NJCCA President's Message

by Valerie Camara

To the Membership,

So are you using LinkedIn to catch up with former colleagues and to stay connected with your network of friends and colleagues?  NJCCA has formed a group, New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association (NJCCA) Linked In, and will be sending you an invitation to join us in cyberspace.  The association is exploring how best to capitalize on using this social networking tool. The NJCCA board is also looking at the Martindale Hubbell's Connected social network, which is tailored to attorneys and will allow NJCCA to form an in-house counsel group.  As each of us continues to address the issues presented to us in these troubling economic times, it may be beneficial for each of us to maintain and build-up our social network of business and social contacts. 

While working on our membership survey, the survey committee began to brainstorm around a program that would allow our members to develop a plan for a career management program entitled Keeping or Finding a Job in a Down Economy that has been scheduled for April 30th.  With a fabulous panel of career coaches (Andrea G. Eisenberg, Esq., Eisenberg Resources, Career Consultant for the Fordham Law Alumni Association and Eileen Sharaga, M.A., President, Career Resources Inc.) and recruiters (Susan J. Landon, Managing Director and In-House Practice Leader, Major, Lindsey & Africa  and Larry Samilow, National Client Development Director, Update Legal), we will tackle a number of the issues: current trends in legal market; employment options, information about career search options, what can you do to avoid being laid off, how to handle age-related issues.  The committee is hoping to spark a lively discussion with this panel.

Bret Parker, our Pro Bono Committee chair would like to extend an invitation our membership to join us at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick for the Second Annual Pro Bono Conference on May 6th.  The conference will provide you with an opportunity to hear about successful in-house pro bono programs, as well as opportunities for individual attorneys to work with a number of your local pro bono service providers.

NJCCA continues to advocate for changes to the NJ Limited License Rule (NJ Rule 1:27-2) regarding the permissibility of the in-house bar to volunteer for pro bono legal assignments with any pro bono legal service program approved by the NJ Supreme Court. This would broaden the current rule to include organizations, such as Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and Pro Bono Partnership.  Additionally, we have requested consideration of the lengthening the job transition period (90 days) given the reductions in force that many companies are going through to allow limited licensed attorneys' sufficient time to find a new in-house position.  A letter has been submitted to the Court's rules committee for consideration referring back to NJCCA's prior requests in this regard.

In addition to our substantive line up of programs, you should be receiving shortly your invitation to our Annual Spring Cocktail Reception.  The feedback we received from last year made the decision very simple this year and it was let's try to replicate the event.  We will be hosting a wine tasting, walking tours and jazz music with nice appetizers and libations.  If the weather cooperates we will be able to venture onto the patio to enjoy the spring!  So I hope that you will join us for our annual cocktail reception on Tuesday, May 12th at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank two of our volunteers: Christopher Santomassimo, we are board member and Ethics, Compliance and Governance Committee Leader and Jon Olsen our Small Law Department Committee leader for their contributions.  With these departures, NJCCA is fortunate to have a few new volunteers to work with us; Jason Meyer will be assuming the role of Ethics, Compliance and Governance committee chair and Benjamin Levy will chair the Small Law Department committee.

Over the next month, please look out for your membership directory, an email launching our member survey and your invitation for the Spring Cocktail Reception.

Valerie Camara
NJCCA President