically stored file to determine if a conflict existed, could review the metadata (defined in RPC 1.0 (p)) and document titles without violating RPC 1.10(b); but could not review the substantive content of the documents without violating RPC 1.10(b). We remanded the matter for a determination of that issue.
We also suggested the Advisory Committee on Professional Ethics review what obligation the defendant's attorneys had upon leaving their former firm to assure the client's information was secure and would not be improperly accessed. 

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF SOUTH JERSEY GAS COMPANY FOR A DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF N.J.S.A. 40:55D-19./ IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF SOUTH JERSEY GAS COMPANY FOR A CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION FOR A PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PIPELINE A-1685-15T1

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF SOUTH JERSEY GAS COMPANY FOR A DETERMINATION PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF N.J.S.A. 40:55D-19./ IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF SOUTH JERSEY GAS COMPANY FOR A CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION FOR A PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PIPELINE A-1685-15T1/A-2705-15T1/A-2706-15T1
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There is sufficient credible evidence in the record to support the decision of the Board of Public Utilities that the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 to -163, and any local regulations adopted pursuant to the MLUL shall not apply to a pipeline that South Jersey Gas proposes to construct in the Pinelands, but the Board mistakenly relied upon a decision by the Executive Director of the Pinelands Commission (Commission), who found that construction of the pipeline was consistent with the requirements of the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan, N.J.A.C. 7:50-1.1 to -10.35, because the Executive Director did not have authority to render a final decision for the Commission on that issue. Therefore, the matter is remanded to the Commission for review of the Executive Director's decision, and the Board is directed to issue an

amended order, stating that its approval of the pipeline is conditioned upon issuance by the Commission of a final decision finding that the pipeline satisfies the requirements of the CMP. 

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Building and Marketing a Personal Injury Practice: Tips for a Better Practice and forms for attorneys to help their clients Book on sale

Building and Marketing a Personal Injury Practice: Tips for a Better Practice and forms for attorneys to help their clients
Book on sale
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Marketing-Personal-Injury-Practice/dp/1508677611/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1476063125&sr=1-6&keywords=vercammen
Product Details
         Paperback: 216 pages
$20.00

         Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1 edition (February 27, 2015)
         Language: English
         ISBN-10: 1508677611
         ISBN-13: 978-1508677611
         Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Author: Kenneth Vercammen, Esq. Edison NJ Member American Bar Association

Table of Contents
How to Handle the Personal Injury Case and Forms to Serve Your Clients  4
Forms either in the book or online for readers:                           5
Personal Injury Form Letters                                                        5
Discovery forms                                                                           9
Motions                                                                                         9
YOU WORK FOR YOUR CLIENTS                                                10
ANSWERING PHONES  and talking to prior clients, calls from attorneys    15
SCHEDULING NEW MATTER APPOINTMENTS & SETTING UP UNOPENED FILES   19
appointment lt email                                                                  27
PERSONAL INJURY FACT SHEET                                                 28
Repair Damage Estimate: 01 RETAINER Personal Injury          40
AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE PERSONAL INJURY LEGAL SERVICES 40
01A Client w_ retainer.doc                                                         45
39B Def Ins Co.doc                                                                      58
39C Def Details_Ax I.doc                                                            59
39D Def Details_Ax long.doc                                                     61
Police Report Req.doc                                                                 66
slip & fall claim lt.doc                                                                 67
PI FactSheet to Cl.doc                                                                 69
Req med info.doc                                                                        71
new dr pip med bill.doc                                                              74
Mail Cert Merit to Cl.doc                                                            78
Cl- Medicare lien.doc                                                                  79
08 PIP Letter to Insur.doc                                                            88
11 request Dr.doc                                                                       91
15 Pl to Def W ROG ANS.doc                                                     94
18  SETTLE TO OTHER ATTY.doc                                                95
18A Release to Client.doc                                                           96
24 To PIP w_Bills.doc                                                                  97
25 Arbitration Lt to Def .doc                                                       98
28 Dep Notice to Cl.doc                                                            100
32 Pl to Sign Rogs                                                                     102
33 REQ MED INFO.doc                                                             103
36_Transmittal- Middlesex.doc                                               104
37 Def Exam cl.doc                                                                   105
40 Sall_Myers exam.doc                                                          108
42 Status Report.doc                                                                111
54  Notice of Claim- Long.doc                                                  115
Arbitration Notice to cl-PI.doc                                                  133
Client read other rogs.doc                                                        136
Current CM to Client.doc                                                           137
Dr- Illegible medical rec.doc                                                    143
Dr-Cl request medical record .doc                                            144
Employer wage auth.doc                                                          145
Notice of Initial Trial t.doc                                                        148
On Call Subpoena lt.doc                                                            150
PI FactSheet to Cl.doc                                                               154
Reasonable hospital recor.doc                                                 155
Thank you Doctor Dr.doc                                                          175
FALLDOWN ROGS extra Photo.doc                                          195
Req for Doc Fall down v def                                                     209
Subpoena ducestecum_cp.doc                                                 214
A & B Complaint by Bus in  assault                                          220
Affidavit of Non Military                                                          225
Assault & Dram Shop Cm                                                         227
COMPL_FALLDOWN                                                                 238
COMPL_MV_STANDARD                                                          240
COMMON  ABBREVIATIONS                                                    245
Acknowledgment for PI book                                                   247
Conclusion                                                                                 248
About the Author                                                                      248