To celebrate National Ice Cream Day, our 100th anniversary and 52 years as a tenant -- the longest tenant -- at Park 80 West, Cohn Lifland invited our fellow tenants to join us for a Mister Softee ice cream "cohn." We -- led by Joshua "Ice Cream" Cohn -- were delighted to welcome so many!
Herrmann Is Just the Latest Cohn Lifland Attorney to Be Recognized for Professionalism
We are proud that The Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey has selected Jeffrey Herrmann as a recipient of the 2024 Professional Lawyer of the Year Award, which was presented at The New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law’s annual Professionalism Awards Luncheon at the Forsgate Country Club. Jeffrey is the 5th Cohn Lifland attorney to be so recognized as a recipient of the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award, In previous years, Jeffrey Fiorello, Maria La Sala, Peter Pearlman and Joseph Maurice have been recognized.
Jeffrey W. Herrmann, Joseph A. Maurice, Jeffrey Fiorello, Maria J. La Sala, Peter S. Pearlman
Cohn Lifland Celebrates Mickey's Kids
To celebrate our centennial anniversary, Cohn Lifland is making monthly donations to charitable organizations throughout 2024. In June, Cohn Lifland recognizes Mickey’s Kids Charitable Foundation, which raises monies for the placement of service/therapy or hospital facilities dogs. The Foundation also helps dogs it has already sponsored, paying for veterinary and other expenses. We encourage others to recognize and support the good work of Mickey's Kids.
Herrmann Receives Professional Lawyer of the Year Award
Jeffrey W. Herrmann, a senior partner at Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf, LLP was selected by the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey as a recipient of the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award. The Award is presented by the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law and was presented on June 11 at a luncheon at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township. Mr. Herrmann has been a member of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and is a long-time Trustee of the organization.
Mr. Herrmann’s practice is concentrated in the field of complex commercial litigation. In this area, he has successfully represented clients in both individual and class actions in such diverse areas as securities law, consumer fraud, bankruptcy, construction law and antitrust matters. He has litigated numerous matters, which have been the subject of published opinions establishing important precedent both in New Jersey and nationally in the areas of securities fraud, consumer fraud and bankruptcy. Mr. Herrmann is also an Adjunct English Professor at Kean University, where he teaches Shakespeare Studies.
The New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in the Law is a cooperative venture of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the state and federal judiciary, and New Jersey’s three law schools. The Commission was formed in response to increasing displeasure within the bar about the future direction of the profession, and public criticism of lawyers and the legal system. The intention of the Commission is to strengthen the traditional values, and sense of responsibility and public purpose, that have made the practice of law a distinguished profession. It also hopes to help increase public respect for judges and the justice system.
Jeffrey Herrmann pictured with Former Chief Justice of the NJ Supreme Court Barry T. Albin.
Litigators Face New Challenges Under Revised Open Records Law
The New Jersey Law Journal published "Litigators Face New Challenges Under Revised Open Records Law," explaining that some New Jersey litigators will need to adjust their methods in light of Governor Murphy's decision to sign a measure modifying the state's Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
Cohn Lifland's Walter Luers, who represents records requesters said, "I think that because OPRA remains a remedial statute, courts will still accept arguments that, even in the absence of bad faith on the part of a records custodian, counsel fees should be awarded to prevailing plaintiffs.”
Luers is more concerned, however, about whether a law firm representing a records requester in OPRA litigation is considered a commercial requester under the new law. The legislators who drafted the law say it was needed because of the burden that commercial data companies create for records custodians. Requesters who give the wrong answer on whether they are commercial entities are subject to a $1,000 fine under the new law, Luers said. “Law firms are going to have to look very carefully as to whether or not requests that they file on behalf of a requester are commercial requests.”
He adds, “I think that’s a gray area that’s probably going to have to be litigated.”
Maurice to Serve as Secretary to the District IIA Ethics Committee for Bergen County
Cohn Lifland Pearlman Herrmann & Knopf Celebrates 100 Years!
The attorneys and staff of Cohn Lifland were proud to commemorate the firm's 100th birthday at a gala celebration at the Indian Trial Club in Franklin Lakes. More than 200 people, including clients, friends, referral sources and alumni, joined the firm's attorneys and staff in commemorating the founding of the firm in 1924 and 100 years of successful milestones.
Following short speeches by Managing Partner Richard Schnoll and Partner Joshua Cohn, a video, featuring attorneys, staff and clients, was shown to those in attendance.
A one-of-a-kind quilt was crafted my a Cohn Lifland staff member to remember the ties given annually as holiday gifts by Cohn Lifland.
Cohn Lifland Celebrates Growing Sparta Inc.
To celebrate our centennial anniversary, Cohn Lifland is making monthly donations to charitable organizations throughout 2024.
We are pleased to announce that our May contribution is to Growing Sparta Inc., which funds the Sparta Little League Challenger Division, a baseball program for children ages 4-18 with physical and developmental challenges.
Cohn Lifland Welcomes Summer Associate
Cohn Lifland is happy to welcome our 2024 summer associate, Amber Soffer. Amber is a J.D. candidate at Rutgers Law School – Newark, where she has a particular interest in international law. She is a 2021 summa cum laude graduate of Rutgers University, where she was a Political Science major. Amber serves as the Technology Editor of the International Law and Human Rights Journal and is the Project Director for the International Refugee Assistance Project.
Amber grew up in Voorhees, NJ and now lives in Jersey City. She recently went to South Africa with her South African Constitutional Law class to learn about the South African Constitution and governance. Her article on lithium mining in South American countries will be published this fall in the International Law and Human Rights Journal.
Pearlman Celebrates 55th Anniversary
Congratulations to Senior Counsel Peter Pearlman on his 55th anniversary with the Firm. Peter practices primarily in the area of commercial litigation. In addition to the federal and state courts in which he practices, he regularly represents clients before, the American Arbitration Association, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and other self-regulatory organizations.He has been certified continuously by the Supreme Court of New Jersey's Board on Trial Attorney Certification as a civil trial attorney since that certification first became available in 1982.
Peter served as a member of the Lawyers’ Advisory Committee to the U.S. District Court District of New Jersey for fifteen years, is a past co-chair of the Class Action Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association and served for ten years as a trustee of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey.
In 2017, he was selected by the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and the New Jersey Commission on Professionalism in Law as a recipient of the Professional Lawyer of the Year Award and received the New Jersey Law Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. Cases in which Peter has been involved have been the subject of more than 60 published opinions, many of which have established important legal precedents.
