Member News

Congratulations to NJWLA Board Member, Carmen M. Garcia, who was awarded the Margarita Echevarria Trailblazer Award by the Hispanic Bar Association of NJ at its Annual Scholarship Gala. Further congratulations to Carmen M. Garcia for being recognized by Rutgers Law in Camden for her founding of Alianza, the Latino law students’ association.

Congratulations to NJWLA Executive Board Members, Jemi Goulian Lucey and Elyse Wolff, who will assume new leadership positions in the New Jersey State Bar Association. Jemi will become Treasurer of the Federal Practice and Procedure Section and Elyse will become Vice Chair of the Construction Law Section.

Congratulations to NJWLA Executive Board Member, Lora Fong, for being selected to the Law Journal’s Distinguished Leaders of the Bar List! Lora will be honored June 20, 2017, at the Law Journal’s Professional Excellence event at Brooklake Country Club in Florham Park.

NJWLA congratulates Board Member and NJWLA Past President, Kirsten Scheurer Branigan, for being named to the 2016 elected group of Fellows of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, which honors distinguished lawyers nationwide in the practice of labor and employment law. Nomination as a Fellow is limited to those who have been in the field of labor and employment law for at least 20 years and meet the highest professional qualifications and ethical standards

Have you recently …

Won a summary judgment motion?

Closed a big deal?

Tried your first case?

Started a new job?

Had a baby?

Earned a promotion?

Returned to the workforce?

Celebrated 10, 20, 25, etc. years as a lawyer?

Been named a Rising Star or SuperLawyer in your field?

Whatever your good news is, we want you to share your success! Please email njwlacomm@gmail.com with any details you would like to be included in our next NJWLA newsletter

Event Photos

Getting Out of Your Own Way
March, 2017

Running A Successful Solo or Small Firm
May, 2017

Gender, The Law & The 2016 Election
May, 2017

2017 WILL PLATINUM GALA

NJWLA proudly awarded WILL Platinum Awards to five extraordinary women from the bench and the bar for their outstanding achievements in the legal profession. This year’s WILL award recipients were the Honorable Mary L. Cooper of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey; the Honorable Sue Pai Yang, J.W.C., (Retired) of the State of New Jersey Division of Workers’ Compensation; Wendy Johnson Lario, Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig LLP; Ramona E. Romero, General Counsel for Princeton University; and Diane K. Smith, Executive Director for Legal Services of Northwest Jersey. Representing members of the judiciary and the public and private sectors, the award recipients were individually lauded for contributing to the advancement of women in the legal profession and for serving as role models for women lawyers of all ages and backgrounds. The Honorable Madeline Cox Arleo, United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey, served as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Thank you to all who attended and supported this event.

Member Spotlight

Elyse H. Wolff

When I attended a NJWLA program in the Spring of 2016, Nuts & Bolts of the Judicial and New Jersey State Appointment Process, I had no idea that this event would end up changing my life. That might sound corny, but it is true. This program started in motion a series of other events that led to my appointment as a Commissioner for the State Commission on Holocaust Education within one year. At the Nuts & Bolts event, I learned about the existence of the State’s hundreds of commissions. I literally had no idea about these commissions. I sat at the event and looked through the booklet and discovered the Commission on Holocaust Education. As the granddaughter of two survivors of Auschwitz, this Commission immediately sparked my interest.

Following the Nuts & Bolts event, I started talking to people in my community about my amazement at the number of commissions and about the Commission on Holocaust Education. I was then introduced to the new Executive Director for the Commission on Holocaust Education and we immediately clicked. Wanting to better understand the Commission’s mission and the requirements of being a Commissioner, I started to attend Commission meetings, met the other Commissioners, and had the opportunity to meet a number of Holocaust survivors living in our state.

The Commission has a certain number of spots appointed by the Governor and a certain number appointed by the State Senate. A Commissioner spot opened up at about the same time that NJWLA hosted the Meet the Political Party Leaders event in September 2016. At that event, I met the Chairwoman for the Democratic Party of my county. I introduced myself to her, then followed up and made an appointment to meet with her to discuss the appointment process. After our meeting, she endorsed my appointment to the Senate President, Senator Sweeney. I also sought and obtained the endorsement of NJWLA. In March of this year, Senator Sweeney appointed me to the Commission, and I am now the first third generation of a survivor to serve as a Commissioner.

I have always known about the Holocaust, and it has always been a part of my life. As the survivors age and pass away, I believe that we are at a critical point in history, and it is my duty and my generation’s duty to step up and ensure that the Holocaust is not forgotten. As a Commissioner, I want to make certain that the history of the Holocaust and stories of humanity during an inhumane time are remembered. Despite the efforts to educate and remember our history, genocides continue around the world. I am passionate and determined to make sure that the Holocaust is never forgotten, and that genocide education and prevention continues in our State.

Because of my personal history and because of my role as an attorney in this State, I believe that I am well-suited to serve as a Commissioner and further the Commission’s mission to promote Holocaust education in the State of New Jersey. I am thankful to NJWLA for its programming, for educating me about the commission appointment process, for providing me with the opportunity to meet the Chairwoman and for endorsing me for this role.

Elyse H. Wolff, NJWLA Co-Secretary (2016-2017)
May 10, 2017
Ms. Wolff is a member of the litigation department at Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP. Her practice is primarily focused on community association and construction law.