From the President's Desk

As we start the New Year, I am pleased to update everyone on the New Jersey Defense Association’s very busy and successful past few months. A wonderful time was had by all at the annual golf outing at Copper Hill Country Club. We had a beautiful day with a great turnout from members and sponsors alike. Next, the Trial College, chaired by Rob Luthman, Esq., was held at the Union County Court House, our first year back in the courthouse after COVID. The Trial College was a big success with 30 attendees and 10 instructors, including an orthopedic surgeon.

We then headed straight into two of our flagship seminars. The NJDA’s 15th Annual Women and the Law seminar brought together diverse and informative speakers, including New Jersey Supreme Court Justices, Appellate Division and Superior Court Judges, plaintiff and defense attorneys, and even an Executive Coach. The panels addressed important issues for our legal practices and professional and personal development, including DEI in litigation, strategies for maintaining high performance and energy while working in the legal field, and the always popular perspectives from the judiciary.

We are extremely grateful to our panel for sharing their time, knowledge, and expertise with us all. We then headed straight into NJDA’s Auto Liability seminar, co-sponsored by the Insurance Council of New Jersey (ICNJ), where the topics ranged from defending economic damages claims to the use of technology in accident reconstruction. I would like to sincerely thank the Women and the Law Committee members and Chair Michelle O’Brien, Esq., as well as the Auto Liability Committee and Chair Darren C. Kayal, Esq., for all their hard work making these seminars so successful.

Finally, we rounded out the year on a festive note at our holiday party at the Spring Lake Country Club. It was so nice to spend time with everyone before we headed into the hectic holiday season. We were also able to raise money to benefit Baby2Baby’s Disaster Relief and Emergency Response Program!

Please help the NJDA continue these successes into 2025. Perhaps you might consider planning a seminar on a new case or issue that has arisen in your practice area or maybe you would like to partner with another committee to present a topic. We continue to thrive as an organization because of the involvement and dedication of our members. However, we are always looking for more engagement from our members and would love to see some of you attend a Board Meeting—the first Wednesday of every month—or write an article for the NJ Defense or, even, volunteer to act as amicus curiae counsel for the NJDA.

With spring right around the corner, we are already planning a new leaders networking event, which will provide a great opportunity for current members to come out, socialize, and become more engaged and also for new members to join our great organization. The NJDA Annual Convention 2025 will also be here before you know it. The event is booked at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut from June 26 - 29, 2025.

In addition to great networking events that will include multiple cocktail hours, a golf tournament, and the President’s reception, the convention will include an educational program providing up to 6.7 CLE credits. Registration information will be circulated shortly. I encourage you to consider attending and please consider bringing your colleagues, spouse, significant other, and/or family to enjoy this year’s convention. The Mohegan Sun’s flagship hotel in Connecticut has something for everyone with casual and fine dining, retail shopping, live entertainment, sporting events, spas, family entertainment, onsite child care, and is a short ride from Mystic, Connecticut.

I look forward to a wonderful convention and hope to see many of you there.

Past NJDA Presidents