NJ Law Journal

11/21/2025

The Document Your Clients Don't Know They Need: a WISP Bridges the Gap between Data Privacy Concepts and Cybersecurity Realities

Done right, a WISP serves two central purposes. First, it satisfies the documentary requirements scattered across privacy laws and regulations. Second, it creates accountability.

11/20/2025

George Harms Construction claims it maintains a 100% union workforce and is not opposed to labor agreements but is effectively barred from competing on the gateway job because it has a long-standing collective bargaining agreement with the United Steelworkers, a union that was allegedly unlawfully excluded from the Project Labor Agreement.

Reporter Charles Toutant has details from the complaint and spoke with Kevin Coakley of Connell Foley LLP, counsel for George Harms, about the case.

Coakley and the firm's Mitchell Taraschi have teamed with Francis Cook, Jonathan Ash and Corinne DeBerry of Fox Rothschild; and Ronald Riccio of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter to represent George Harms.

🔗 https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2025/11/19/contractor-files-suit-over-union-rules-on-new-yorknew-jersey-tunnel/

11/20/2025

As Sherrill Takes the Reins, Environmental Lawyers Hope She'll Be a Good Listener

Sherrill's administration will be faced with continuing the rollout of some controversial regulatory measures started under the current administration.

11/20/2025

Former Reed Smith Partner's Evidentiary Window Expanded in Wage Dispute, Appellate Court Says

The appellate division ruled Thursday that Sherri Affrunti would receive a longer time window to consider comparative employee salary data in her gender-and-pay discrimination lawsuit against her former firm, Reed Smith.

11/20/2025

Appellate Division Judges Morris G. Smith and Maritza Berdote Byrne remanded a lawsuit brought by Traci Willis against the Camden Housing Authority and three of her former colleagues, based on a procedural error by the Camden County Superior Court.

Joseph P. Guzzardo of Guzzardo & Associates representsthe plaintiff, while Louis Lessig of Brown & Connery represents the defendants.

Reporter Nicholas Malfitano has details about the case and the opinion: 🔗 https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2025/11/19/ex-camden-housing-authority-employees-whistleblower-suit-needs-second-look-appellate-court-says/

11/20/2025

Protective orders in the age of artificial intelligence: "Assuming the efficiencies of AI technologies are attractive to your adversary, it is essential to consider expanding protective orders to achieve the sophistication necessary to anticipate and prevent advertent disclosures or other exposures of confidential client information by the other side," writes Kaitlyn Stone of Barnes & Thornburg.

🔗 https://www.law.com/njlawjournal/2025/11/20/protective-orders-in-the-age-of-artificial-intelligence-safeguarding-confidential-discovery-from-unverified-ai-platforms-and-unauthorized-ai-use-/

11/20/2025

ICYMI. Judges Joseph L. Marcyzk and Lisa A. Puglisi found Monday that a Hudson County trial court erred when it ruled that Union City High School was liable under New Jersey’s revised Tort Claims Act for alleged sexual assaults committed by ex-teacher Francisco “Mike” Realpe against two female students in 2004.

“To impose liability on defendant simply because Realpe was an employee at the time he sexually assaulted plaintiffs—which plaintiffs agree was not within the scope of his employment—would essentially impose strict liability on defendant,” the appellate division’s per curiam ruling stated,...

11/20/2025

ICYMI. “Unfortunately, Daniel’s Law is broken, and this legislation will fix it," said chief sponsor Gordon Johnson.

“Unfortunately, Daniel’s Law is broken, and this legislation will fix it," the sponsor said. “The amendments made to Daniel’s Law weakened compliance, putting the safety and privacy of our public servants at risk. "

11/20/2025

ICYMI. The decision serves as a reminder that arbitration, when it takes the place of a court proceeding, is not designed to take away substantive rights, said Anthony M. Rainone of Brach Eichler LLC, who represented the plaintiff along with the firm's Michael Spizucco.

In the midst of an appeal of his decision, the arbitrator died at age 79. Then the judge vacated the arbitrator's findings and remanded the case to the AAA, saying if the arbitrator had not died, he would have assigned the case to a different arbitrator.

11/20/2025

Protective Orders in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Safeguarding Confidential Discovery from Unverified AI Platforms and Unauthorized AI Use

Assuming the efficiencies of AI technologies are attractive to your adversary, it is essential to consider expanding protective orders to achieve the sophistication necessary to anticipate and prevent advertent disclosures or other exposures of confidential client information by the other side.

11/20/2025

Private equity in law firms? On the latest episode of Legal Speak, McDermott Will & Schulte chairman Ira Coleman talks with Legal Speak co-host Patrick Smith to offer some clarification on the firm's stance.

Play the full episode here: 🔗 https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2025/11/19/how-mcdermott-is-evaluating-outside-investment/

11/20/2025

'Opaque Area of the Law': Horizon Blue Cross to Pay $100M Settlement

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin noted the cost of health care is top of mind for many Americans, and slammed Horizon for allegedly "defraud[ing] our state and overcharg[ing] use while driving up the costs of healthcare for hundreds and thousands of dedicated public servants."