Jeff Fiorello will be a speaker in the Family Law session on NJICLE's New Attorney Day, a live webcast on September 30. The Family Law program will review all of the important aspects of New Jersey family law practice and, says ICLE, will provide attendees with the tools and strategies needed for success in the practice of family law.
Will the High Court Stick Up for the Little Guy?
In its May 18th decision in Pace v. Hamilton Cove, the Appellate Division held that courts will not enforce a class action waiver, unless the contract also contains a mandatory arbitration provision. The court recognized the benefits and strong public policy favoring class actions, including economic efficiency, judicial economy, and avoiding inconsistent results. The Appellate Division’s decision was a win for class action plaintiffs. However, the New Jersey Supreme Court just agreed to hear defendant’s interlocutory appeal of that decision. The Court also granted defendant’s request to stay the action pending determination of the appeal. We will have to wait to see if the Supreme Court agrees with the Appellate Division or instead sides with the defendant. Stay tuned.
Cohn Lifland Goes Purple -- Again!
Cohn Lifland is going purple once again to support the fight against Alzheimer's Disease -- on October 14 at Overpeck Park. Our team has joined together in the Bergen-Passaic Alzheimer's Walk. Join our team or sponsor us. We welcome your support: http://act.alz.org/goto/cohnliflandgoespurple
Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers in America® 2024 Edition
Cohn Lifland is pleased that four of our attorneys have been included on the list of 2024 Best Lawyers in America®*:
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection methodology can be found here.
Jeffrey W. Herrmann, Peter S. Pearlman, Amanda S. Trigg, Jeffrey Fiorello
Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® 2024 Edition
Cohn Lifland is pleased that three of our attorneys have been included on the list of 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch®*:
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. A description of the selection methodology can be found here.
Addressing Developmental Delays in Children of Divorce Despite Judicial Backlog
Family Law attorney Erika Piccirillo published "Addressing Developmental Delays in Children of Divorce Despite Judicial Backlog" in the August 14, 2023 issue of The New Jersey Law Journal.
Says Piccirillo in her article, "As family law practitioners, we are bound to be confronted with difficult situations involving children with developmental delays and other special needs. We must be prepared to advise our clients who are facing life-changing decisions regarding their options in managing custody disputes and divorce in a time of judicial delays." Click here to read the article.
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourrette recently announced the American arm of Belgian chemical company Solvay will pay nearly $393 million as part of a proposed settlement over "forever chemical" contamination that, if approved, would be the largest financial agreement for a single contaminated site in state history.
Cohn Lifland attorney Leonard Z. Kaufmann was one of the team of Outside Counsel that assisted the Attorney General’s office in litigating the case.
As reported, the settlement will ensure the remediation of contamination, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and compensate the public for natural resource damages in the vicinity of Solvay’s facility in West Deptford, Gloucester County.
PFAS substances – also called “forever chemicals”– are manmade substances desired for their ability to repel water and oil and contain fuel fires, and were commonly used to make products like Teflon® and Scotchgard®. Highly resistant to environmental degradation and known to accumulate in the human body, PFAS are associated with serious adverse health effects such as decreased vaccine response.
Erika Piccirillo Named Partner
Cohn Lifland is pleased to announce that Erika R. Piccirillo has been named a Partner, effective July 1. Erika, who served as a law clerk in the summer of 2013 before joining the firm as an associate in 2014, is a member of the Family Law Group.
Erika represents her clients’ interests in matrimonial, post-judgment and custody matters. She protects their children’s best interests in custody and support matters, including with respect to neurodiverse children.
She is a member of the Family Law Committee of the Bergen County Bar Association, a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association and a member of the Sussex County Bar Association. Erika is an Executive Board Member for the Fair Lawn Chamber of Commerce and is on the Walk Committee for the Bergen-Passaic Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Erika has written family law articles, including those related to “pet custody” and technology when considering the best interests of children.
Erika graduated cum laude from the University of Illinois College of Law and is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh.
Julie Lee Kim Appointed to the Superior Court of New Jersey Bergen Vicinage
The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the appointment of Julie Lee Kim to the New Jersey Superior Court Bergen Vicinage.
Judge Kim, a partner of Cohn Lifland, focused her practice on family law matters since 2008. She obtained her undergraduate degree from New York University and law degree from Seton Hall University School of Law. She also earned an MBA from Boston College. Prior to entering private practice, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Harold C. Hollenbeck, J.S.C., Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County, Family Part. Before becoming an attorney, she worked in the financial industry.
Judge Kim has been a longstanding member of the Bergen County Bar Association where she was a Trustee and Co-Chair of the Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee. She also served on the Superior Court of New Jersey District IIB Ethics Committee. Judge Kim, along with her two brothers, was raised in New Jersey after her parents immigrated from South Korea. Judge Kim resides with her husband and two children in Bergen County.
Judge Kim will be the first Asian-American judge to sit in the Bergen vicinage.
Cohn Lifland Welcomes Maria J. La Sala to the Family Law Practice
Maria J. La Sala has joined the Family Law Practice Group as Counsel. She is a well-rounded, detail-oriented family lawyer with deep knowledge of family law issues ranging from all aspects of a high conflict divorce to bankruptcy to real estate matters.
Maria has been in practice for 30 years and brings a deep level of understanding, experience and knowledge surrounding all family law matters often working with the experts necessary for the most successful outcome for her clients. Her practice focuses on:
In addition, she has extensive experience in real estate and bankruptcy, which lends itself to well-rounded representation on all potential issues that may arise in a divorce.
From 2014 to 2021, Maria was a partner in Raimondi, La Sala & Bocker. Prior to 2014 and since 2021, she has had her own practice, most recently Maria J. La Sala Law Group & Mediation, LLC. Maria has been involved with many committees that develop fair and ethical measures for the Passaic County legal system.
