President's Message

This has been a banner year for the NJCCA and it keeps getting better. I thought I would take this opportunity to mention some of the things that you can look forward to in the months ahead.

Final planning is underway for the NJCCA’s Spring Cocktail Reception to be held on Wednesday, May 16 at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange.  This is one of NJCCA’s four “premier” annual events and the product of months of advance planning by our Executive Director and a team of dedicated volunteers.  The event will begin at 4:00 p.m. with two hours of complimentary (included in the registration fee) CLE programming. This year’s CLE programs are entitled “Spitballs, ‘Kick Me’ and Noogies...What Employers Can Do When Bullies Come to Work,” presented by Greenberg Traurig, and “Attorney-Client Privilege Issues for In-House Counsel,” presented by Lowenstein Sandler.  By attending these programs, you will obtain timely and informative continuing legal education including some of those all-important ethics credits. NJCCA is an accredited CLE provider for both New Jersey and New York, and credits for Pennsylvania may be applied for on an individual, as-needed basis.  Following the CLE, a cocktail reception will be held from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.  The food, drink, music, and opportunities for conversation and networking at this reception are always without parallel.  We look forward to seeing you there.

As we have done in the past, this event will feature a worthy charitable cause.  This time, we are featuring Citizens Schools – New Jersey, an organization that partners with middle schools to expand the learning day.  Its goal is to promote student achievement, transform schools, and re-imagine education in New Jersey.

The May 25 deadline for submissions to the inaugural NJCCA Legal Fiction Writing Competition is just two months away!  We’ve received a number of submissions already and we look forward to receiving more.  Please consult the Rules and Regulations of the competition and Copyright License Agreement.  Remember, this competition is open to members, sponsors, and employees of members and sponsors, so if you have an assistant or other co-worker who wants to make a submission, they are welcome to do so even if they are not, themselves, members of the NJCCA.  We look forward to receiving your submissions.  Happy writing!

Some great programs are in the development stages for April, so stay tuned for final details. On April 17, the NJCCA’s Women’s Networking Committee will present “Managing Your Career, Playing the Game: Ambition and Politics at Work” in conjunction with Major Lindsey & Africa.  We are also delighted to be developing an ADR-oriented program with The Justice Marie L. Garibaldi Inn of Court for Alternative Dispute Resolution and the American Inns of Court. Additionally, the law firm of Constangy, Brooks & Smith has teamed up with the NJCCA’s Labor and Employment Committee to develop a program tentatively titled “Religious Accommodation Considerations in a Rapidly Changing World.” Details of these programs, including final dates, times, and locations, will be circulated under the separate cover.

Finally, anticipation is continuing to grow for the NJCCA’s Golf/Tennis/Spa Outing, scheduled for Thursday, June 21 at the Dolce Seaview Resort in Galloway, New Jersey. As the unofficial gateway to summer, this outing is always a highlight of our year.  Enjoy a round of golf, indulge your passion for tennis, luxuriate in the resort’s award-winning Elizabeth Arden spa, or, if you prefer, simply relax by the pool. We welcome you to bring your spouse, significant other, and children, as the case may be.  There will be something for everyone.  Plans are in the works for two hours of CLE programming to be held at the resort on the morning of the outing.  Please mark your calendars for this highly anticipated event!

Thank you once again for your continuing support of the NJCCA.  As the only professional association dedicated exclusively to promoting the interests of New Jersey’s in-house legal community, it is our pleasure to be of service to you.  Please feel free to call me at (201) 272-5308 or e-mail me at joseph.aronds@acc-njcca.org if you have any questions or if there is anything you would like to discuss.

Sincerely,

Joe Aronds,
President, NJCCA