GlobeSt.com - New Jersey

Consumer Finance Litigation Will Proceed Piecemeal After Consolidation Request Denied

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 00:50:17 EST

"MCL designation is typically reserved for large-scale personal injury or products liability cases with many injured plaintiffs against few defendants,” the court wrote.

The Dangerous Subversion of Prior Restraint in New Jersey

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:19:19 EST

Our courts have taken a position fundamentally inconsistent with nearly a century of First Amendment doctrine.

Navigating a New Jersey Trust Account Audit

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:59:59 EST

New Jersey's trust accounting rules are detailed and enforced. Even attorneys acting in complete good faith can feel stress when bookkeeping problems surface during an audit.

Vacating $1.3M Judgment, Divided Court Clarifies Ongoing Storm Rule

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 17:12:01 EST

The Supreme Court vacated a $1.3 million judgment against Walmart in the case of a woman who slipped in a store parking lot during a winter storm. The case revolves around the definition of exceptions to the Ongoing Storm Rule from Pareja v. Princeton International Properties.

3rd Circuit Revives Claim Hotels Conspired to Use AI to Hike Rates

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 15:27:19 EST

In May 2023 suit, a group of hotel guests claimed Caesars Entertainment, Hard Rock, Borgata and MGM illegally fixed prices using Cendyn's Rainmaker algorithm, which allegedly recommends room rates based on competitively-sensitive information shared by the casinos.

Highlighting Rising Liability for Employers, NJ Settles First Misclassification Suit Under New Law

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 15:12:49 EST

On Wednesday, New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and acting New Jersey Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development Kevin D. Jarvis jointly announced a $2.775 million settlement in a lawsuit brought against STG Logistics and STG Drayage.

New Jersey Finally Drew the Right Line Between Lawyers and Clients

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 09:59:59 EST

We tell business owners not to blur the line between personal and corporate finances. We counsel trustees that their fiduciary obligations require undivided loyalty. We explain to corporate officers that even the appearance of self-interest can undermine confidence in an entire transaction. It would be difficult to justify asking less of ourselves.

Yale Trade Secrets Win in Del. Court Reinforces Universities' Commercial IP Playbook

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:22:07 EST

The decision reinforces the fact that confidential research can be a valuable form of intellectual property in its own right, particularly during technology-transfer, licensing and investment discussions where unpublished expertise may prove just as important as patented inventions.

NJ Supreme Court Changes Rules for Oral Arguments on Reconsideration

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:10:42 EST

Oral argument on most reconsideration motions “consumes time that could be better spent on other matters because the same arguments are being raised on reconsideration," according to one jurist sitting on the Civil Practice Committee.

Disciplinary Review Board Report Outlines Case Resolutions in First Full Year Under New Chair

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:57:35 EST

In recent years, resolution times in attorney ethics cases and an effort to shorten them has been the subject of debate.

A Question for the Courts: Will Banning Data Centers Be a Winning Strategy for Towns?

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:51:21 EST

Lots of New Jersey towns are banning data centers, and two have been hit with suits after doing so. In the short term, more bans and more litigation are likely, some legal observers said.

Something's Rotten in the State of NJ: When a Charitable Split-Interest Trust by Any Other Name Would Smell So Sweet

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:44:59 EST

Two cases reinforce the importance of considering a New Jersey grantor establishing a charitable split-interest trust with no New Jersey trustee, assets or source income and potentially under the governing law of a state such as South Dakota or Delaware with no state income taxation.

Mind the Gap: Federal Selectivity and New Jersey Enforcement

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:29:59 EST

While federal enforcement may be narrower, New Jersey enforcement remains broad, remedial, and resident-focused.

Critical Mass With Law.com's Amanda Bronstad: Johnson & Johnson to Pay at Least $5.5B in Talc Settlement, Meta Begins Trial in Tennessee AG's Consumer Case

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 11:15:13 EST

This week: Johnson & Johnson on Monday agreed to settle 76,000 talcum powder lawsuits, potentially ending 15 years of litigation. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skremetti opened trial this week, alleging Meta made false statements about child safety on Instagram. Wisner Baum's W. Crawford Appleby says firms should take a “slow and steady approach to using artificial intelligence tools.

NJ Courts Face More Lawsuits, Ambiguous Language Under Revised Family Leave Act

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:27:06 EST

Revisions to the New Jersey Family Leave Act greatly increase the number of people who can claim leave to care for new babies or sick relatives.

Golf Course Liability for Lightning: Nearly 30-Year-Old Standard Meets New Technology

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 09:59:59 EST

In the summer of 2025, two lightning strikes at New Jersey golf courses—one fatal and one resulting in critical injury—created the conditions for what may become the most significant development in premises liability for recreational facilities in a generation.

Johnson & Johnson Settles 76,000 Talcum Powder Lawsuits for at Least $5.5B

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:33:27 EST

The settlement, which resolves 99.75% of the talcum powder litigation in federal and state courts, comes 15 years after the first suits alleged Johnson & Johnson's baby powder caused ovarian cancer.

Novo's Bid to Halt Lilly Ads Tests How Long Drugmakers Can Rely on Older Clinical Trials

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:04:55 EST

Novo says Lilly is turning yesterday's science into today's sales pitch—and wants a judge to stop the campaign before the market damage is done.

'They Kind of Lost Their Way': Cooley Must Pay $25M for Legal Malpractice

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:38:13 EST

The award includes $3 million in attorney fees, $1.1 million in expenses and $5.6 million in prejudgment interest.

Expect More Activity on Fraud-Related PIP Cases Following NJ Supreme Court Ruling, Lawyers Say

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:55:30 EST

After the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled PIP insurance fraud cases were not meant for arbitration, attorney predict the lifting of stays on numerous cases pending while the Supreme Court deliberated along with a new influx of such cases to New Jersey courtrooms.

REAL Relief? NJDEP Moves to Extend Legacy Period by One Year

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:59:59 EST

If adopted, the extension would provide applicants with a valuable additional year to secure grandfathered status under pre-REAL regulations.

Got $29? AI-Driven Platform Makes Filing a Lawsuit Easy. But Is It Legal?

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:10:27 EST

The business model of Petty Lawsuit could make it vulnerable to litigation for practicing law without a license, says Sean Griffin, a Washington, D.C. lawyer who blogs about AI in the legal profession.

Former Montgomery McCracken Partner Appointed to NJ Federal Bench

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:50:51 EST

Ethan A. Hougah, a former partner of Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, has been appointed to a full-time magistrate judgeship on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He replaces the retiring Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio.

As SCOTUS Grapples with Plea Deals, NJ Provides Helpful Lessons

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:27:39 EST

These New Jersey rules have worked well in the administration of criminal justice and they have not precluded sentence review even when there was an agreement not to appeal the sentence.

Third Circuit's Decision in Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs Signals a New Era for New Jersey Gun Laws

Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:14:59 EST

The Third Circuit concluded that AR-style rifles and standard-capacity magazines are protected by the Second Amendment because they are commonly possessed by law-abiding Americans for lawful purposes.

NJ High Court Adopts Rule Barring Sexual Relationships with Clients

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:20:52 EST

Among a host of amendments to state court rules approved by New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner on Thursday, was the addition of Rule 1.8(k) to New Jersey's Rules of Professional Conduct. Rule 1.8(k) would prohibit sexual relations between an attorney and a client, except in cases where a consensual relationship already existed when the attorney-client relationship commenced.

Judicial Procedure Mishap in Case of Lost Items Leads to Appellate Division Reversal

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:53:30 EST

The Appellate Division said in was “constrained to reverse the trial court's prior granting of summary judgment to NJM Insurance Company and remand to Somerset County Superior Court.

Amid Rising Rents, Litigators Await Guidance on Challenges to Rent-Setting Algorithms

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:10:04 EST

With litigators awaiting guidance on the growing crop of suits over the use of algorithms to set rents, a related case at the Third Circuit concerning hotels "has been pending since last fall, and I think a lot of people are waiting for it," law professor Salil Mehra said.

With Family Law Booming, NJ Practice Leaders Say Talent Can be Hard to Find

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:37:22 EST

Many law firms have recently announced expansions of their family law ranks, including New Jersey's Einhorn Barbarito and A.Y Strauss, as well as New York boutique Sterlington.

Johnson & Johnson Wins Big: Federal Judge Orders Nearly 70,000 Talc Claimants to Show Why They Shouldn't be Dismissed

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:42:40 EST

In Wednesday's order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh, in the District of New Jersey, raised "deep skepticism" about the plaintiffs' specific causation experts and sought to reevaluate how to manage the "aged and complex mass tort MDL."

Novo Nordisk Says Lilly's ‘Gold Standard' GLP-1 Comparison Misleads Consumers

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:31:32 EST

Novo says Lilly is using an older head-to-head trial to promote Zepbound's superiority, despite newer data for a higher Wegovy dose that was not included in the comparison.

Critical Mass With Law.com's Amanda Bronstad: Lawsuits Hit Taylor Farms and Taco Bell Over Contaminated Lettuce, 1st Checks Sent From $4B Sex Abuse Settlement Amid Fraud Scandal

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:58:59 EST

This week: At least five lawsuits have been filed against Taylor Farms over its lettuce contaminated with cyclospora, and Taco Bell is an additional defendant in most of the cases. More than $700 million of a massive settlement with Los Angeles County is being sent out to sex abuse claimants, even as fraud claims continue. Find out who represents Best Buy in the latest consumer class action over allegedly deceptive price discounting.

Should Polluters Pay to Make New Jersey More Affordable?

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:44:59 EST

New Jersey is far from the only jurisdiction considering efforts to extract monetary damages from the fossil fuel companies for allegedly causing climate change harm.

'They Tried a Different Case': $3M Abuse Verdict Against Cape May Religious Group

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:34:22 EST

The plaintiff prevailed after choosing a cause of action that did not depend on the defendant religious organization's awareness of abuse by two of its agents.

PIP Insurance Fraud Claims Cannot be Arbitrated, NJ Supreme Court Rules

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:16:20 EST

After Allstate sued, some defendants sought to compel arbitration under the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act, which includes a mandatory arbitration provision.

After Full Bench Sounds Off, How Much Did 3rd Circuit Reveal of Itself?

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:47:25 EST

Arthur Hellman, a law professor who studies federal appeals courts, said an en banc ruling in an assault weapons case demonstrates that litigators should not assume a judge's party affiliation will predict case outcomes in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

After Disqualifying Beasley Allen, Johnson & Johnson Sets Sights on Other Talc Lawyers

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:15:10 EST

Johnson & Johnson lawyer Kristen Fournier, at Kirkland & Ellis, wrote in a July 9 letter to U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah Singh in the talc multidistrict litigation about "concerning and newly developed facts" that surfaced during a July 6 evidentiary hearing in Florida.

How Dashcam Footage Secured a $2.3M Settlement in Rear-End Collision With Contested Liability

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:37:48 EST

The settlement came after the Appellate Division reversed summary judgment and returned the issues of proximate cause and comparative fault to a jury

NJ Has Not Followed Other Courts in Banning AI Glasses—but That Could Change

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:53:31 EST

New Jersey has no regulations addressing the use of smart glasses in court, but doing so would help ensure fair trials, preserve judicial control over the proceedings and minimize the potential of someone using a recording of courtroom proceedings for self-serving purposes, suggested J.C. Lore III, a professor and director of trial advocacy at Rutgers Law School.

No 'Breaks' to Perpetrators: Protect Domestic Violence Victims

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:27:21 EST

The trial court's concluding remark, “[d]o you understand the break you got today, might lead the plaintiff to believe the court was more concerned about the defendant's best interests.

NJ High Court Displays Judicial Restraint Without Abdication in Recent Consumer Finance Ruling

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:27:16 EST

Judicial restraint is an important virtue. So too is the recognition that state courts have historically done more than merely police legislative boundaries.

Sanofi Opens New Front in mRNA Patent Wars With Suits Against Pfizer, Moderna

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:46:38 EST

The two New Jersey suits assert eight patents against Pfizer and 10 against Moderna, extending existing mRNA litigation beyond delivery technology to manufacturing, purity and non-COVID respiratory vaccines.

NJ Supreme Court Clarifies How the AG's Office Can Intervene in Whistleblower Cases

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:38:37 EST

“The attorney general always had the ability to prevent application of the public disclosure bar, and the [amendment] altered only the way the attorney general could exercise the discretion to do so, New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Fabiana Pierre-Louis said.

Navigating New Jersey's CREAMMA: What Employers Need to Know

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:59:59 EST

Employers are well-served by a straightforward guiding principle: to the extent possible, document and take action based on actual work performance deficiencies and observable conduct, regardless of whether the employer suspects the employee may be under the influence of cannabis.

'Stunning Turn of Events': Johnson & Johnson Asks Judge to Order Potential Dismissal of All 67,000 Talc Lawsuits

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:01:50 EST

Johnson & Johnson, in a motion for order to show cause, insisted that lead plaintiffs' counsel in the talc multidistrict litigation withdrew their two "marquee" specific causation experts after they acknowledged other risk factors impacting women in six bellwether cases—and that most ovarian cancers are idiopathic.

Insurance Brokers and Agents Are Not Exempt from Consumer Fraud Liability, NJ Supreme Court Rules

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:24:13 EST

“This decision is yet another example of New Jersey courts accepting the Attorney General's broad interpretation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act, an attorney who previously oversaw the New Jersey Attorney General's Office's Consumer Fraud Act enforcement said.

New Chief Judge for Appellate Division Set to Take Over in Fall

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 16:13:29 EST

The new chief judge will be replacing the retiring Judge Thomas Sumners.

Headaches Ahead? AI Glasses-Boom Brings Litigation Risks for Employers

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:10:49 EST

Some smart glasses collect biometric data about faces, voiceprints and other identifying characteristics, but collecting and storing these might require disclosure and informed consent under biometric laws in Illinois, Texas and Colorado, said attorney Adia Craig. Failure to comply might lead to statutory penalties and private rights of action, Craig said.

Mulling a Confidential Settlement? NJ Attorneys Say There Are Tax Implications

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:59:59 EST

“There's a potential penalty for any plaintiff who does agree to confidentiality," attorney David Mazie of Mazie Slater Katz & Freeman said.

Fox Rothschild Hit With Abuse of Process Lawsuit in NJ Court

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:56:18 EST

“Defendants maintained this litigation for years, repeatedly ignored demands for dismissal, ignored documentary evidence disproving their claims, and attempted to use the burdens and expense of litigation as leverage to force plaintiff to abandon claims for sanctions and attorneys' fees, the suit said.

$10.5M Settlement Reached Over New Jersey Lawyer's Death

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 17:48:16 EST

A cancer expert testifying for the deceased man's estate opined that Sills Cummis attorney Brian Coven had an 85% to 90% chance of survival, if doctors had taken appropriate action after the first signs of cancer.

'We're in a New Terrain': AI Bolsters Pro Se Litigation, but Judges Raise Alarms

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:58:51 EST

Many legal experts attribute skyrocketing pro se filings to artificial intelligence tools, but some judges in federal and state courts have sanctioned them over "hallucinations" and other errors caused by AI.

Are Confidentiality Requests on the Rise in NJ? Attorneys Debate What's at Stake

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 11:18:38 EST

After an attorney's estate repelled an attempt to introduce confidentiality into a settlement agreement, members of the plaintiff and defense bar weighed in on whether such a practice is becoming more commonplace.

Court Says Commercial Exception to Anti-SLAPP Law Doesn't Apply to Law Firm

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:55:18 EST

Attorney Bruce Rosen, who represented law firm Javerbaum Wurgaft in a libel suit by Holtec International, noted that Monday's ruling is the fourth Appellate Division win he's obtained in the last eight months in cases interpreting UPEPA.

NJ Shows Why SCOTUS's Expansion of Executive Powers Might Not Mean What It Seems

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:29:05 EST

The lesson is that constitutional text and administrative practice can diverge dramatically.

New Jersey Moves to Ban Sensitive Data Sales: What Businesses Must Do Now

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:09:59 EST

This alert breaks down what you need to know about the Garden State's new privacy law and outlines the practical steps your company should take now to limit enforcement exposure for noncompliance.

NJ Supreme Court Closes Door for Private Right of Action Under the Consumer Finance Licensing Act

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:30:28 EST

In writing for the bench, Justice John Jay Hoffman said the court saw “no reason to disturb the principle of preventing plaintiffs from suing for injunctions to enforce state penal laws.

New Jersey's New E-Bike Insurance Law Solves One Problem. But It Leaves an Important Question Unanswered.

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:59:59 EST

Beginning July 19, riders of certain higher-powered e-bikes will have to carry liability insurance because those bikes are now classified as motorized bicycles under state law. Some people have criticized the change as unnecessary regulation. I don't see it that way.

Appellate Division Tosses $40K Sanction Against Nagel Rice in Fee Dispute

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:55:37 EST

After an arbitrator awarded Blume Forte $56,250 in the fee dispute, Nagel Rice sued to vacate the award.

Can DEI Be Neutral?

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:02:50 EST

We commend the author and the AAA for publishing this piece and look forward to the wide-ranging discussions it should engender.

Baker Donelson Princeton Shareholder Talks Leadership During Firm Transition

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:05:17 EST

Baker Donelson launched in New Jersey last year with nearly 30 attorneys.

Einhorn Barbarito Launches Bergen County Presence With Boutique Firm Acquisition

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 11:43:27 EST

Since late last year, at least three midsize firms in New Jersey—Mandelbaum Barrett, Lauletta Birnbaum and A.Y. Strauss—have expanded into new locations through the acquisition of a smaller firm.

How I Made Practice Group Chair: 'Invest in the Success of Colleagues,' Says Andrew Kaplan of Baker Donelson

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:59:59 EST

"Attorneys interested in leadership roles should focus on developing strong client relationships, collaborating across practice groups, and investing in the success of colleagues. Effective leadership in a law firm setting requires balancing individual client service with a long-term commitment to strengthening the broader practice."

Mead Johnson Wins Defense Verdict in Latest NEC-Related Infant Formula Trial

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:23:36 EST

Thursday's verdict, in the 22^nd Judicial Circuit Court in St. Louis, Missouri, comes less than three weeks after Mead Johnson won reversal of a $60 million formula verdict, the first in the nation involving NEC, or necrotizing enterocolitis.

Judge Rules Against AIG Over Ambiguous Insurance Policy

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:00:30 EST

AIG had denied coverage.

NJ Firm Admits to Overcharging 68 Clients

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 17:26:53 EST

The firm admitted to a judge it tacked impermissible charges of $119,236 for things like courier services and online research onto bills for contingent-fee cases between 2013 and 2015.