Firm News
Firm member Matthew E. Meyers has been invited to be a headline speaker at the AOD 14th Annual Industry Conference in Atlanta on September 20-21, 2010, and in New Orleans on October 25-26, 2010. The topic of the conference is "Dealing with Construction and Design Defects." Associate attorney Loretta A. Castrovinci presented a "Hot Tips" seminar on Labor and Employment Law at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick on June 10, 2010. The seminar was sponsored by the Institute for Continuing Legal Education. BSRJ associate attorney Loretta A. Castrovinci has been appointed to a four-year term (2010- ) as Investigator for the District XB Ethics Committee. Tom Jardim has been appointed as an adjunct faculty member at Seton Hall University School of Law for the 2010-11 academic year. He will be teaching Research and Writing to first year law students.
Richard Meisner assisted our clients, a group of Wall Street equity traders, in settling claims against a major Wall Street firm for inappropriately terminating their restricted stock, allegedly by reason of violations of a contractual non-compete agreement. New York law "disfavors" non-competes which allowed us to negotiate a very favorable settlement for our clients, without the need to file a law suit. See http://www.lawserver.com/law/articles/non-competition-agreements-in-new-york
Meisner also assisted our client, a senior research scientist and Ph.D., settle whistleblower "CEPA" claims and against a major international chemical company located in New Jersey. New Jersey's whistleblower protection laws are the most employee favorable in the country. See http://uhr.rutgers.edu/lr/CEPA.htm
Firm member Andrew R. Jacobs has been selected for inclusion in the 2010 edition of the New Jersey Monthly magazine's "Super Lawyers" publication, in the plaintiff's personal injury practice area. Only 5% of New Jersey's attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers; and this is the fourth consecutive year that Mr. Jacobs has received this honor. In addition, associate attorney Loretta A. Castrovinci has been selected for inclusion in the same publication in its "Rising Star" selections, in the field of employment litigation. Caroline Record was a featured speaker at the 2010 Real Estate Conference presented by the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education, on April 14, 2010, in New Brunswick. She presented a program on the topic of Residential Real Estate, specifically focusing on title and mortgage financing concerns with regard to condominiums and owners associations. BSRJ attorney Thomas C. Jardim recently took part in an unusual "win" for efforts to prevent gun violence in New Jersey. Thanks in part to Jardim's pro bono efforts, the City of Jersey City's efforts to pass a one-gun-a-month purchase law have finally succeeded. Jersey City adopted its one-gun-a-month law in July 2007, and after it was challenged in court - and while an appeal of a lower court ruling striking down the ordinance was pending before the New Jersey Supreme Court - the New Jersey Legislature passed and Governor Jon Corzine signed into law a statewide one-gun-a-month law. After passage of the law, the New Jersey Supreme Court dismissed the appeal as moot, but at the same time the Supreme Court signaled its likely ruling on the appeal by vacating the lower court's ruling that struck down the Jersey City ordinance. BSRJ has been appointed to act as Special Counsel to the State of New Jersey, its agencies and employees, in defense of fatal accident matters. The firm won this appointment through a qualitative-based, competitive process based upon the knowledge, experience and resources of the firm and its attorneys. BSRJ has in the past represented numerous public entities, and it currently represents both the New Jersey Turnpike Authority of the State of New Jersey, and the City of Jersey City. Firm Administrator, Elli Albert, has been appointed co-editor of the Jer-Z-Journal, the quarterly newsletter of the New Jersey Association of Legal Administrator. The Jer-Z-Journal is a distinguished publication, having four times in a row won First Place honors in the national Association of Legal Administrators' annual newsletter competition. Albert has been a member of the Jer-Z-Journal newsletter committee since 2000. Kenneth R. Sauter was honored by the Housing Partnership for Morris County at their 17th Anniversary Gala on November 5, 2009. Mr. Sauter, who has presented Home Buyer Educational Programs for the Partnership for the past 10 years on behalf of the Morris County Bar Association, has been named one of the Housing Partnership's "People Who Make a Difference." In October 2009, Andrew R. Jacobs settled a personal injury lawsuit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Union County, for $600,000.00. Our 83 year-old client suffered serious personal injury to her left foot and ankle when she was dragged by an automobile she was entering, which the Defendant driver started to drive away before our client could fully enter the vehicle. Following the incident, she had a three month period of hospitalizations and convalescence, requiring multiple orthopedic and plastic surgeries. Thomas C. Jardim was recently appointed to a four-year term, beginning in September 2009, as Investigator for the District XB Ethics Committee. Firm member Kenneth R. Sauter presented a seminar/workshop on June 3, 2009 entitled "Opportunities and Risks in a Distressed Commercial Property Market." This timely seminar was sponsored by the National Commercial Builders Council and the Community Builders Association of New Jersey. In May 2009, Andrew R. Jacobs settled a personal injury lawsuit in Supreme Court, Queens County, New York. Our 61-year old client was scalded while showering in her apartment when the water temperature suddenly and without warning became scalding hot, causing our client to suffer first, second, and third degree burns; and resulting in an 18-day day hospitalization, and two skin grafts. The landlord was on notice of several prior occasions where scalding water came out of the shower suddenly, and was asked to fix the problem, but failed to do so. The suit settled for $425,000, paid by landlord and the company which maintained the boiler. BSRJ Administrator, Elli Albert, recently attended the International Association of Legal Administrators Educational Conference and Exposition in New Orleans. An active member of the New Jersey Association of Legal Administrators (NJALA), she has been a Trustee on the NJALA Board of Trustees since 2008, serves as the NJALA's Publicity Chair/Photographer, and is on the editorial committee of the Jer-Z-Journal, the NJALA quarterly newsletter. During the recent Conference, the Jer-Z-Journal was awarded first place in the International ALA competition for "Newsletter Excellence." This is the fourth time in as many submissions that the publication has received this prestigious award. Firm member Kenneth R. Sauter was a speaker at a May 19, 2009 seminar presented by the Housing Partnership for Morris County, entitled "Step by Step to Home Ownership," for first-time home buyers. This is the fifteenth time that Mr. Sauter has presented this program for the Housing Partnership. Thomas C. Jardim represented the City of Jersey City in a case that came before the New Jersey Supreme Court on April 27, 2009. In February, 2009, the New Jersey Supreme Court granted petition for certification in a case testing an ordinance passed by the City of Jersey City prohibiting the sale or purchase of more than one handgun in a 30-day period. The case is not only one of great public importance to the gun violence prevention community, but it also presents an important test of the power of municipalities to adopt their own health and safety measures under New Jersey's "Home Rule" doctrine. Jardim also serves as Chairman of CeasefireNJ, New Jersey's premier gun violence prevention organization. Mr. Jardim was quoted in the following Star Ledger articles on this topic:
The Star Ledger, January 13, 2008
The Star Ledger, April 28, 2009 A team of BSRJ attorneys, staff members and BSRJ clients participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Walk/Run on April 26, 2009 at Branch Brook Park in Newark. On March 26, 2009, Caroline Record, with fellow BSRJ members and associate attorneys, attended the annual Community Associations Institute-New Jersey Awards Dinner at the Madison Hotel, during which Ms. Record was honored for her year of service as 2008 President of CAI-NJ. She will continue her service to CAI-NJ as Immediate Past President for 2009 as well as member of its Legislative Action Committee. Ms. Record and BSRJ attorneys were featured in the April 2009 Community Trends magazine in a photo montage from the event (Click here to view photos, reprinted with permission from Community Trends magazine.) Firm member Andrew R. Jacobs has been selected for inclusion in the 2009 edition of the New Jersey Monthly magazine's "Super Lawyers" publication, in the plaintiff's personal injury practice area. Only 5% of New Jersey's attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers; and this is the fourth consecutive year that Mr. Jacobs has received this honor. Firm associate Loretta A. Castrovinci, who specializes in labor and employment law, will be speaking on June 5, 2009 at a New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education seminar entitled Hot Tips in Labor & Employment Law: 2009. Ms. Castrovinci will be speaking on the latest developments in the area of pregnancy discrimination. Caroline Record was recently featured on the cover of the January 2009 edition of Community Trends magazine. Completing her year as president of Community Associations Institute of New Jersey, she is shown passing the gavel to the incoming president. (Click here to view photo, reprinted with permission from Community Trends magazine.) Firm members Kenneth R. Sauter and Caroline Record were each inducted to the Community Associations Institute College of Community Association Lawyers in January 2009. Members of this prestigious College are attorneys who have distinguished themselves based upon their experience in community association representation and who have committed themselves to high standards of professional and ethical conduct. Firm member Caroline Record recently completed her tenure as 2008 President of the Community Associations Institute New Jersey Chapter and now serves as Immediate Past President in 2009. Also in 2009, she has been elected to the CAI's Business Partners Council. The Business Partners Council performs numerous functions on the national level, relative to the CAI's Board of Trustees and Staff, including giving input on policy matters; electing business partner members for seats on the CAI Board; and making recommendations on education curriculum and best practices. Kenneth R. Sauter has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Community Associations Institute New Jersey Chapter for 2009. Firm member Andrew R. Jacobs has been re-elected to the 2009 Board of Trustees of the Morris County Bar Association. Andrew R. Jacobs negotiated a $1,500,000 settlement in Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County, in December 2008. The client, an ironworker, then 58, was injured when he fell fourteen feet when the platform on which he was standing collapsed. His injuries included broken legs and elbow, requiring multiple surgeries. A negligence lawsuit against a Board of Education was settled for $112,000.00 by Andrew R. Jacobs in September 2008 in Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County. Our fifth grader client fell during a school lunch hour on the playground when she slipped on a concealed grate that was blocked by milk cartons. Her injury was a broken leg requiring surgery. An automobile negligence lawsuit was settled in July of 2008 for $92,000.00 by Andrew R. Jacobs in Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County. The vehicle of our 54-year old client was struck from behind by tractor trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike. While there was only minor damage to her vehicle and no apparent physical injury, she was hospitalized later that night. On June 11 2008, firm associate Loretta A. Castrovinci presented at the Hot Tips in Labor and Employment Law seminar at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. The panel of speakers included many of the premier Labor and Employment Litigators in State of New Jersey today. In June 2008, Andrew R. Jacobs settled a personal injury lawsuit for $450,000.00 in United States District Court, Newark. Our 42-year old client had been struck by a Bobcat forklift while at his job as a construction superintendent for a general contractor, injuring his right knee, hip and back, aggravating preexisting conditions, requiring surgery and diminishing his capacity to perform physical work. On May 22, 2008, firm Administrator Elli Albert was one of a four-member panel that presented a well-received workshop entitled "9 H.R. Topics in 90 Minutes," at the New Jersey State Bar Association Annual Conference in Atlantic City. Kenneth R. Sauter has been elected President of the Community Associations Political Action Committee for 2009. Andrew R. Jacobs settled an "unsafe premises" lawsuit in March 2008 for $275,000.00 Superior Court of New Jersey, Somerset County. The 42-year old client, a truck driver delivering merchandise to a customer, fell off of a defective loading dock and injured his knee, requiring surgical repair. Kenneth R. Sauter was previously named Committee Chair of the Year for his chairmanship of the CAI-NJ legislative action committee, a role which he continued through 2008. Kenneth R. Sauter was a speaker at the CBA Remodelers Council on February 27, 2008 on the topic of Construction Contracts. Andrew R. Jacobs settled a work place injury lawsuit for $190,000.00 in January 2008 in Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County. Our 55-year old client suffered serious injury to his arm when it because caught in a sliding security gate in a parking lot. Andrew R. Jacobs successfully settled a product liability case for $800,000.00 in Superior Court of New Jersey, Essex County, in December 2007. The client, then age 11, suffered severe burns to his forehead, ear and neck with resulting scarring, when the hair cream he applied caused his hair to catch fire when it came too close to a lit candle.
Publications
Commuter Benefits: An Overlooked Benefit That Meets The "All of the Above" Test, by Richard S. Meisner, Esq., Jer-Z-Journal, Spring/Summer 2010
Throw Out Sidebox Tax Subsidies by Jay A. Soled and Richard Schmalbeck, New York Times, April 4, 2010.
Firm member Richard S. Meisner is the creator and editor of the well known tax law blog, 409A Dismay, which closely follows IRS Code Section 409A, and issues relating to executive compensation. Visit Rich's blog at http://409adismay.blogspot.com.
"Leave" at Your Own Risk: New Jersey's New Paid Family Leave Law Does Not Necessarily Mean What it Says, by Thomas C. Jardim, Esq. and Loretta A. Castrovinci, Esq., Jer-Z-Journal, Fall/Winter 2008
A Little Shame Might Just Deter Tax Cheaters, by Jay A. Soled, USA Today, April 10, 2008
Home Rule and the Fight Against Gun Violence, by Thomas C. Jardim, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, June 2007
Employees Denied Wages Should Be Awarded Attorneys' Fees by Thomas C. Jardim, New Jersey Law Journal, June 5, 2006
New Jersey Supreme Court Announces Bright-Line Rule for Employer-Compelled Social and Recreational Activities, by Thomas C. Jardim, April 6, 2004
Ban on Handicap Discrimination Morphs into Job Protection Law, by Thomas C. Jardim, New Jersey Law Journal, February 24, 2003
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