public admonishment here was an effort at an ex parte communication, and it was terminated," said James Murphy, a founding shareholder of Murphy Pearson Bradley & Feeney, who represented Novak. "When she put a stop to [the conversation] that's all she thought was necessary, and I think most judges would think that was all that was necessary." "What will be the chilling effect for judges to go to their colleagues and raise issues with respect to matters the judge has presided over?" he said.