• Bar Foundation Programs Win National Recognition
• Montclair High School Mock Trial Team Finishes in Second Place at National Mock Trial Competition
• NJSBF Medal of Honor Awards go to Justice Garibaldi and Raymond Trombadore
• Foundation Awards Scholarships to Exceptional Students
• Foundation Announces Fall Schedule of Free One-Day and Two-Day Conflict Resolution Training Sessions
• Creativity Abounds in Law Fair and Law Adventure Competitions
• George Street Playhouse Tolerance Project Enjoys Success
• Law-Related Education Conference Slated for December

Bar Foundation Programs Win National Recognition

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation was recently elected to the 2001 Associations Advance America Honor Roll, a national awards competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) in Washington, DC.

The Foundation received awards for its Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Program, its legal newspaper for kids, The Legal Eagle and a special edition of The Legal Eagle, which specifically focused on tolerance and diversity issues.

"Speaking for the Foundation Board members and its staff, it is gratifying for us to see three of the Foundation's most popular programs, the Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Program and The Legal Eagle newspaper receive this well-deserved honor," said NJSBF President Daniel M. Hurley. "The Foundation remains committed in its efforts to produce free, high-quality law-related education programs such as these."

More than 800 educators attend the Foundation's conflict resolution training sessions yearly. Geared for the elementary and middle/high school level, these sessions offer teachers an interactive experience. Attendees participate in mini-lessons on anger management, cooling-off techniques, the use of "I" messages and an introduction to teasing and bullying concepts, which they bring back to their classrooms. The Bar Foundation has received numerous letters from administrators and educators attesting to the fact that teaching conflict resolution skills to students diminishes discipline problems, lowers suspension rates and promotes a more peaceful school environment. In addition, it provides young people with an alternative to violence by showing them how to resolve their conflicts peacefully.

Launched by the Bar Foundation in 1996, The Legal Eagle has seen its subscription numbers soar and is now distributed to more than 211,000 students in elementary through high school and some colleges as well. Initiated as a result of teachers asking for a legal education program targeted to middle school students, the newspaper developed a more widespread appeal. Teachers tell Foundation staff that the newspaper lends itself well as a teaching tool, captures the students' attention and gets them thinking about important legal issues.

ASAE's philosophy behind its awards program is that association activities, such as the Foundation's, have a powerful impact on everyday life, but often go unnoticed by the general public. The Associations Advance America Awards try to remedy that fact by bringing attention to deserving programs across the country.

Now in its eleventh year, the prestigious Associations Advance America Awards recognize associations that propel America forward-with innovative projects in education, skills training, standards-setting, business and social innovation, knowledge creation, citizenship and community service. The organization received more than 365 entries this year.

"The Foundation's Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Program and The Legal Eagle truly embody the spirit of the Associations Advance America campaign. It is an honor and an inspiration to showcase these activities as an example of the many contributions associations are making to advance American society," remarked ASAE President Michael S. Olson, CAE.

If you would like to learn more about the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's many law-related education programs and publications, including the Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Program and The Legal Eagle, visit us online at www.njsbf.org or call 1-800-FREE-LAW.

Montclair High School Mock Trial Team Finishes in Second Place at National Mock Trial Competition

The Montclair High School mock trial team of Essex County placed second in the National High School Mock Trial Championship held in Omaha, Nebraska, losing to the team from Iowa in the final round. Winning all four previous rounds against teams from Hawaii, Louisiana, Oregon and Kentucky, the New Jersey team was the only state in the Northeast to rank in the top ten.

Currently state champions in the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's 2000-2001 Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, the Montclair team competed with teams from 42 other states and two U.S. territories. New Jersey teams have consistently done well at the national competition, often placing in the top ten and winning the national title twice. In addition to New Jersey, only three other states, Georgia, Arizona and Iowa, have won the national championship twice.

In the end, this year's final round was so close with the two teams tying on point totals and win/loss records, that the final decision came down to the five mock trial judges voting for the winner. That vote was 3-2 in favor of the Iowa team. Montclair attorney-coach Thomas McDonough Jr., an attorney with McDonough, Kiernan & Campbell in Montclair, called the second place finish "bittersweet" because he was certain that the Montclair team had won the final round.

"I have trouble accepting the loss," said McDonough. "But, in the end we were just happy to have been there."

According to Teacher-coach Dennis Murray, the team had no expectation of winning going into the competition, but experienced disappointment initially upon finding out they had placed second. Murray said the team began to realize what they had accomplished over the last six months and now call their finish at the nationals "icing on the cake."

"When I heard our team announced, it was the most euphoric feeling I've had in 20 years of teaching," said Murray. "One team member exclaimed that this would be a memory she will hold onto for the rest of her life," he said.

Montclair High School Principal Elaine Davis declared the experience "unbelievable."

"I cannot tell you how enormously proud I am of the hard work of the students, the faculty advisor, Dennis Murray, and the parent who volunteered his time as attorney-coach, Tom McDonough," Davis said.

After 18 years of coaching Montclair's mock trial team, the conclusion of this year's mock trial season left Murray "a little melancholy." He will step down as teacher-coach next year.

"I've loved every minute of coaching for the last 18 years," Murray said. "But, the last four years with this group of kids has been just like family. If ever there was a way to go out, this was the way to do it."

This year's national case was entitled State of Nebraska vs. Chris Hall. In the case, high school senior Chris Hall is charged with possession of methamphetamine, a controlled substance. Chris Hall maintains that rival Taylor Jennings, a student who is in competition with Hall for senior class valedictorian, planted the drugs in his/her backpack.

After placing first in the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's competition out of a record 222 teams, members of the Montclair team had only a few short weeks to prepare for the competition. The national competition also presents an even greater challenge to the students, who must learn a new case and federal rules of evidence.

The greatest challenge for the team, however, according to Murray, was finding the time to practice. With the spring sports season in full swing and members of the team involved in other school activities, juggling busy schedules was a major obstacle. Ultimately, the team was able to practice for three hours a day during the week and longer on Saturdays and Sundays.

Montclair prepared for the nationals in the same way as the state competition, by "intensively examining everything from witness statements to exhibits," according to McDonough. The attorney-coach stated that the preparation the team went through is exactly what any attorney would go through to prepare for a trial.

Murray and McDonough remarked on the maturity of the Monclair team members over the last six months and for Murray, the last four years. Both coaches see the development of the students' analytical skills as a benefit of their involvement in mock trial.

"Their attention to detail and nuance and their understanding of what makes a persuasive argument was remarkable," said McDonough.

The Montclair mock trial team consists of four "attorneys," Bryn McDonough, Aaron Scherzer, Barbara Sieck and Kate Stayman-London, all of whom have been involved in mock trial since they were freshman. Team members Sam Lindo, Brielle Madej, Daniel Margolskee, Maddy Nussbaum, Vanessa Selbst and Greg Smukler serve as the team's "witnesses." Rounding out the team are Joyce Li, Nathanael Miller, Emily Redburn, Danielle Shapiro and Kenneth White, who serve as "alternate witnesses."

Frank Magaletta, an attorney with Magaletta & Moscowitz in Bloomfield, served as Essex County mock trial coordinator. William E. Nugent. Esq., Atlantic County Counsel, serves as chair of the Foundation's Mock Trial Committee. Committee member, Mark Roddy, Esq., wrote this year's mock trial case in consultation with the Foundation's Mock Trial Committee.

NJSBF Medal of Honor Awards go to Justice Garibaldi and Raymond Trombadore

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation's prestigious Medal of Honor awards were recently presented to the Hon. Marie L. Garibaldi, retired New Jersey Supreme Court justice, and retired Somerville attorney Raymond R. Trombadore, a former president of the New Jersey State Bar Association. The awards, given each year to candidates who have made outstanding contributions to improving the justice system, were presented at the Foundation's annual Awards Dinner held at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick on June 11.

"The Foundation's Annual Dinner is a time to celebrate the achievements of outstanding individuals who have helped to enhance our system of justice," said outgoing NJSBF President Stuart A. Hoberman. "The Foundation's distinguished Medal of Honor Award embodies this notion and the two candidates receiving the award this year are of the highest quality and most deserving of the honor being bestowed upon them."

An event held each year to applaud the efforts of its volunteers, the Foundation's Awards Dinner also serves as a way to recognize the state champions of the Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition, Montclair High School, who went on to finish second in the national competition. The Foundation also awarded seven scholarships to outstanding students in New Jersey law schools and honored judges who recently retired from the bench.

Blazing a trail

The word that immediately comes to mind when describing former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Marie L. Garibaldi is "first." She was the first woman to reach the presidency of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the first woman to join the prestigious Essex Club of Newark and the first woman to be appointed to the bench of the highest court in New Jersey.

When Justice Garibaldi retired from the bench in 1999, New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz said, "She accepted the incidental consequences of being the first woman with grace and style. Being 'first' inevitably made outside demands on her time, but she never let those demands interfere with the quality of her performance as a justice."

Justice Garibaldi, who says that she is very honored to receive the Foundation's Medal of Honor Award and is particularly pleased to be in the company of her fellow recipient Ray Trombadore, modestly talks of her accomplishments in blazing a trail for women in the legal profession.

"I think that I was very lucky, and I was in the right place at the right time," said Justice Garibaldi, noting that about 50 percent of students entering law school today are women. "Women have made great strides," she said. "They still have a ways to go in terms of making partners in large firms and being rainmakers, but women certainly have come a long way."

During more than 17 years on the New Jersey Supreme Court, Justice Garibaldi authored more than 200 opinions covering a wide range of legal issues including sexual harassment, product liability, end-of-life decisions and free speech.

Unselfish devotion to the Bar

"Ray Trombadore took a position years ago that was unpopular with most lawyers - to open up the lawyer ethics hearings to the public to instill public confidence," said NJSBA President Daniel Waldman. "Ray held to his beliefs and as the years have passed, his position was proven correct and the fears espoused in opposition did not materialize. For his steadfast convictions, he has proven himself most deserving of this honor," said Waldman.

On the impact his legal career has had on the organized bar, Raymond R. Trombadore receives high praise from his colleagues.

"Ray's courage and integrity on issues of legal ethics stand unmatched by any other attorney or jurist in this state in recent memory," said Richard A. Norris of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus in Bridgewater. "He has stood for the important principles which bear upon the inter-relationships between the Bar and the public, never losing sight of our obligation, as a profession, to serve the public at large while simultaneously representing the rights of individual clients."

A former recipient of the Foundation's Medal of Honor, Thomas F. Campion of the Florham Park law firm of Drinker, Biddle & Shanley, claims there is no one more deserving of the honor than Trombadore, citing his unselfish devotion to the Bar and the judicial system.

"Ray is recognized as one of the nation's leaders in matters of attorney professional responsibility and his voice in that effort has added distinction to the New Jersey Bar," said Campion.

Trombadore says that he strove for the highest standards in his practice of 47 years and when given the opportunity, tried to set an example for others.

"I have always appreciated the confidence placed in me and the opportunities I have been given to work toward improving and sustaining a justice system of high quality," said Trombadore. "I enjoyed the work, a labor of love, and I'm gratified to the many who have supported me in those efforts."

Foundation Awards Scholarships to Exceptional Students

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation recently awarded seven scholarships at its Annual Awards Dinner held June 11 at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. The Foundation has been awarding scholarships annually to residents attending New Jersey law schools for more than 20 years. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, extracurricular activities, community service and financial need. This year, seven scholarships totaling $14,000 were awarded at the dinner. A list of the recipients follows.

Annmarie G. Dienst received the Sonia Morgan Scholarship. Dienst is a second-year student at Rutgers Law School - Camden and maintained a 3.8 grade point average while working as a legal assistant and raising her six-year-old son. While she would like to practice in the area of entertainment law and intellectual property, she also plans to offer her services pro bono in the area of family law and start a scholarship program for single, working parents attending law school.

Myung Kim is the recipient of this year's Labor Law Scholarship. A third-year student at Rutgers Law School - Newark, Kim is originally from Seoul, Korea, but plans to remain in the United States and pursue a career in public interest law. She says that her first legal experience, working as an intern at the Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, strengthened her desire to help people and bring about positive changes in their lives.

At a very young age Kim Mercado, a second-year student at Rutgers Law School - Newark, who maintained a 3.8 grade point average, thought she might want to pursue the law as a career. A course Mercado took while in college, titled, "Justice in American Society," sealed her fate. After a lot of hard work, she won her first mock trial case, a death penalty phase case where her goal was to obtain life in prison for her client. Mercado says that she was destined to be a lawyer because she enjoys participating in a field that has the potential to positively change someone's life.

Deborah L. Sanders, a third-year student at Rutgers Law School - Camden, maintained a 3.6 grade point average, while raising her 11-year-old son. Sanders is committed to children's issues and spent last year interning with the Family Division of the New Jersey Superior Court. She says that during this internship with the Hon. Joseph Nardi, she was exposed to the gravest realities facing children in foster care, enforcing her dedication to children. When she graduates, Sanders hopes to offer those children what the law has offered her - hope.

A second-year student at Seton Hall University School of Law, Natasha M. Songonuga maintained a 3.8 grade point average, while caring for her 15-month-old daughter. Songonuga would like to use her law degree to help children and hopes to work with homeless, low-income and at-risk kids. She is the first person in her family to attend college and she says that her mother always stressed that "education is the key to whatever you want to achieve in life."

Anthony Merlino received the Wallace Vail Scholarship, which is given to the applicant who has achieved the highest academic standards. Merlino is a third-year student at Seton Hall University School of Law and maintained a 4.1 grade point average. While becoming a lawyer was not part of his initial plan - he was going to be an English teacher- Merlino's interests shifted toward politics and government. After taking a constitutional law class while a senior at Rutgers University, he developed an interest in constitutional law and criminal law and says he might like to teach law school someday.

Elizabeth E. Rogers is the recipient of this year's Abram D. and Maxine H. Londa Scholarship. Rogers maintains a 3.9 grade point average and possesses a strong commitment to serving her community. She plans a career in public interest law, a path that became clear a number of years ago when she worked as a paralegal advocate at the Community Health Law Project. Rogers believes she made a difference in her clients' lives by educating them about their rights and advocating on their behalf. She says that exposure to new issues and internships while in law school may alter the course of her career, but her dedication to achieving a community in which low-income individuals feel like valued participants of society will never waiver.

Foundation Announces Fall Schedule of Free One-Day and Two-Day Conflict Resolution Training Sessions

Conflict resolution and peer mediation programs in New Jersey schools are attracting increased attention, particularly as concerns about violence among students escalate. Committed to the promotion of violence prevention, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation is offering free one-day and two-day conflict resolution trainings for teachers, administrators and para-professionals.

Both the one-day and two-day trainings are focused at the elementary and middle/high school levels. The intense one-day training sessions focus exclusively on conflict resolution techniques and how to utilize the curriculum guides provided by the Bar Foundation. The two-day trainings offer a peer mediation component on the second day, building on the concepts of conflict resolution learned from the first day. Teachers will receive professional development hours for both the one-day and two-day conflict resolution training sessions.

On the elementary level, two-day training sessions are scheduled for Oct. 26 & 27 and Dec. 7 & 8. There is also a one-day elementary training session scheduled for Friday, Nov. 30. On the middle/high school level, two-day training sessions are scheduled for Oct. 19 & 20 and Nov. 2 & 3. There is also a one-day middle/high school level training session scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 17.

All training sessions are held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. Space is limited. To register for any of the training sessions, call 1-800 FREE LAW to request a registration form. Please specify whether you are interested in a one-day or two-day training. Two-day training sessions must be attended in groups of four attendees from each school. One-day sessions may be attended alone.

Creativity Abounds in Law Fair and Law Adventure Competitions

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation's Law Fair and Law Adventure competitions, in their 10th and sixth year respectively, offer New Jersey students and their teachers in third through eighth grade an opportunity to exercise their creativity and at the same time enhance their understanding of the law. The Bar Foundation received 209 entries from New Jersey middle schools for its Law Adventure Competition and a record 217 entries from elementary schools across the state for its Law Fair Competition.

Students in the Law Adventure Competition were asked to write mock trial cases dealing with malpractice -medical, legal or any professional malpractice- or the problems stemming from increased genetic knowledge in terms of discrimination. The themes were provided by the State Bar Foundation. Entrants in the Law Fair Competition are allowed to write mock trial cases on any subject they choose. Tackling a variety of legal issues, this year's Law Fair mock trial cases tapped into such topics as negligence, employment discrimination and contract violations.

The difficult job of judging the entries and picking eight winners from each grade level in the Law Adventure Competition falls to volunteer lawyers and educators who are members of the Foundation's Law Adventure Committee. For the Law Fair Competition, members of the Foundation's various committees or Board of Trustees helped to pick four winners from each grade level.

And the Law Adventure winners are…

Grade 7: St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, first place; Edison Intermediate School, Westfield, second place; E.A. Tighe School, Margate, honorable mention; Woodglen School, Califon, two honorable mentions; Emil A. Cavallini Middle School, Upper Saddle River, honorable mention; Joyce Kilmer School, Milltown, honorable mention; and North Arlington Middle School, North Arlington, honorable mention.

Grade 8: St. Leo the Great School, Lincroft, first place; Florence M. Gaudineer School, Springfield, second place; Marlboro Middle School, Marlboro, two honorable mentions; Valley Middle School, Oakland, honorable mention; Melvin H. Kreps Middle School, East Windsor, honorable mention; Readington Middle School, Whitehouse Station, honorable mention; and Lakeside School, Pompton Lakes, honorable mention.

And the Law Fair winners are…

Grade 3: William H. Ross School, Margate, first place; Mt. Pleasant Elementary School, Livingston, second place and honorable mention; and Riker Hill Elementary School, Livingston, honorable mention.

Grade 4: F.N. Brown Elementary School, Verona, first place; Yavneh Academy, Paramus, second place; Harrison School, Livingston, honorable mention; and Main Road School, Newfield, honorable mention.

Grade 5: Yavneh Academy, Paramus, first place; Wandell Elementary School, Saddle River, second place; Upper Township Elementary School, Marmora, honorable mention; and Edgar School, Metuchen, honorable mention.

Grade 6: Lake Riviera Middle School, Brick, first place, Trocki Hebrew Academy, Egg Harbor Township, second place, Veterans Memorial Middle School, Brick, honorable mention; and Centre City School, Mantua, honorable mention.

The winners in both competitions performed their winning cases before family and their peers at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. The 2001 winning cases for Law Fair and Law Adventure will be published and distributed free of charge to interested schools in September. The cases will also be posted on the Foundation's Web site, www.njsbf.org.

George Street Playhouse Tolerance Project Enjoys Success

Stuart A. Hoberman, past president of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation (second from left), and Michael Stotts, managing director of the George Street Playhouse, are flanked by members of the Peacemaker cast. A parable of our diverse society, Peacemaker promotes the themes of tolerance and acceptance and advocates an end to prejudice on the basis of appearance and origin. The Bar Foundation partnered with George Street's Touring Theatre to bring Peacemaker and three other productions that promote tolerance and diversity to students in disadvantaged areas. As part of the partnership, the Foundation also publishes student "playbills" for each production. Preserving the theater experience for the students, the student guides mirror the traditional theatrical playbill and complement the productions, helping to facilitate discussion in the classroom that will go beyond the performance. The "playbills" include a synopsis of the particular play as well as relevant information regarding the theme, including bullying material and tips for dealing with conflicts. This past school year more than 62,000 students across the state enjoyed the George Street performances.

Law-Related Education Conference Slated for December

Performance artist Michael Fowlin slips into the character of Frank Sanders, a frustrated teen who is tired of being labeled, during the performance of his one-man show, You Don't Know Me Until You Know Me, at the Foundation's 10th Annual Law-Related Education Conference. Gripping and fast-paced, the show deals with issues such as race, discrimination, violence prevention, personal identity, suicide and gender equity as Fowlin slips in and out of nine characters, both male and female, of different backgrounds.

Based on the popularity of the Foundation's spring LRE Conference, a second conference is planned for the fall. Slated for December 5, 2001, the conference will be jointly sponsored with the New Jersey Center for Civic and Law-Related Education and will be held at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick.

For more information about Michael Fowlin, visit him online at www.michaelfowlin.com.