CURRENT NEWS

What's New at Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer

Attorney News: Spring, 2002

Fred Dennehy presented at the State Bar Association Convention on May 22, 2002. His topic was multi-jurisdictional practice. Attendees received ICLE credits.

Fred Dennehy testified before the Pollack Commission on May 21, 2002 in Atlantic City. The Commission is considering revisions to the rules of Professional Conduct.

William Linton gave a presentation on "Construction Litigation and Contracting Issues" at a May 16, 2002 seminar in East Brunswick entitled "Construction Claims in New Jersey." The seminar was sponsored by Lorman Education Services and was directed to contractors, owners and construction project professionals.

Kirsten Branigan and Claudia Reis spoke at a recent MSP internship program at Rutgers Newark on May 15, 2002. The seminar was titled "An Introduction to the Legal Workplace." The purpose was to make interns aware of important issues within the legal environment.

Fred Dennehy spoke to approximately 70 attorneys and judges from the Mercer County and Princeton Bar Associations on May 15, 2002. The topic was multi-jurisdictional practice.

Michael Schaff gave a presentation at the 2002 Vascular Centers Annual Meeting in Atlanta on May 10, 2002. His topic was Legal & Contracting Aspects of Developing a Vascular Center.

Andrea White O'Brien has been placed on the "Executive Committee" for "Women Lawyers in Monmouth County."

Michael Schaff and Gordon Golum recently published articles in the American Health Lawyers Physician Organizations Newsletter. Michael, who is also the Chair, was the editor of the issue and Gordon wrote an article on HIPAA.

Steve Barcan gave the annual Land Use Law Update at an ICLE seminar on May 8, 2002 to approximately 90 attorneys that were in attendance.

Morris Brown will be honored in recognition of his long-time devotion to and support of the JFK Medical Center and the Auxiliary of the JFK Medical Center Foundation in Edision. He has served as Chairman of the Foundation since 1994 and as a Trustee of JFK Medical Center since 1975. He was honored at the Foundation's 39th Annual Ball, captioned "Starry, Starry Night," on May 4, 2002 at the Shackamaxon Golf and Country Club in Scotch Plains. Proceeds from the event will fund cardiac monitors for the Medical Center's Emergency Department.

Fred Dennehy moderated an ICLE program in Vineland, New Jersey on April 27, 2002 entitled "Tips on Professional Responsibility." Panelists were Professor Michael Ambrosio of Seton Hall Law School, Kevin Michels, author of the treatise New Jersey Ethics, and David Dugan, author of the New Jersey Ethics Manual.

Maureen Binetti spoke at the ATLA convention in Atlantic City as part of the Employment Law program on April 26, 2002. Her topic was "Punitive Damages: The Three Rs - Reprehensibility, Ratio & Reasonable Relationship." Ravi Sattiraju prepared the written materials for the seminar.

Robert Haefele organized, moderated and spoke at a seminar sponsored by ICLE and the Product Liability and Toxic Tort Section of the State Bar Association. The seminar was entitled "Product Liability from A to Z" and was held on April 27, 2002 at the Law Center in New Brunswick. It will also be held on June 8, 2002 at the Wyndham Hotel in Mt. Laurel and on June 29, 2002 at the Marriott Glenpointe in Teaneck.

Anne Babineau taught a one-day "Principles of Redevelopment" course on April 27, 2002 at Rowan University-Glassboro. The audience was executive directors for housing authorities and redevelopment agencies. The course offered an overview of the redevelopment process, as well as planning and financing strategies.

Michael Schaff's April 2001 presentation entitled "Hospital-Based Physicians Exclusive Relationships with Hospitals" appears in the American Health Lawyers Association's recently published book on Physician Contracting and Organizational Issues.

Charles Vuotto co-presented a seminar on the "Effective Use of a Case Management Conference" with the Hon. Jane Grall of Mercer County and the Hon. Charles Rand of Camden County. This seminar was sponsored by the Matrimonial Section of New Jersey's American Trial Lawyers Association on April 25, 2002 at the Annual Boardwalk Seminar in Atlantic City.

Christopher Lenzo spoke on April 24, 2002 at a National Employment Lawyers Association of New Jersey meeting on jury charges.

Bob Haefele spoke at an ICLE seminar entitled "Updates in Mold, Asbestos and Lead Litigation" on the topic of asbestos litigation.

John Hogan has been appointed to the Central Jersey Board for National Conference for Community and Justice.

Ed Kole was elected treasurer of the Federal Practice Committee of the State Bar Association. Jim Tonrey was appointed editor of its newsletter.

Michael Schaff is now a director of the New Jersey State Bar Association's Health & Hospital Law Section.

Andrea White O'Brien spoke at the 2002 Family Law Bench-Bar Conference in Woodbridge on April 16, 2002. The Conference provides a forum for family part judges and family law practitioners to discuss the issue of negotiation and settlement of divorce actions.

Christopher Lenzo spoke on April 13, 2002 at an ICLE seminar entitled Reasonable Accommodation Under the ADA and NJLAD: Update 2002.

Matthew Weissman moderated a panel discussion on April 11, 2002 at the New Jersey State Bar Association, Public Utility Law Section's 2002 Annual Spring Conference. The title of the discussion was "Security, Reliability and Liability in the 21st Century."

Chris Hager spoke on employment law fundamentals at a meeting of the Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce on April 11, 2002. Thirty people from different chambers of commerce in Essex County attended.

Jim Petsche gave a presentation at the April 10, 2002 meeting of the Monmouth County Association of Gastroenterologists. The topic of Jim's presentation was "Physician Negotiations with Health Insurers: Recent Developments in Antitrust Law in New Jersey." John Murdoch provided invaluable assistance to Jim in preparation for the presentation.

Leslie Jeddis Lang participated in a construction ADR presentation to Justices, Judges and ADR industry practitioners on April 8, 2002.

Eric Sleeper, team leader for the Creditor Rights group, was selected to be a panelist at the Fourth Annual Honorable William H. Ginden Bankruptcy Bench Bar Conference for the New Jersey State Bar Association. The conference was held on April 5, 2002 at the Brunswick Hilton in East Brunswick.

Michael Schaff spoke at the Physician Organization's Mid Year Meeting Luncheon in Baltimore on April 3, 2002. The luncheon was part of the American Health Lawyers Association's Institute on Medicare & Medicaid Payment Issues.

Christopher Lenzo was a featured speaker on two panels at the recent Mid-Year Meeting of the ABA Labor and Employment Section's Employment Rights and Responsibilities Committee, presenting on the issues of arbitration v. judicial proceedings and disability law issues under recent Supreme Court cases. Maureen Binetti, as plaintiff's program chair, co-chaired the event. She was also a featured speaker on employment insurance issues arising out of the 9/11 tragedy.

Steve Barcan taught an all-day course for New Jersey Planning Officials at Brookdale Community College on March 23, 2002. The course educated new zoning board members about their responsibilities and the legal and planning perspectives of the land use process.

Fred Dennehy was a keynote speaker at the Garden State Paralegal Convention on March 22, 2002. He spoke on ethics. His panel's topic was "Navigating the Ethical Abyss."

Bob Cirafesi spoke at a Joint Conference of New Jersey Tax Assessors and County Tax Board Administrators on March 22, 2002 in Freehold, on the subject of proper tax assessments on contaminated properties.