A decade ago, the New Jersey Supreme Court decided Pinto v. Spectrum Chems. and Lab Prods., 985 A.2d 1239 (2010). In Pinto, the Supreme Court adopted a general rule—reversing its previous holding in Coleman v. Fiore Bros., 552 A.2d 141 (N.J. 1989)—that defendants may make "bundled" settlement offers, i.e., conditioning a merits settlement on a compromise or waiver of statutory prevailing party fees. But the Pinto court carved out an exception to the rule, holding that defendants could not pursue this tactic in lawsuits where the plaintiff is represented by a "public interest law firm." Pinto, 985 A.2d 1250-51.