New Jersey Law Journal

Judge Rules Against AIG Over Ambiguous Insurance Policy

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:00:30 EST

AIG had denied coverage.

On the Move and After Hours: Connell Foley; McCarter & English; Rivkin Radler; Riker Danzig; Barnes & Thornburg; Norris McLaughlin

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 23:59:59 EST

Connell Foley announced the promotion of seven attorneys, and more moves.

New Jersey Environmental Case Law: January to July 2026

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:14:59 EST

The New Jersey courts considered a wide range of issues of interest to environmental and real estate attorneys during the first half of 2026. This article reviews the highlights of those cases.

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.

Peer Betrayal and Power: The Rise of Girl-on-Girl Sextortion

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 09:59:59 EST

Teenage girl-on-girl sextortion reveals that this issue is not solely about technology or anonymous predators. It is about power, vulnerability, and the misuse of trust within close relationships.

Ex-Deputy Chief in NJ U.S. Attorney's Office Joins Stapleton Segal Cochran

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 04:59:59 EST

John Stinson is reentering private practice after spending the past eight years with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey.

The New Challenge for the Judiciary: Pro Se Litigants and the Weaponization of AI

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:04:59 EST

Across both state and federal systems, the explosion of these AI-assisted filings has forced judges, clerks, and court administrators to continuously change how they approach filings from pro se litigants. The practical impacts, however, can show that change is not always a good thing.

Health Insurers Push to Consolidate Mounting ‘No Surprises Act' Litigation in State Court

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:33:24 EST

Plaintiff firms have since launched a flurry of lawsuits against health insurance companies over the 2022 law that sets new billing limitations on emergency procedures.

Google Maps Drivers' NJ Wage and Hour Case Shows Evolving Misclassification Claims

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:24:20 EST

The case stems from Teaneck-based Cognizant's contract with Google to update Google Maps. Cognizant, in turn, relies on staffing company Aceolutions, also a defendant in the case, to get drivers to verify Google Maps data. Google is not a defendant.

Weiner Law Group Elects New Leadership Following Managing Partner Departure

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 13:16:35 EST

Weiner Law Group equity shareholders chose Surgent and Berkeley to co-lead the firm, and both attorneys will also serve on the firm's management committee alongside partner and litigation department chair Howard E. Brechner.

The Invoice Isn't the Whole Story. What Am Law Firms Are Really Paying for Their Court Reporting Decisions

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:59:59 EST

This is the same pattern that defined the early days of e-discovery in the late 1990s, before firms understood what they were actually managing. The profession has been here before. The real costs and the magnified risk tend to show up somewhere the invoice never reaches.

Trial Judge's Errors Get $954K Judgment Tossed in Boat Injury Case

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:45:44 EST

A decision overturning a judgment of nearly $1 million is sure to be closely examined in the future—it was designated a published case, and it was referred to the New Jersey Supreme Court's Civil Practice Committee.

Reflections on 250 Years of New Jersey Constitutionalism

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:49:58 EST

The rights we have in our constitution exist only because of the structural mechanisms that protect the rule of law, the separation of powers, and an independent judiciary.

Trump Settlement with His Subordinate and His DOJ Showcase Conflicts of Interest

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:49:55 EST

We find that the concept of the executive branch leader making a settlement on his own behalf with someone who is his subordinate to constitute a clear conflict of interest.

On the Move and After Hours: Sills Cummis; CSG Law; Archer; Margolis Edelstein; Fox Rothschild; Capehart Scatchard

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 23:59:59 EST

Sills Cummis & Gross welcomes Jason I. Diener, Newton Portorreal, Jr., and Adam J. Landy to its Newark office, and more moves.

'Expensive Style:' Judge Agrees to $600K Settlement in Long-Running Discrimination Suit

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:31:08 EST

In June 2025, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss. The motion was still pending at the time of the settlement. The motion said Gross-Quatrone's claim for gender discrimination against Mizdol failed because she could not demonstrate that she suffered any adverse employment action or that she was treated differently than anyone outside her purported class.

Third Circuit Bars Providers' Defamation Suit Over Claim Denials

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 16:23:44 EST

“ERISA broadly preempts state law claims. The explanation of benefits forms at issue in this appeal fall well within the scope of ERISA preemption, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Judge Thomas M. Hardiman said.

Your Next Lateral Candidate Has Already Formed an Opinion About Your Firm

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:29:59 EST

Law firms have traditionally approached recruiting from a position of evaluation. The firm assesses the candidate and decides whether to move forward. That dynamic has changed.

Kennedys Lands 12-Lawyer Litigation Team From Tyson & Mendes in Northeast

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:10:12 EST

The four partners in the group include two office managing partners from Tyson & Mendes.

‘Gotcha' No More? NJ Fed Court Considers Early Test for Affidavit of Merit Disputes in Med Mal Suits

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:53:27 EST

The proposed Local Civil Rule 16.1 amendment would eliminate the current language on affidavits of merit in negligence and malpractice litigation.

As Sextortion Spreads, So Does Its Link to Suicide

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 10:44:59 EST

The law is still catching up to the speed and cruelty of this harm.

PNC Bank Loses Bid for Release From Suit Over Fraud Against 76-Year-Old Man

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:11:56 EST

Guidance from FinCEN, the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, advises bank employees to watch for older customers engaging in unusual transactions or appearing to be under another person's influence. But employees of PNC didn't appear to follow that advice in Maas' case.

Gibbons Followed 'Accepted Standards' of Practice, Firm Says in Answer to $35M Legal Mal Suit

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:40:26 EST

“Plaintiffs' claims against defendants must fail as defendants exercised the knowledge, skill, ability and devotion ordinarily possessed and employed by members of the legal profession similarly situated, and utilized reasonable care and prudence in connection with those responsibilities, the defendants' answer stated, in part.

Genova Burns' Bankruptcy Group Jumps to Stevens & Lee

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 15:34:48 EST

Pennsylvania-founded Stevens & Lee entered the Am Law 200 for the first time this year and has 235 lawyers, compared to approximately 50 at Genova Burns.

Preserving a Residence While Qualifying for Medicaid

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:59:59 EST

With proper and timely estate planning, a Medicaid applicant may be able to preserve his or her residence while still qualifying for Medicaid benefits.

Bayer Taps Litigation Head Max Thu mmel as Group General Counsel

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:33:36 EST

The Longtime Bayer lawyer and global litigation head steps into top legal role after predecessor's departure.

Former Leader of NJ AG's Corruption Unit Takes on Similar Role for Pa. AG's Office

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 17:16:28 EST

According to his LinkedIn profile, Gibson will be tasked with “leading high-profile, complex investigations and prosecutions in Pennsylvania involving allegations of public corruption by elected or appointed state and local officials, state campaign finance violations, conflicts of interest, fraud, bribery, and civil rights violations.

Judge Rejects Preemption Challenge to Town's Leaf Blower Ban

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 16:34:14 EST

Numerous local governments nationwide have enacted restrictions on gas-powered leaf blowers, citing air pollution and their high decibel levels. The outcome of the Montclair case could ward off challenges in other states.

New Jersey Drivers Deserve More Transparency About Auto Insurance

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:59:59 EST

Today's policies involve a great deal of options: uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, personal injury protection limits, verbal or limitation on lawsuit threshold elections, liability caps, exclusions, and endorsements that can dramatically affect what happens after a serious collision. Most people are not equipped to navigate those choices alone.

Supreme Court Wants Trump Administration's View on New Jersey State Bar Association's DEI Program

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:22:13 EST

The U.S. Supreme Court has called for the views of the solicitor general about whether private groups, such as the New Jersey State Bar Association, have a First Amendment right to set aside seats for members of underrepresented groups to promote diversity.

Key Points in Commercial Real Estate Purchase and Sale Contracts: Negotiating the Letter of Intent

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:00:05 EST

In this article, we are focusing on negotiating the letter of intent (LOI), which is a critical step in negotiating a real estate purchase and sale contract (the contract).