New Jersey Law Journal

Law Firm Aggregate Market Has Trendline 'Pointing Down' in 2026

Wed, 13 May 2026 15:24:38 EST

Global wars and instability are also affecting both dealmaking and restructuring practices, according to the latest Law Firm Financial Index.

Talking About Pay

Wed, 13 May 2026 10:29:59 EST

The National Labor Relations Act has long protected employees' rights to discuss pay, considering it a form of protected concerted activity, which underpins employee bargaining power. The right of employees to discuss pay is one area of labor law that remains steady no matter which party is in power. Yet, despite this longstanding labor protection, disputes over pay discussions continue.

New Jersey's New 'ABC Test' Rules Leave Room for Further Clarification, Litigators Say

Tue, 12 May 2026 16:13:22 EST

“It's still not perfectly clear, even with the further explanations, how much of their own business someone truly must have to be classified as an independent contractor, Archer & Greiner attorney Scott A. Sears said.

The Instructure Breach May Create Independent Institutional Exposure Beyond the Vendor Incident

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:10:03 EST

As educational institutions continue evaluating the incident, many may underestimate the extent to which they themselves—and not merely the vendor—may face independent obligations under state breach notification statutes, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), cyber-insurance policies, contractual provisions, and broader governance standards.

Ex-New Jersey Judge Suspended Over Drunken Sexual Advances at Office Party

Tue, 12 May 2026 14:05:53 EST

The Disciplinary Review Board said stricter punishment was warranted in light of his position as a judge at the time the misconduct took place.

NJ Class Counsel in $7.25B Roundup Settlement Ask for $675M in Legal Fees

Tue, 12 May 2026 11:31:18 EST

The fee request, which is 9.3% of the settlement fund, is "quite modest," according to class counsel Eric Holland, who is co-class counsel with Chris Seeger of Seeger Weiss.

Trump Taps Ex-Personal Attorneys for Bench, Raising Recusal Questions

Mon, 11 May 2026 17:29:18 EST

“Considering the kind of representation that you've provided President Trump ... I would say that in any case involving President Trump's personal interests, you should recuse yourself, because it is very clear where your loyalties lie, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, told judicial nominee Justin Smith.

$2.5M Middlesex Verdict Wiped Out Over Errors at Trial

Mon, 11 May 2026 16:21:05 EST

"The admitted evidence, individually and cumulatively, rose to the level of a miscarriage of justice warranting a new trial because it had the capacity to mislead the jury, despite the curative instruction given by the trial court," the appeals court found.

3rd Circuit Revives Session Replay Suits Against Bass Pro Shops, Offering Roadmap for Standing

Mon, 11 May 2026 14:14:44 EST

So far, plaintiffs raising claims over session replay software have largely stumbled at the standing phase, with courts finding that merely alleging one's online movements have been tracked is not enough to establish a claim.

When Chapter 11 Runs Out of Runway: Lessons from Spirit Airlines

Mon, 11 May 2026 10:59:59 EST

Airline bankruptcies are not unusual. Abrupt operational collapses of a major U.S. carrier, however, are far less common.

Apple Quashed 'Watch Room' Competition, NJ Suit Alleges as Global Litigation Mounts

Fri, 08 May 2026 16:36:46 EST

Rave also sued Apple in Brazil, Canada, the Netherlands and Russia over its product's removal from the App Store.

Scarinci Hollenbeck Bolsters Restructuring Team After Real Estate Exits

Fri, 08 May 2026 16:15:43 EST

“There are symptoms of economic distress, so I'm preparing for that future and growing the creditors' rights and bankruptcy practice, Scarinci Hollenbeck managing partner Donald Scarinci said.

On the Move and After Hours: Mandelbaum Barrett; Arnold & Porter; Weber Gallagher; Tanenbaum Keale; Javerbaum Wurgaft; Connell Foley

Thu, 07 May 2026 23:59:59 EST

Mandelbaum Barrett announced that Julia P. Belton has joined the firm as a partner in its corporate practice group, and more moves.

Prenups and Marriage Go Together Like a Horse and Carriage

Fri, 08 May 2026 09:59:59 EST

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NJ Midsize Firm Accused of Botched Estate Planning, Losing and Misallocating Trust Assets

Thu, 07 May 2026 16:09:39 EST

The complaint, filed this week in Burlington County Superior Court, alleges misconduct by Capehart & Scatchard, claiming the firm's estate planning advice and related transactions reshaped—and depleted—the couple's assets to the detriment of multiple family trusts.

NJ's Am Law 200 Firms Blow Past National Growth Margins, Buoyed by Mergers and Litigation

Thu, 07 May 2026 15:52:33 EST

A quartet of Garden State law firms saw big jumps in rank and revenue in the Am Law 200.

When Delays Become Dangerous: Airport Liability in the World Cup Surge

Thu, 07 May 2026 12:59:59 EST

Airlines are generally insulated from liability for the delay itself. Weather happens. Air traffic control slows things down. Equipment issues arise. Courts have long recognized that air travel is an operationally complex system. But that protection has limits.

NJ Boutique Launches in Hackensack With Small Firm Merger

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:24:11 EST

Bringing on the lawyers bolster's A.Y. Strauss's labor and employment, corporate, transactional, commercial real estate, environmental, construction and family law practices, Strauss said.

NJ Courts to Reduce Backlog by 30% Over Three Years, AOC Director Tells Lawmakers

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:23:27 EST

Blee asked for lawmakers' patience as recently-installed judges undergo mandatory training during their first year on the bench, in order to help them learn their craft.

Some Lawyers Say This NJ Ruling Is Among the Most Significant in Years

Wed, 06 May 2026 15:31:59 EST

"It impacts defense attorneys, it impacts plaintiffs attorneys, it impacts courts trying to figure out how to deal with what is or is not admissible at the time of trial, with respect to medical expenses," said attorney Stephen J. Foley Jr. "I think this will provide a degree of clarity, which should help everybody going forward."

How Gen Z Is Rewriting the Rules for Law Firms

Tue, 05 May 2026 23:59:59 EST

Gen Z isn't coming. We're already here. And we're getting older—and becoming your clients—every single day.

Retired Justice Breyer Weighs In on the US Supreme Court's Shadow Docket

Tue, 05 May 2026 17:41:32 EST

Speaking at a judicial conference in Chicago, Breyer suggested the court's reluctance to issue detailed explanations in emergency rulings may stem from concerns about locking justices into positions before full briefing or argument. The discussion unfolded alongside broader conversations among federal judges and lawmakers about threats to judicial safety, institutional legitimacy, and the rule of law.

ELEC Report: Lawyer-Lobbyist Receipts See a 7% Increase at Top NJ Firms, as Lobbying Expenses Hit New $110M Peak

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:53:04 EST

“AI technology, data centers and energy, including renewable energy, were areas in which we added new clients. Health care, insurance and real estate development are perennially a focus of legislative and regulatory activity and all had leading roles in 2025, David J. Pascrell of FBT Gibbons said.

Will the Court 'Eighty-Six' the Comey Indictment?

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:14:59 EST

Many commentators across the political spectrum dismiss the indictment as a sham, and a mere continuation of President Trump's effort to avenge the lawfare that the Democrats waged against him during the interregnum between his presidencies. The court, however, cannot paint with such a broad brush.

Dilworth Paxson Adds 3 Real Estate Lawyers in NJ, NY

Tue, 05 May 2026 04:59:59 EST

Dilworth Paxson co-managing partner Patrick Northen said the new team, arriving from Scarinci Hollenbeck, "reflects our continued investment in top-tier talent to meet growing client demand."

Still? NJ Weighing Rule to Ban Attorney-Client Sex

Mon, 04 May 2026 17:02:44 EST

The justices rejected a similar proposal in 2002, but a lot has changed since the last time the court considered such an issue.

'Adequate Security' Is Not a Checkbox—and Courts Are Starting to Notice

Mon, 04 May 2026 13:59:59 EST

The legal standard has never been whether some form of security existed. It is whether the measures in place were reasonable in light of foreseeable risk. That is a very different question. And in many cases, it leads to a very different answer.