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1 VOL XXXXVII NO. 3 Burlington County Bar Association MARCH 2012 M A R K Y O U R D I A R Y MARCH 1 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CLINIC 4:30 P.M. COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING, MT. HOLLY 6 JOINT BANKRUPTCY CONFERENCE 4 P.M. TAVISTOCK COUNTRY CLUB, HADDONFIELD 14 FAMILY LAW/SHORT SALE SEMINAR 4:30 P.M. COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING, MT. HOLLY 20 INSURANCE LAW SEMINAR 4:30 P.M. COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING, MT. HOLLY 21 BCBA BOARD MEETING 4:30 P.M. BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY BCBF BOARD MEETING 5:30 P.M. BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY 28 LOCAL GOVERNMENT LUNCHEON NOON BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY 29 BAR HEADQUARTERS DEDICATION & HAINES AWARD PRESENTATION 6 P.M. BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY APRIL 3 DWI UPDATE P.M. THE MANSION, VOORHEES 17 ADR SEMINAR 4:30 P.M. BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY 19 DIVERSITY DINNER 6 P.M. CAFFE ALDO LAMBERTI, CHERRY HILL 20 MUNICIPAL LAW SYMPOSIUM 4 P.M. ENTERPRISE CENTER AT BCC, MT. LAUREL 24 LANDLORD/TENANT SEMINAR 4:30 P.M. BAR HEADQUARTERS, MT. HOLLY SAVE THE DATE RUN TO FOR THE BAR Save the date for the Burlington County Bar Foundation s new 5K run/walk event RUN TO FOR THE BAR scheduled for Saturday, May 19, The 5K will take place in the Kings Grant development in Marlton, New Jersey. All proceeds from the race will benefit the Burlington County Bar Foundation. Immediately following the race, join fellow runners and walkers at The Links Bar in Kings Grant for a celebratory beverage. Stay tuned for more information! BAR GRAND OPENING AND DEDICATION 2012 Haines Award Recipient David Gladfelter to be Honored The Burlington County Bar Association invites members to attend the Grand Opening and Dedication of the new bar headquarters offices on Thursday, March 29, 2012, from 6 8 p.m. At this very special event, we will also be honoring the 2012 Haines Award* recipient, David Gladfelter. Don t miss your chance to see the new Bar Headquarters offices while honoring one of the Association s finest, David Gladfelter. Attendees will enjoy hot and cold hors d oeuvres, as well as beer and wine. Price per person is $20. Questions? Call Bar Headquarters at *The Haines Award Dinner has been changed from a sit-down dinner at DoubleTree Suites to a cocktail party and award presentation at the Grand Opening and Dedication of the new headquarters. I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E Thank You...2 President s Message...3 Notice to the Bar...7 Closing the Personal Injury File...8 Spotlight on Colonel Grant Robinson...12

2 MEMBERS ON THE MOVE THOMAS M. BARRON, ESQ. 800 North Church Street, Suite 102 Moorestown, NJ (856) Fax (856) MEGHAN E. BRADLEY, ESQ. Charny, Charny & Karpousis, P.A Route 73, Suite 211 Mount Laurel, NJ (856) Fax (856) DONALD N. ELSAS, ESQ. 800 North Church Street, Suite 102 Moorestown, NJ (856) Fax (856) KATHRYN M. LAUGHLIN, ESQ. Russell & Laughlin 117 Atlantic Ave., Post Office Box 30 Ocean City, NJ (609) Fax (609) STEVEN A. TRAUB, ESQ Route 70 East Beowulf Building Suite 270 Cherry Hill, NJ (856) Fax (856) MEMBERS ON THE MOVE GERARD H. BRELAND, ESQ. Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor 595 Newark Avenue Jersey City, NJ (201) x.6561 Fax (201) LUCINDA LANE, ESQ. Sander Carson & Lane, P.C. 750 Route 73 South, Suite 205 Marlton, NJ (856) Fax (856) MELANIE LEVAN, ESQ. McDowell Riga Posternock 400 N. Church Street, Suite 250 Moorestown, NJ (856) Fax (856) Bar Briefs MEMBERS ON THE MOVE CLIFFORD V. LONG, ESQ. 24 Little John Drive Medford, NJ (609) IAN J. MUSSELMAN, ESQ. P.O. Box 185 Richboro, PA (215) SONIA NORMAN-JOHNSON, ESQ. 5 Collington Street Chesterfield, NJ (678) [email protected] LINDA RINALDI, ESQ. Division of Criminal Justice 25 Market Street Trenton, NJ (609) Fax (609) [email protected] MICHAEL ROSENBERG, ESQ. James T. Rosenberg, Esquire, LLC 321 New Albany Road Moorestown, NJ (856) Fax (856) [email protected] J. ANDREW RUYMANN, ESQ. US Attorney s Office 402 East State Street Trenton, NJ (609) Fax (609) [email protected] KATHRYN GILBERTON SHABEL, ESQ. Phelan Hallinan & Schmieg 400 Fellowship Road, Suite 200 Mount Laurel, NJ (856) Fax (856) [email protected] KATHLEEN LOIS STANTON, ESQ. Barbour & Associates, LLC 10 N. Chestnut Avenue Maple Shade, NJ (856) Fax (856) [email protected] DAVID WISNIEWSKI, ESQ. David Wisniewski, Esquire 230 East Kings Highway, #285 Haddonfield, NJ (856) Fax (856) [email protected] The Burlington County Bar Association offices are now located at 137 High Street, 3rd Floor, Mount Holly, NJ Phone is still (609) and fax remains (609) Please make a note of our new address!? Past President Carol Strobel and partner, Greg Glover, welcomed Brooke Helena Strobel on January 10, 2012 at 1:14 p.m. Brooke weighed in at 8 pounds, 4 ounces and inches long. Congratulations to the happy family! Member Karen Olejarz married attorney John Crayton on December 17, Ms. Olejarz will retain her last name. Congratulations to the happy couple! Dear Members of the Burlington County Bar Association, On behalf of myself and my family, I want to thank the Association for hosting my retirement dinner on February 10. It was a wonderful evening with some good laughs and some poignant moments. My grandchildren thought the portrait was pretty cool ---and so did I. I especially want to thank Kara Edens and her staff for their hard work in organizing the event and dealing with all the details in such a professional way. My thanks to all. WE VE MOVED!! F u t u r e M e m b e r? WEDDING BELLS THANK YOU Michael J. Hogan, J.S.C. (ret.) THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 2

3 THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 3 A HOME FOR OUR PAST AND OUR FUTURE BY: TIMOTHY FARROW Edens. It has been a long time coming, but the time has finally come. We have moved! For those who might have forgotten, we have been pursuing the purchase of an office suite for over two years. It has been a process not short on challenges, but thanks largely to the chair of our New Bar Headquarters Committee, Doug Heinold, we have persevered. Doug has volunteered a tremendous amount of time to this project over these years. On behalf of our Association, I extend our sincere gratitude to him. I would also like to thank the other members of the committee, Rich Nocella, Ken Roth, Joe Pinto and Jim Landgraf, and as always, our Executive Director Kara Our headquarters is now located at 137 High Street in Mount Holly. We look forward to hosting a grand opening and dedication on March 29th. For more information see the inserts in this months issue. In the meantime, stop in, say hi, and take a look! It is a beautiful brand new space that we are proud to call our home. It is a great symbol of how far our Association has come and how far we can go in the future. Starting with the obvious, it will provide our staff with a high quality office to match the high quality work to which we have grown accustomed. Making our staff happy is reason enough for this endeavor, but it is only one of many goals this new home will help us reach. Our members will experience a great sense of pride upon walking in and knowing it is our home. Beyond the pride over the aesthetics offered by a brand new suite, it will be a home to which our members can really welcome themselves. The level of member use will range from seminars, conferences, or small receptions, to client meetings or just visiting between courts. In addition to lavish staff office space and a lobby, it boasts a conference room capable of hosting seminars of up to people and a smaller space for client meetings, depositions or mediations. The last thing about the new headquarters of which we should all be very proud is the quality any decent realtor never forgets location, location, location! It might sound like a no-brainer that our headquarters should remain in Mount Holly, but that is easier said than done. How many available new office spaces have you seen in downtown Mount Holly recently? Still thinking well let me help you none besides this building. That in itself was worth fighting for. There is plenty of space in our county outside of Mount Holly, but we felt strongly that our home should stay here. Home is where the heart is, and Mount Holly is part of the heart of our Association. The Straight Word Published Monthly by The Burlington County Bar Association 137 High Street, 3rd Floor, Mt. Holly, NJ [email protected] Website: (609) Fax: (609) Lawyer Referral Services: (609) OFFICERS Timothy S. Farrow...President Janice L. Heinold...President-Elect Katherine D. Hartman...Vice President Roger Lai...Treasurer Kevin Walker...Secretary TRUSTEES : Joan M. Burke Mary Ellen Burns, Richard C. Klein Elizabeth M. Garcia Richard J. Nocella, Jennifer Stonerod Kim C. Belin, Douglas L. Heinold Pamela A. Mulligan, Reema Y. Scaramella Young Lawyer Trustees : Matthew Litt : Grant G. Berger Immediate Past-President: Sharon M. Dostmann New Jersey State Bar Trustee: James J. Ferrelli Executive Director: Kara E. Edens EDITORIAL BOARD John F. Kearney, III...Editor Kara E. Edens...Print & Circulation Mgr. All Officers and Trustees of the BCBA STATEMENT OF POLICY The existence of your Burlington County Bar Association is made possible by your financial support. However, our success in fostering professional growth and improving the practice depends on your participation in meetings, programs, seminars and the work of committees, as well as your support of our monthly publication, THE STRAIGHT WORD, by way of suggestions and contributions. Contributions are welcome, subject to the deadline of the 10th day of each month. There is only one publication during July and August. The right to edit and publish is reserved. In closing, in addition to sharing this great news and inviting you in to visit, I ask you to show your pride in our Association and its new home by continuing to support us in this great endeavor. This is a project we envisioned with knowledge that we could count on our outstanding dedicated members to support it. Many of you have already joined in the effort and pledged your support, but we are still working towards our fundraising goal. Please offer your support and stop in to see how you well your efforts have been rewarded! For details on how you can contribute, see this month s insert. That is not it though. It is not only a brand new space in downtown Mount Holly, but it is directly across from the historic old courthouse. The convenience is, of course, a huge bonus. More important is the symbolic presence. It is symbolic of the partnership we have with our courts across the street. It is also symbolic of the new strength and promising future of our Association that will never forget the history that so tightly binds us.

4 THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 4 1 Do you have clients who have IRS problems? Levy of salary or bank accounts Seizure of assets or business Tax lien on real estate Other tax authority problems 1 IRS problems solved here! Ken Landis Tax Solutions staff has been doing it for a combined total of almost 100 years. Ken is a former Senior IRS Revenue Officer in South Jersey with 42 years of IRS experience. We pride ourselves on being the local IRS problem solvers! Over 90% of our Offers-in-Compromise Settlement are accepted by the IRS. We have reduced our clients liabilities to the IRS by millions of dollars. At Ken Landis Tax Solutions we know every circumstance that can be presented to obtain the best resolutions for your clients. 311 West Cuthbert Blvd. Haddon Township NJ Call Fax [email protected] Have your clients call our office today for a FREE one-time consultation with one of our expert tax professionals

5 THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 5 The law firm of Becker Meisel has announced the addition of attorney and Burlington County Bar Association member Wes Bridges, as partner, practicing in the firm s Cherry Hill office, focusing his practice on matters involving employment law and complex commercial litigation. Mr. Bridges has a vast amount of experience representing Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies in state and federal court, successfully representing corporate clients in cases involving discrimination, sexual harassment, the enforcement and interpretation of operating agreements and executive compensation packages, as well as prosecuting and enforcing non-competes and restrictive covenants. Previously, Mr. Bridges was a partner at Wong Fleming, P.C. Mr. Bridges also has substantial commercial litigation experience in state and federal court. He has handled complex commercial litigation matters, including multi-state litigation on a national scale. His litigation experience includes all phases of discovery, orders to show cause and emergent relief, motions to dismiss, summary judgment motion practice, as well as bench and jury trials. Capehart Scatchard Shareholder, Alan P. Fox, recently spoke at the Landlord-Tenant Law Update sponsored by Sterling Education Services. In his presentation, Mr. Fox focused on the rights and remedies available to a tenant or landlord under a residential or commercial real estate lease when either party files for bankruptcy protection. His presentation covered various bankruptcy issues, including the automatic stay, and the treatment of the landlord s claims following the assumption or rejection of a residential or a commercial real estate lease in Bankruptcy. Additionally, Mr. Fox provided the audience with valuable information related to strategies for both landlords and tenants when drafting commercial leases. Capehart Scatchard Shareholder, Amy C. Goldstein, recently spoke at a Janney Elite Financial Advisors Conference. The seminar was held on January 19, 2012 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia. Ms. Goldstein spoke on the various aspects of divorce in which Financial Advisors might become involved on behalf of their clients such as the division of individual and joint investment and retirement accounts. Ms. Goldstein s practice areas include marital and civil union dissolutions, appeals, alimony, child support, civil unions, cohabitation, child custody and parenting time, prenuptial/post nuptial/cohabitation agreements, post-divorce cases and related matters. Local attorney, Stan R. Gregory, adds author to his resume with the publishing of his first fictional novel, The Law Clerk, a legal thriller. Drawn from his experiences as a law clerk in the New Jersey Superior Court and law school in Miami, the idea MEMBERS IN THE NEWS for the novel came from one simple question, what would happen if someone obtained financially sensitive information from the locked evidence room of a courthouse? When asked what prompted Mr. Gregory to write a novel he commented, I decided I wanted to do one of two things for a living either become a lawyer or write novels. The law won, but the desire to write never left. With The Law Clerk I was finally able to combine the two. Mr. Gregory is a partner in the Mt. Holly office of Pellettieri Rabstein and Altman. For more information about Stan Gregory and The Law Clerk visit his website at Joseph L. Messa, Jr., founding attorney of Messa & Associates, P.C., presented "Anatomy of a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit" as a guest speaker at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2012 Annual Meeting last week in San Francisco. Mr. Messa's presentation focused on patient safety related lawsuits and the process of handling a medical malpractice case from the beginning phases until its conclusion. Mr. Messa is a member of the Bars of the Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Court for the District of New Jersey, as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, and the First, Third, and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals. INSTALLATION DINNER DANCE Celebrat ing 80 years! The annual Installation of Officers dinner will take place on Friday, June 8, 2012 at The Madison, 33 Lafayette Street, in Riverside, NJ. The newly redesigned establishment (formerly Café Madison) now has a festive outdoor courtyard, cozy and rustic wine cellar and the beautiful Madison Room with a floor to ceiling stone fireplace. Guests will nibble passed hot and cold hors d oeuvres while enjoying cocktails in the courtyard* or wine cellar, followed by dinner and dancing. Janice L. Heinold will be installed as the 81st president of the Burlington County Bar Association and Elizabeth M. Garcia will be installed as president of the Burlington County Bar Foundation. Look for additional information in an upcoming issue of The Straight Word. This event is not to be missed! *weather permitting RICHWALL APPRAISALS Jeffrey D. Richwall, SRA Member of the Appraisal Institute Tax Appeals - Matrimonial - Estates 28 Years of accurate, defendable residential appraisals (856) / [email protected]

6 Elizabeth D. Berenato Certified Civil Trial Attorney Social Security Disability/SSI THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 6 Smith Magram Berenato Michaud 415 High Str eet Bur lington, New Jer sey Referrals Paid Pursuant to Rule 1:39-6

7 THE S TRAIGHT WORD F EBRUARY PAGE 7 NOTICE TO THE BAR To: Courts and County Bar From: Ronald Cox, Warden/Jail Administrator Re: Expansion of HEDS Program Date: January 30, 2012 In an effort to increase the number of persons who are eligible for admission into the Burlington County Jail s HEDS program, the Corrections Department has made some changes to the existing policy. Previously, only those candidates who resided within the borders of Burlington County were eligible for the program. The program has recently been expanded however, to include a larger geographic region, as described below. Eligibility is restricted to male or female pre-sentenced or sentenced offenders who are residents of the State of New Jersey who reside within either the boundaries of the County of Burlington or within 20 miles from the Burlington County Corrections Department, which is located at 54 Grant Street, Mt. Holly, NJ. Irrespective of the expansion of the geographic region that is to be included in the HEDS program however, the Warden retains the sole discretion to either admit or deny admission of candidates into the HEDS Program. 5TH ANNUAL DIVERSITY DINNER POPULAR EVENT SLATED FOR APRIL 19 Don t miss the superb Diversity Dinner on April 19, For the fifth consecutive year, the Burlington County Bar s Diversity Leadership Committee has put together an excellent networking event, offering attendees the opportunity to meet and socialize with leaders of specialty and minority bar associations throughout the State of New Jersey. This year s featured keynote speaker is the Honorable Marie White Bell (Ret.). Judge Bell was the second woman and the first African-American to be sworn in as a Superior Court Judge in Burlington County in The festivities get underway at 6 p.m. with a cash bar cocktail hour featuring delicious hot and cold hors d oeuvres followed by a sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. at Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill, NJ. Information to register for this very special event is included in this issue of The Straight Word. Sign up today! For participants who are approved by the Courts for attendance at work, school or counseling while on the HEDS program, a site check shall be completed by the HEDS Officer prior to starting HEDS. All work sites, school or counseling locations must be in Burlington County or within 20 miles from the Burlington County Corrections Department. Any candidate who is interested in the HEDS program may contact the Burlington County Corrections Department or go to our website and obtain an application prior to sentencing. Decisions on all applications will be made once the entire file has been reviewed; to include Judgment of Convictions, Presentencing Reports and any other relevant documentation within the Warden s discretion. You may obtain the current Home Electronic Detention System policy and HEDS application at =25. MOORESTOWN OFFICE SPACE One room to 2000 square feet. Parking sun or shade. Call Jim Wilson: RUTGERS CAMDEN LAW SCHOOL HAS A PROGRAM FOR LAW FIRMS THAT NEED ADDITIONAL HELP BUT CANNOT HIRE A FULL-TIME CLERK The Per Diem Program will help match employers with Rutgers Camden Law School students, recent graduates or licensed attorneys who are available for temporary work at the following rates: $15.00 / hour for students $20.00 / hour for recent graduates and $25.00 / hour for admitted attorneys Firms may either Sign-up to receive the booklet of resumes and pick up the student, law graduate or per diem attorney best suited to the project, or Request the next available attorney, law graduate or student. Please fill out the form at to sign up for the program or to obtain more information.

8 CLOSING THE PERSONAL INJURY FILE AND KEEPING IT CLOSED BY: TOM BEGLEY When a case is settled, the Personal Injury Attorney s work is not necessarily complete. There are a number of issues that must be considered prior to closing the file. These decisions have a significant impact on the client s future life and could result in legal malpractice claims against the Personal Injury Attorney, if not adequately addressed. These issues include the following: Allocation of settlement proceeds Is a Special Needs Trust required? Is a Settlement Preservation Trust appropriate? Is a Medicare Set-Aside required? Are all Liens satisfied? Can any Liens be negotiated? Is a Structured Settlement appropriate? Is the client receiving good investment management advice? If there is a trust, is there a professional trustee? Income and estate tax issues Estate planning documents Medical insurance 1. Allocation. If there are multiple claimants in the case, how should funds be allocated among them? For example, in a case where there is a parent and a child, who sustained an injury and who will require a Special Needs Trust, is it possible to allocate a portion of the settlement to the parent to avoid the Medicaid payback from the Special Needs Trust on the death of the injured child? Allocation also may be important where there are significant liens against the settlement proceeds of the disabled person. If it is possible to allocate monies to other Plaintiffs who do not have liens, it may be easier to negotiate a reduction in the liens. In a wrongful death case, it is often important to allocate funds in a such manner that minimize Federal and New Jersey Estate Taxes and, in some cases, New Jersey Inheritance Taxes. 2. Special Needs Trust. It is important to make a determination as to whether a Special Needs Trust is required. If the Plaintiff is receiving means-tested public benefits, a Special Needs Trust will preserve those benefits. The settlement proceeds can be deposited into the trust and will not be counted as assets for public benefit purposes. In determining whether a Special Needs Trust is required, the Personal Injury Attorney should ask the following questions: Is the plaintiff a disabled person within the meaning of the Social Security Act? Has the person received a Disability Determination by the Social Security Administration or the State Medicaid Agency? Has the person or could the person apply for a Determination of Disability by the Social Security Administration? Is the disabled person receiving or likely to receive any of the following means-tested public benefits? SSI Medicaid Medicaid Waiver Section 8 Housing SNAP (Food Stamps) Veterans Benefits Group Home Psychiatric Institutionalization NOTE: A Special Needs Trust is not required if the plaintiff is receiving SSDI and/or Medicare 3. Settlement Preservation Trust. A Settlement Preservation Trust is appropriate if the Plaintiff is a minor or an incompetent person, or if there is a large settlement and the Plaintiff is receiving SSI, Medicaid or other means-tested public benefits. It often makes sense to give up those benefits and utilize a Settlement Preservation Trust in order to obtain more flexibility in the administration of the trust and avoid a Medicaid payback on death. 4. Qualified Settlement Fund (QSF). Qualified Settlement Funds are useful in situations where there are multiple plaintiffs, there are liens that need to be ascertained and resolved, time is needed to determine whether a structured settlement is appropriate and, if so, the allocation between lump sum and structure and the features of the structured settlement. Attorneys fees and costs can be paid immediately from the QSF. The Plaintiffs begin earning income on the settlement when it is paid into the QSF, rather than having the monies held by the insurance company that will then benefit from the income. Court approval of a QSF is required. 5. MSA Third Party Liability Cases. There is a controversy as to whether a Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement is required in third party liability cases. The real answer seems to be that by law an MSA is required in third party liability cases, but because of a manpower shortage, CMS is spotty in enforcement. This is likely to change when third party liability settlements are reported to CMS currently January 1, Factors be considered are whether there will be future medicals, if the Plaintiff is a Medicare beneficiary, or has a reasonable expectation of becoming a Medicare beneficiary within 30 months. There is such a reasonable expectation, if the Plaintiff is receiving SSDI or has applied for, been denied, and is appealing a denial of SSDI, is age 62-1/2, or suffers from ESRD. In cases where an MSA is not required, it is possible to obtain an Opinion Letter from a law firm practicing in the field to submit to defense counsel or to a court, and it is even possible to obtain live testimony from such a law firm. 6. Medical Coverage. Many injured Plaintiffs do not have adequate medical coverage. It is often possible to obtain medical coverage through a large group health plan without evidence of insurability. A commonly-used device is to establish a trust, to have the trustee hire a parent to provide care, and to join a large group health plan affiliated with the trustee. Often, it makes sense for a Medicare beneficiary to transition from traditional Medicare to Medicare Part C. THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 8

9 We are pleased to announce that Honorable Francis J. Orlando, Jr. Retired Assignment Judge New Jersey Superior Court, Camden Vicinage who has served the public with integrity and with dedication has joined the firm as Of Counsel, located in our new Cherry Hill office, as a member of our THE STRAIGHT WORD - FEBRUARY 2012 PAGE 9 Roseland 85 Livingston Avenue Roseland, NJ New York 888 Seventh Avenue 9th Floor New York, NY Philadelphia 1500 Market Street 12th Floor, East Tower Philadelphia, PA Jersey City Harborside Financial Center 2510 Plaza Five Jersey City, NJ Alternative Dispute Resolution Group. Cherry Hill Liberty View Building 457 Haddonfield Road Suite 230 Cherry Hill, NJ Spring Lake The Atrium, Suite E 309 Morris Avenue Spring Lake, NJ

10 Capehart Scatchard is pleased to announce the addition of a premier Family Law Practice Group The Family Law Practice Group is led by Amy C. Goldstein, one of New Jersey s most renowned family law attorneys. Ms. Goldstein has 30 years of experience representing clients on a full-range of family law issues. She is joined by attorneys Melissa L. Mignogna and Megan K. Feehan. Capehart Scatchard is a regional business and litigation law firm. THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 10 Megan K. Feehan, Esq.; Amy C. Goldstein, Esq., Family Law Department Chair; and Melissa L. Mignogna, Esq. Mt. Laurel, NJ Trenton, NJ When it comes to Alternative Dispute Resolution, there is no substitute for experience 16-Year Judicial Career Presiding Judge, Chancery Division and Probate Presiding Judge, Civil Division Superior Court of New Jersey, Camden County 26-Year Private Practice Successful litigator in a highly diversified practice 1203 Route 73 North Mount Laurel, NJ [email protected] Prestigious Moorestown Office Space Main Street - Center of Town Perfect for Two Attorneys & Assistants Call Kate at PROFESSIONAL OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE BLASON PLAZA 505 S. LENOLA ROAD MOORESTOWN, NJ CONTACT - JOHN RAVIKIO Judge M. Allan Vogelson (Ret.) Mediation Arbitration Case Management Special Master Neutral UM/UIM Investigations Hearing Officer State and Federal Mediation and Arbitration Qualified VISION KNOWLEDGE RESULTS Contact M. Allan Vogelson, P.J.S.C. (Ret.) [email protected] Mount Laurel, NJ Lawrenceville, NJ Atlantic City, NJ W W W. P A R K E R M c C A Y. C O M

11 THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 11 OF COUNSEL OPPORTUNITY OFFICE FOR RENT FURNISHED RECEPTIONIST/CONFERENCE ROOMS CONVENIENT MT. LAUREL LOCATION [email protected] AFFORDABLE APPEALS Law Offices of Vincent J. Gaughan Welcomes Referrals of Appeals Family/Criminal/Civil Domestic Violence FRO Appeals from $1,500+ Municipal Court Appeals from $750 (609) Fax: (609) John A. Sweeney, A.J.S.C. (ret.) Government & Corporate Monitorships DAVID C. EPLER, ESQUIRE H IGH RIDGE MEDIATION CENTER [email protected] PROVIDING FAMILY MEDIATION SERVICES Custody/Parenting Time Agreements Memoranda of Understanding Property Settlement Agreements Pre-Nuptial & Cohabitation Agreements 200 E. Eighth Street Florence, NJ Mediation & ALSO AVAILABLE TO ACT AS REVIEW ATTORNEY Cell: Fax: [email protected] The Law Offices of Charny, Charny & Karpousis is pleased to announce MEGHAN E. BRADLEY has joined our Divorce and Family Law Group Route 73, Suite 211 Mount Laurel, New Jersey T: W: CharnyLaw.com

12 SPOTLIGHT ON LIEUTENANT COLONEL GRANT J. ROBINSON Our colleague Grant Robinson has a Bronze Star and a standard of comparison for stress most of us don t, and he s had to explain repeatedly where he was between November, 2009, and March, Lying face down on the ground in Iraq, listening to incoming! incoming! incoming! over loudspeakers, explosions shaking the ground under him, Grant thought for a second about reviewing an adverse tentative disposition from the family bench. When he returned to practice, he knew he would prepare just as hard, but worry less. Grant joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps at the University of Syracuse. After graduation from college in 1983 he was commissioned and sent to the White Sands Missile Range in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In charge of logistics and equipment accounting during the day, he earned a master s degree in public administration from the University of New Mexico at night. He then persuaded the Army to assign him to Fort Dix, where he could commute to Rutgers School of Law, Camden, in return for a year-long hardship tour in Korea. Performing the vital task of assuring all Army units supply needs were met, from food to trucks and ammunition, Grant was responsible for multiple depots, many staffed primarily by the 120 Korean nationals under his supervision. He started at Rutgers when he returned in 1988, but his legal education was interrupted in 1990 when the Army began mobilizing for Operation Desert Storm. Grant wasn t sent to Iraq that time, and he was able make the semester up and graduate on schedule in He left the Army after being admitted to the bar, and over the next eight years built a successful bankruptcy and matrimonial practice. He joined the Reserves in 2000, and volunteered for Iraq after the September 11, 2001 attacks. There were more volunteers than billets, and he didn t go. As the years went by the likelihood of active duty seemed remote, but in 2009 the Army needed his skills were in Iraq. He had four months to complete as many of his cases as possible and arrange representation for his other clients. After a week in Kuwait, Grant landed in Baghdad on December 9, That New Year s Eve he experienced his first rocket attack, and for the next year of his life attacks were regular events. The insurgents seemed to know about VIP visits before they were announced, and intensified rocket attacks, three a day instead of two or three a week, were often the first indication he had of a politician or general s visit. On the way home At joint headquarters in Iraq, Grant had a staff of six military and three civilian personnel, and was responsible for 120 advisors at 22 military education institutions; he supervised the purchase and distribution of more than fifteen million dollars worth of training aids. Iraqi attendance at training centers went from 30 to 90 percent on his watch, and he helped plan and execute the strategically vital integration of the Kurdish Regional Guard with the Iraqi Army; within six months more than 2,000 Peshmerga had trained successfully in Iraqi facilities. Unfortunately, after the withdrawal of Multi-National Forces the historical distrust between Iraqi and Kurd slowed or even reversed the integration of Peshmerga into the Iraqi military. Grant could have done his job from the relative safety of the Green Zone in Baghdad. Instead he traveled regularly to the seven training centers under his command, among them Ramadi, 75 miles away, 110 miles to Tikrit, 175 miles to Kirkuk, or 12 to Abu Ghraib. The 12 miles to Abu Ghraib could take four hours or longer even absent attacks, and convoys to the remoter centers also took time disproportionate to distance, so Grant flew on Blackhawk helicopters whenever possible. The Army cited his willingness to face those added dangers as well as his expertise and mission success when awarding Grant the Bronze Star. The Straight Word has made the full text of the narrative accompany Grant s medal available at Grant returned in November, Readjusting to civilian life took time. Nightmares come infrequently now. When another vehicle pulls along side him in traffic, he is less likely to see it as the threat civilian vehicles posed on the roads in Iraq. Grant returned to practice in February, He and Marguerite have been residents of Lumberton since His daughter Brittany has just graduated from Rutgers, and stepdaughters Melanie and Dana are undergraduates at Montclair State and Queens College. THE STRAIGHT WORD FEBRUARY PAGE 12 Thank you for serving, Lieutenant Colonel Robinson. Vince Robertson, a Certified Matrimonial Law Attorney since 1997, practices in Moorestown. At Work in Iraq

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16 The Straight Word Burlington County Bar Association 137 High Street, 3rd Floor Mount Holly, New Jersey PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Cherry Hill, NJ Permit No. 298 THE OLD COURT HOUSE 1796