 |
WHAT'S NEW
SPRING
2008
|
Cindy Nan
Vogelman serves as the
114th
President of the Hudson County Bar
|
 |
|
Cindy Vogelman,
who became the 114th President of the Hudson
County Bar Association in January, recently participated in
a number of events related to Law Day on May 1. She served
as a keynote speaker in Hudson County’s Juror Education
Program and was an evaluator at the Association’s Court
Night program. In addition, she served as the Master of
Ceremonies at State Bar Night, where New Jersey Supreme
Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner and New Jersey State Bar
Association President Lynn Fontaine Newsome were honored.
Born and raised in Jersey
City, Cindy graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,
earning an undergraduate degree in Urban Studies and a
Master’s degree in City Planning in a five-year combined
program. She continued her legal studies at the Boston
University School of Law.
Cindy first joined Chasan
Leyner & Lamparello as a summer law clerk, returning as an
associate in 1985. In 1993, she became a partner in the
firm. Cindy practices in diverse areas, including appeals,
commercial and chancery litigation, land use, probate and
family law.
"Cindy brings a unique
range of expertise to the firm, including finely honed
writing skills, excellence in oral advocacy and a depth of
knowledge of the law,” commented Managing Partner Ralph J.
Lamparello, in describing Cindy’s contributions to the firm.
She has participated in scores of appeals, both in the
preparation of briefs and at oral argument and has appeared
before the New Jersey Supreme Court, the Superior Court of
New Jersey, Appellate Division, and the United States Court
of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Cindy has 14 reported
decisions and has been named a “Super Lawyer” in appellate
practice (see related story).
Cindy has been appointed
to a number of committees by the Supreme Court, the Superior
Court and the New Jersey State Bar and Hudson County Bar
Associations. She chaired the Supreme Court District VI Fee
Arbitration Committee from 1996 to 1998 and has continued to
serve on this Committee since her re-appointment in 2004.
Cindy has also served as a member of the Supreme Court
Committee on the Unauthorized Practice of Law and on the New
Jersey State Bar Association’s Multi-Jurisdictional Practice
Committee. She has been a member of the Hudson County Family
Part, Early Settlement Panel for more than a decade. She
currently serves as a member of the Hudson County Judicial
and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee.
Ralph added, “Cindy’s
approach to the law is as a problem solver, seeking and
achieving resolutions in often challenging and esoteric
matters. Known for her tenacity, Cindy is forthright and
relentless in the advancement of her clients’ legal
positions, in the court room or across the bargaining
table”.
Cindy’s highly developed
social conscience, evident in her representation and
counseling of clients, is consistent with her years of
volunteer involvement with Women Rising, Inc. (formerly
known as the YWCA of Hudson County), a leading community
social services agency, of which she is a past president and
continues to serve on its Board of Trustees. Cindy is also a
Trustee of Fairmount Housing Corporation, a non-profit
community-based development organization dedicated to the
provision of affordable housing and community revitalization
in Hudson County. |
|
Four Members of the firm are
again selected as
Super Lawyers® Honorees New
Jersey in 2008
|
|
New Jersey Super Lawyers®
are selected by a rigorous process conducted by Law &
Politics that begins with a survey of more than 33,000 New
Jersey lawyers. The candidates’ background and experience
are closely examined and selection criteria includes, but is
not limited to, outstanding achievements, special licenses
and certifications, professional activities, pro bono and
community service and honors and awards.
Managing partner Ralph J. Lamparello was again selected
in the area of employment and labor,
Joel A. Leyner, counsel to the firm, was selected in the
area of business litigation, Steven L. Menaker was selected
for general litigation and Cindy Nan Vogelman was selected
for her appellate practice.
|
 |
 |
|
Michael D. Witt
to Represent
Vernon Township
|
 |
|
Michael D. Witt has been appointed
Township Attorney for the Township of Vernon. Having grown
up in the Rocky Mountains, Michael is particularly pleased
to represent New Jersey's only four-season resort
destination community. Michael adds, “The combination of
natural beauty and variety of activities found in Vernon is
unique. Vernon offers something for everyone during the
entire year; it’s a very easy place in which to feel right
at home.
Michael has worked
extensively in the field of wastewater regulation and
litigation and has also represented government entity
clients on a variety of matters, including redevelopment,
personnel, government contracting, third-party liability
claims under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act, regulatory
enforcement litigation, pay-to-play, ethics compliance,
appellate litigation and administrative law matters. In
addition, Michael handles numerous requests for government
records made pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records
Act ("OPRA"), working with governmental entity clients to
ensure compliance with OPRA, both procedurally and
substantively, and has litigated OPRA matters in court and
before the New Jersey Government Records Council. Michael
also has significant experience in civil litigation, complex
commercial litigation and intellectual property matters.
As a result of his work in
the field of environmental law, New Jersey Monthly Magazine
named Michael to its 2006 and 2007 lists of Rising Stars,
which recognizes New Jersey's outstanding young lawyers.
Rising Stars are nominated by the magazine's Super Lawyers®. |
WINTER 2007/2008
PATRICK J. ARRE
JOINS CL&L
We are pleased
to announce that Patrick J. Arre is joining the firm as a
principal commencing January 16, 2008. Patrick obtained his Juris
Doctorate from Southwestern University Law School and his
undergraduate degree from Rutgers College.
Pat, who was admitted to practice in 1981, is one of a select group
of attorneys in the State with dual trial certification. He is
Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial
attorney and a Criminal Trial attorney. There are only 47 attorneys
in the State of New Jersey who have attained dual certification.
Pat is also qualified as a mediator under New Jersey Court Rule
1:40.
* Chasan
Leyner & Lamparello welcomes associates Mark S. Hanna and
Joseph A. Lagana, to the firm. Mark and Joseph have joined
the Insurance Defense Department.
Prior to joining the firm, Mark was an Assistant Prosecutor for the
County of Hudson, assigned to the Special Victims Unit. Joseph
was
previously with the firm of Spinato
Acquaviva Kane & Randazzo, LLC
practicing in the areas of general litigation, criminal defense,
chancery practice, and environmental matters.
|
1957 - 2007
celebrating our
50th anniversary
The firm celebrated its 50th
anniversary recently. The firm thanks its friends and
colleagues for their many years of support. Pictured left
to right are Ralph J. Lamparello,
the firm’s Managing Partner and Joel A.
Leyner, one of the firm‘s founders.
|
 |
SUMMER 2007
Judiciary News Release
For immediate
release: Aug. 16, 2007
Retired Assignment
Judge to Review Bail Procedures in Essex Case
Retired Superior Court Judge
Arthur N. D'Italia will conduct an independent review of the
prior criminal cases of a suspect in the Aug. 4 murders of
three Newark residents. Judge D'Italia will examine court
procedures followed in consolidating and setting bail in
these cases.
"In the aftermath of this
tragedy, concerns have been raised about the setting of bail
in this matter. It is important that we address these
questions openly, swiftly and fairly for the sake of all
involved. As a result, an independent review will be
conducted, and its results will be released publicly," Chief
Justice Stuart Rabner said.
"I am grateful to Judge D'Italia
for agreeing to conduct this review. His credentials are
impeccable, and his depth of knowledge of bail statutes,
criminal court rules, constitutional issues, and day-to-day
court processes make him the right person to assess how
these issues were resolved," Rabner said.
Judge D’Italia was appointed to
the bench in 1989 in the Criminal Division of the Hudson
County Superior Court. In 1990, he was named assignment
judge, where he served until he retired in September 2004.
While assignment judge, he was a member of the Judicial
Council, which is charged with management of all trial
courts in the state; he also served as co-chair of the
Management and Operations Committee and chair of its Labor
Relations and Personnel Committee. In 1993, Judge D’Italia
was appointed to chair the Supreme Court Advisory Committee
on Outside Activities of Judiciary Employees and served as
chair until his retirement. In March 2005 he became counsel
to the law firm of Chasan Leyner & Lamparello in Secaucus. |
|
A Unanimous
Decision in the New Jersey Supreme Court
Court Applies Waiver Rules to Press Privilege |
 |
|
In a precedent-setting decision holding that New Jersey’s
Shield Law is not absolute, the New Jersey Supreme Court
ruled on June 13, 2007 in favor of Michael G. Venezia in
In re Verified Petition of Michael G. Venezia,
which was successfully argued before the Court by Ralph
J. Lamparello. New Jersey's Shield Law is
one of the strongest in the country and protects journalists
from being compelled to answer questions about their sources
and provide information obtained from those sources.
In a unanimous decision, the Court agreed with the firm’s
argument that the Shield Law does not provide ultimate
protection to a journalist and rejected the argument made by
The Record and a plethora of media giants who joined
the case on the newspaper’s behalf. These included the
Associated Press, ABC News, Inc., The New York Times,
The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Gannett Company,
publisher of USA Today and 91 other daily newspapers
nationwide.
Associate Justice Barry T. Albin, writing for the Court,
observed that “New Jersey has one of the most
far-reaching Shield Laws in the [United States], providing
the ‘strongest possible protection’ to the newsgathering and
news reporting activities of the media.”
"The privilege holder is not permitted to
step from behind the shield as he pleases, sallying forth
one moment to make a disclosure to one person and then to
seek the shield's protection from having to repeat the same
disclosure to another person,” Justice Albin wrote. “A
reporter cannot play peek-a-boo with the privilege.”
“The reporter was playing fast and loose with
the Shield Law protections, revealing information from his
sources to some people, but not to my client, a civil
litigant,” Ralph explained. “We are gratified the Court
agreed with our position that the Shield Law was not
intended to protect journalists outside of the newsgathering
process. We now look forward to moving ahead and
representing Mr. Venezia in his defamation case.”
The Court’s decision was reported on by news sources across
the United States and carried by Associated Press affiliates
around the world. It
marks the only time the New Jersey Supreme
Court has ever found that a reporter waived the privilege
under New Jersey's current Shield Law.
Michael D. Witt
and Cindy N. Vogelman prepared the Petition
for Certification and appellate briefs on Mr. Venezia's
behalf. |
|
Firm Attorneys Gain National,
Statewide Recognition
Named to Lists of Best Lawyers,
Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
Managing partner Ralph J. Lamparello was again
selected for inclusion in the 2007 edition of The Best
Lawyers in America® in the field of labor and employment
law. Joel A. Leyner, counsel to the
firm, was selected in the areas of appellate law, commercial
litigation, personal injury and “Bet the Company”
litigation.
Best Lawyers
has been featured in national newspapers and magazines,
including New York Magazine, The New York Times,
Forbes, New Yorker Magazine and The
Washington Post. Selection for Best Lawyers
is conducted through an exhaustive and rigorous
peer-review survey, and the current edition is based on more
than one million confidential evaluations by the top
attorneys in the country. In addition, Best Lawyers
conducts extensive telephone interviews with leading
attorneys throughout its balloting process.
Four members of the firm were named Super Lawyers in the
2007 edition of the publication, published jointly by New
Jersey Monthly and Law and Politics. Super
Lawyers are chosen through a stringent selection process
that includes peer review by area of practice and
independent evaluation of verdicts and settlements,
certifications, professional activities, pro bono
work, scholarly lectures and writings, among other things.
Joel Leyner was named one of the Top 100 Super
Lawyers in New Jersey and was also recognized for business
litigation. Ralph Lamparello was selected in the
area of employment and labor, while Cindy N. Vogelman
was named in the area of appellate practice and Steven M.
Menaker was selected for general litigation.
In addition, New Jersey Monthly
named partner John L. Shahdanian II and associates
Mitzy Galis-Menendez, Jordan S. Friedman, Thomas A.
Morrone, and Michael D. Witt to its 2007
list of "Rising Stars," which recognizes New Jersey’s
outstanding young lawyers. "Rising Stars" are nominated by
the magazine’s “Super Lawyers,” the top five percent of
attorneys in the state. Identified by their main fields of
practice, John was selected for employment law, while Mitzy
was named for general litigation, Jordan for government law,
Tom for insurance defense - personal injury, and Michael for
environmental law and land use regulation.
“Rising Stars” are attorneys in New Jersey who are either
under the age of 40 or have been practicing law for less
than 10 years. A separate, attorney-led research team
evaluates the credentials of the candidates nominated for
consideration, and selects only 2.5 percent of the best
up-and-coming attorneys for inclusion in the magazine’s
“Rising Stars” listing. |
* Chasan
Leyner & Lamparello welcomes associates Ann M. Merritt and
Michael A. Cassata, to the firm. Ann and Michael have joined
the Insurance Defense Department, where Michael’s wife, Nicole
Cassata, is also an associate. Ann was previously with the firm of
Vasios, Kelly & Strollo, handling medical malpractice matters, and
Michael was an assistant prosecutor in the Hudson County
Prosecutor’s Office.
*
Ralph J. Lamparello has been re-appointed as a trustee of the
New Jersey State Bar Foundation, an organization dedicated to
providing free, law-related education programs for the public, from
school children to senior citizens. In his capacity as Trustee, he
is also serving as chair of the Foundation’s Investment Committee
and Law Center Committee. Ralph is also the Hudson County Trustee
to the New Jersey State Bar Association, where he serves as chair of
the Judicial and Prosecutorial Appointments Committee. He is one of
only a few attorneys in the state to be selected to simultaneously
serve as a Trustee of both organizations.
* The
Hudson County Bar Association recently selected Mitzy
Galis-Menendez to be a moderator of its television show,
Legalities, a community service program on legal issues
affecting the residents of Hudson County. The program is sponsored
by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and is broadcast on local
cable television.
* John
L. Shahdanian II
recently spoke at a seminar titled CEPA (Concientious Employee
Protection Act) Update 2007, sponsored by the Institute for
Continuing Legal Education. The seminar addressed the latest trends
in Whistle Blowing, CEPA Protections and relevant case law. John
handles employment and labor issues for municipalities, corporate
and private clients of the firm.
WINTER 2006/2007
ANTHONY V. D'ELIA APPOINTED NORTH ARLINGTON BOROUGH ATTORNEY
|
 |
On January 2, 2007, Anthony V. D'Elia was sworn in as Borough Attorney for the Borough of North Arlington. The appointment is particularly meaningful for Anthony, who grew up in North Arlington. "I was greatly honored when the Borough Council asked me to represent North Arlington. My house was right down the street from the Borough Hall, and the high school I attended, Queen of Peace, is a block away from where I was sworn into office. To have the opportunity in the course of my professional life to give something back to the community that raised me is tremendous."
Anthony has vast experience in the field of governmental law. From 1983 through 1989, he served as a New Jersey Deputy Attorney General. Since 1992, Anthony has been General Counsel to the Clifton Board of Education, a school district that maintains an annual budget in excess of $100 million. He has also represented a number of other boards of education.
In addition to his government work, Anthony is an accomplished trial attorney, with a practice encompassing all areas of civil litigation, including commercial, construction, medical, legal and professional malpractice, products liability, automobile, and other personal injury matters. He has tried many cases to verdict in the federal and state courts and New Jersey’s administrative courts and has argued before the appellate courts and the New Jersey Supreme Court.
Anthony's experience and superior work ethic come at a critical time for North Arlington, which finds itself at the forefront of the fight against government abuse of the power of eminent domain. Anthony states: "North Arlington is in financial crisis because past administrations mortgaged the Borough's future on 'quick fix' schemes. The most recent of these schemes would result in the Borough taking property from its own citizens for the profit of private redevelopers. The current administration will fight against that happening. I look forward to assisting the current administration in providing a solution to these problems and returning the Borough to financial stability through responsible government."
A cum laude graduate of St. John’s University and Seton Hall University School of Law, Anthony lives in Clifton with his wife, Eleanor, and two children, Kyle and Sofia.
|
KIRSTIN
BOHN, SARA JILL CORCORAN, MICHAEL J. CUELLAR
AND JOHN J.
ZIDZIUNAS JOIN CL&L
 |
|
CL&L welcomes Kirstin Bohn, Sara Jill Corcoran, Michael J. Cuellar and John J. Zidziunas, who joined the firm in September as Associates following the completion of their judicial clerkships in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Kirstin, who served as the law clerk to the Hon. Hector R. Velazquez, J.S.C., will practice general litigation. Sara was the law clerk to the Hon. Peter E. Doyne,
P.J. CH., and will focus on probate, land use, commercial and appellate matters. Michael, a law clerk to the Hon. Peter F. Bariso, Jr., J.S.C., will be assigned to matters involving our insurance carrier clients. John, who was the law clerk to the Hon. Barbara A. Curran, J.S.C., will represent clients in labor and employment matters. |
Please Contact
Us for additional information.
Tell
a Friend About Our Firm
CHASAN, LEYNER & LAMPARELLO, PC
300 HARMON MEADOW BOULEVARD
SECAUCUS, NEW JERSEY 07094-3621
TELEPHONE: (201) 348-6000
(212) 986-1880
FAX: (201) 348-6633
E-MAIL
|
|
