Retired Judges Association of New Jersey Elects Officers

At its 2017 annual meeting, held Nov. 20, 2017, at the judicial college at the Marriott Hotel in Newark , the Retired Judges Association of New Jersey (RJA) elected Donald S. Goldman of Roseland-based Starr, Gern, Davison and Rubin president; Thomas W. Cavanagh Jr. of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter vice president; and Paul J. Vichness, of Mandelbaum Salsberg secretary-treasurer. Elected as trustees were: Harriet E. Derman of DiFrancesco, Bateman, Kunzman, Davis, Lehrer & Flaum; Linda R. Feinberg of Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein & Blader; John S. Holston of Holston, MacDonald, Uzdavinis, Ziegler & Myles; Lawrence M. Lawson of McElroy Deutsch; and Phillip Lewis Paley and Harvey Weissbard of Genova Burns. R. Benjamin Cohen of PIB Law is a trustee as immediate past president.

The RJA was formed in 1981 and incorporated in 1999. It consists of every retired Superior Court judge, retired Tax Court judge and retired Supreme Court justice, including those continuing to serve on recall. The purposes of the RJA are to support and promote the interests of retired New Jersey judges, assist in the improvement of the administration of justice in New Jersey, and educate the public concerning the role of the judiciary in society.

Steller Named Brennan Vanderbilt Inn of Court President

Brian Steller, a partner at Connell Foley in Roseland and chair of the firm's insurance defense group, has been named president of the Brennan Vanderbilt Inn of Court. Formed in 1989, the organization was the first inn of court in New Jersey and was named after William J. Brennan Jr., former New Jersey Supreme Court justice and justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2007, the Brennan Inn merged with the Arthur T. Vanderbilt Inn, forming the Brennan Vanderbilt Inn of Court. The inn seeks to promote legal excellence in civil litigation and the highest standards of professional practice. Steller was an original member of the Brennan Inn as a barrister beginning in 1989. He subsequently became a master of the inn and was on the executive committee before becoming its fourth president. An experienced trial attorney, Steller focuses on insurance defense and coverage, professional and product liability, and corporate liability matters. Connell Foley has long been involved in the inn and currently has 14 attorneys serving as pupils, barristers or masters. Retired Judge Jack Bissell, former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and previously Connell Foley of counsel, also was president of the inn for several years.

Columbian Foundation Donates to Seton Hall Law Scholarship Fund

On Nov. 27, 2017, two Seton Hall University School of Law students were presented with $2,500 in scholarships sponsored by the Columbian Foundation, at the school in Newark. In attendance were Seton Hall Law Dean Kathleen M. Boozang, Columbian Foundation representative Andrew Vassallo and Seton Hall Law alumnus Pasquale Giannetta, who presented students Jake Waleski and Gary Prato with the scholarships. The Columbian Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1941 by business and professional men of Italian descent. Among other organizations and charitable endeavors, the foundation provides scholarship awards to Seton Hall Law students annually.

Trenk's Placona Appointed Director of Communications

Sari B. Placona
[Photo Credit: David Kaptein.] Sari B. Placona of Trenk, DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono in West Orange has been appointed to the 2018-19 board of directors as director of communications for the International Women's Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, New Jersey chapter. Placona has been a part of the Trenk firm since 2015. Previously she served as a law clerk to Judge Ned M. Rosenberg of the Essex County Superior Court, Civil Part, during the 2014-15 court term. Placona is admitted to practice in New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and New York. She is a pro bono attorney and a junior advisory board member for Partners for Women and Justice, a nonprofit organization that provides free legal help in New Jersey to low-income, abused victims of domestic violence.

Bolcato Named to SCARC Foundation Board of Trustees

Angelo J. Bolcato
[Photo Credit: Kaylee Ariel Photography.]

Angelo J. Bolcato, practice group leader for Laddey, Clark & Ryan's business law group in Sparta, has recently been named vice chairperson of the SCARC Foundation Inc. Board of Trustees. Founded in 1985, it is a nonprofit organization that provides planning and funding for SCARC, Inc., and SCARC Guardianship Services, Inc., which enables them to provide exceptional programs and services for people with developmental disabilities. “I am honored to serve as Vice Chairperson of the SCARC Foundation's Board of Trustees,” stated Bolcato. “It's wonderful to see how generous the people and businesses in the county are in supporting SCARC's mission. I'm grateful to be a part of such an outstanding organization.”