Mainland Regional High School of Atlantic County defeated Lawrence High School of Mercer County to capture the state title in the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's 2002-2003 Vincent J. Apruzzese High School Mock Trial Competition.

Student-attorneys Jillian Curtis and Rachel Branciforti, who were able to cite rule numbers directly from the 2002-2003 Mock Trial Workbook with lightening speed and stunning accuracy, claim the team has read the workbook "everyday for the past six months."

When asked what they gain from their participation in the Mock Trial Competition, Curtis and Branciforti cited confidence and the ability to better handle stress. Curtis, who may be planning a career in the law, said her confidence level has risen steadily in her four years with the team.

That is no surprise to teacher-coach Christopher Fernandez who has seen the entire team's confidence grow as they became more familiar with the case and "realized how good they really are," he said.

Fernandez modestly gave all the credit for the team's success to attorney-coach Lawrence A. Mintz, a partner in the Atlantic City law firm of Goldenberg, Mackler, Sayegh, Mintz, Pfeffer, Bonchi & Gil, who has been with the team for the past nine years.

"Without him, we definitely would not have gotten this far," said Fernandez.

The Hon. Bradley J. Ferencz, a Superior Court judge in Middlesex County, along with the Hon. Louis F. Locascio, a Superior Court judge in Monmouth County, presided over the statewide championship round of the Mock Trial Competition. Judge Ferencz told both teams, "Any one of you is as good as 90 percent of the attorneys that I see before me everyday."

Judge Locascio congratulated all of the participants in the competition and made a point of complementing the performances of the witnesses on both sides.

Mintz couldn't agree more.

"The way the competition is scored," Mintz said, "the performances of the witnesses are as important as that of the attorneys."

In fact, Mintz was able to work extra hard with one team member, his son Eric, on his performance as T.K. Cornwall, the defendant in the case. Eric Mintz played a 77-year-old farmer with a perfect country accent. From the time he limped onto the witness stand until the time he returned to his seat behind the defense table, the audience could almost believe the teenager was the character he portrayed.

More than just being able to embody the character, however, these team members must be able to think on their feet and be ready for anything when they are cross-examined by the opposition. As the attorney-coach, Mintz requires every student-witness to "learn and dissect each line of their witness statement" from every angle in order to prepare for any question that an opponent could throw at them.

Other members of the Mainland Regional team include Caitlyn Becker, Andrew Claus, Mia Di Pasquale, Philip Lang, Jenna Miller and Mike Salad. Kim Bloomer, an attorney with the law firm of Youngblood, Corcoran, Aleli in Pleasantville, served as Atlantic County mock trial coordinator.

A record 246 teams across the state entered this year's competition. All of New Jersey's 21 county bar associations cosponsor the high school competition. The competition began in 1982 and since then has taught nearly 58,000 students the fundamentals of our court system while helping them develop critical thinking and public speaking skills.

As of December 1, 2001, more than 15.3 percent of the total New Jersey public school population was classified as requiring special education services, According to the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ). Although a few nonprofit organizations in New Jersey provide advocacy assistance, these groups are only able to serve a fraction of the families needing assistance.

With an overwhelming need for legal assistance, ACNJ, along with the Education Law Center (ELC), Legal Services Foundation of Essex County's Volunteer Lawyers for Justice Program (VLJ), the Essex County Bar Association Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, Inc., the New Jersey State Bar Association Children's Rights Committee and the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, cosponsored the Children's Special Education Advocacy Project, a training developed to enable volunteer attorneys to assist families that have children with special education needs, ensuring that their children can receive appropriate services. The volunteer attorneys that attended the advocacy training are required to take one special education case, providing pro bono legal assistance to qualified parents and caretakers. More than 100 attorneys attended the free, full-day advocacy training, which was held at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick.

Presenters for the training included attorneys Elizabeth Athos, David R. Giles and Ruth Lowenkron, from the Education Law Center; Esther Canty-Barnes and Jennifer Rosen Valverde, from the Special Education Law Clinic at Rutgers Law School-Newark; Sheri-Rose Rubin, an attorney with New Jersey Protection and Advocacy, Inc.; and Rebecca Spar, an attorney with the law firm of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard.

One attorney who attended the advocacy training, Catherine T. Calabria, commented that the event offered a "unique opportunity to learn about this area of law all in one day at no expense." Calabria's introduction to special education came when her son was diagnosed with a developmental delay when he was a little over two years old.

"My journey through the special education system was not always a smooth one," said Calabria. "I am interested in learning more about advocating for families in similar situations," she said.

Luretha Stribling, a recent graduate of Rutgers Law School-Newark, also attended the training. A former nurse, she intends to work in the medical malpractice field and advocate for children's rights as well as children's health issues. Stribling believes that meeting a child's special education needs is "directly connected to advocating for children's rights."

The advocacy training was videotaped and edited copies will be available over the summer.

ACNJ, ELC and NJP&A regularly receive calls from parents and caretakers that need assistance. VLJ will determine the eligibility of the families seeking assistance and coordinate attorney assignments.

Experienced attorneys will be available to help the volunteer attorneys as mentors. VLJ provides malpractice insurance coverage, and an exemption from mandatory Madden pro bono assignments for project participants who complete 25 hours of service.

Attorneys interested in joining the project should contact ACNJ staff attorney Mary Coogan at 973-643-3876 or by email at mcoogan@acnj.org.

In addition to the advocacy training for attorneys, another training was held to assist committed educators who struggle with special education law and regulations as they attempt to meet their legal obligations to children with disabilities in their schools and classes. Sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Association Children's Rights Committee, the ACNJ and the NJSBF, The Impact of Special Education on ALL Educators provided an overview of special education to regular education teachers, school nurses and administrators.

Nearly 150 attendees turned out for the program, that included topics on identification and referral of children for evaluation, the evaluation process, development and implementation of an individualized education plan, Section 504, program and placement issues, discipline of special education students, and the rights of parents in these respective areas.

For more information on the topic of special education, visit the Foundation's Web site or call 1-800 FREE LAW to obtain a copy of The Right to Special Education in New Jersey: A Guide for Advocates, a booklet outlining the complicated issues surrounding special education law, developed and written by attorneys from the Education Law Center.

With New Jersey's new anti-bullying law firmly in place, the issue of bullying has been brought to the forefront. To spur dialogue on this important issue the New Jersey State Bar Foundation will bring together leading authorities on the subject of bullying from around the country and abroad for a free, full-day conference to be held in the Fall. The Bar Foundation in conjunction with the New Jersey Center for Character Education at Rutgers University will present the free conference titled, "Preventing Bullying in School" on Friday, October 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Considered the "father of bullying," Dr. Dan Olweus, whose anti-bullying model is renowned worldwide, will deliver the conference's keynote address. Dr. Olweus, a professor of psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway, was the first to introduce the concept of bullying into psychological circles and has influenced all future research on the subject. Credited with conducting the first systemic study of bullying, he has been involved in researching the topic for almost 30 years and has documented the positive effects of his bullying prevention model. All attendees will receive Dr. Olweus' book, Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do.

Attendees will also have a chance to interact with the prestigious experts assembled for the conference and ask questions related to their specific expertise. Dr. Susan Limber, a professor and the director of the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University, will discuss U.S. experiences with whole-school implementation of Dr. Olweus' anti-bullying model. Dr. Limber is the first American scholar to work with Dr. Olweus to implement his bullying intervention model in the United States and is a co-author of Blueprints for Violence Prevention.

Nancy Mullin-Rindler, director of the Project on Teasing and Bullying at Wellesley College, will examine teacher-driven bullying initiatives, including classroom-based curricular approaches and teacher-parent relations. Mullin-Rindler conducts bullying training sessions and workshops for schools across the country and is a noted author on the subject of teasing and bullying.

Stan Davis, director of the Stop Bullying Now program in Maine, will explore counseling kids who bully as well as kids who are bullied. Davis has been a social worker and guidance counselor for more than 30 years. He is also the author of Teaching Kids to Care. As a social worker in an elementary school for the past 17 years and the author of two books on teasing and bullying, Judy Freedman has been instrumental in developing and implementing anti-bullying programs in schools. She will discuss the differences between teasing and bullying and the issues that arise with younger children.

Dr. Maurice Elias, a professor of psychology at Rutgers University and noted authority on social and emotional intelligence and parenting, will also be on hand to discuss how social and emotional learning can prevent bullying. He is the co-developer of the Social Decision-Making/Social Solving Project and the co-founder of the Consortium on the School-Based Promotion of Social Competence, a research consortium comprised of nationally well-known scientists. Dr. Elias also serves as advisor to the Rutgers-based Consortium on Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace.

Participating New Jersey teachers will receive professional development credit for attending the conference.

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation's prestigious Medal of Honor awards for 2003 were presented to New Jersey Supreme Court Justice James H. Coleman Jr. and attorney Saul A. Wolfe for their long-standing dedication to improving the administration of justice in New Jersey. 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 Reception in June.

"The Foundation's Medal of Honor Award is given to those who represent the highest standards of professionalism and dedication," said NJSBF Immediate Past President Daniel M. Hurley. "In Justice Coleman and Saul Wolfe, we have two recipients who embody those principles and have demonstrated a profound commitment to the organized bar and society."

Both recipients were excited upon hearing the news of receiving the Bar Foundation's highest honor.

"I am honored and delighted to be a recipient of the Bar Foundation Medal of Honor Award. It represents 39 years of judicial service to the citizens of our wonderful state," said Justice Coleman. "I am proud to dedicate it to the brave men and women who 'gave the last full measure of devotion' fighting terrorism at home and abroad," he said.

Saul Wolfe, a former New Jersey State Bar Association and Foundation president, was reflective about the honor.

"The New Jersey State Bar Foundation and Bar Association have been a major focus of my professional life, with more than 40 years of active participation in efforts to make our legal system more responsive to the needs of the public and its agents, to insure an independent and qualified judiciary, to improve public understanding and appreciation of our legal system in all of its facets and to increase diversity in the leadership of the Bar," said Wolfe. "I have been privileged to be a small part of these achievements, and I am deeply moved and honored to receive this recognition from my colleagues in the profession."

Brought minority concerns to the forefront

Justice Coleman began his impressive career with the New Jersey courts in 1964 when he was appointed a judge of the New Jersey Workers' Compensation Court. In 1973, he was appointed a Superior Court judge and served in that capacity until 1981 when then New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert N. Wilentz elevated him to the Appellate Division.

Nominated by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Justice Coleman began his tenure on New Jersey's highest court on December 17, 1994 and retired from the Court in May of this year. During his tenure on New Jersey's Court, Justice Coleman has made key rulings in such legal areas as products liability, landlord-tenant issues, criminal law, domestic violence, banking and workers' compensation.

"As the first African-American to sit on our highest court, Justice Coleman brought a perspective and insight that helped contribute to well-reasoned, insightful opinions reflective of the perils and injustices suffered by underrepresented communities," said Margaret Leggett Tarver, president of the Association of Black Women Lawyers of New Jersey. "His contributions have set an important precedent for others to follow and his presence on the bench will be sorely missed," she said.

In a speech this year commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Minority Concerns Committee, New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Deborah T. Poritz praised Justice Coleman, as well as Judge Theodore Z. Davis, for their work that led to the formation of the committee. The Minority Concerns Committee, launched in 1994, conducted an investigation on how minorities were treated by the court system. In what came to be known as the "Coleman Report," the committee made recommendations for resolving those problems.

"We pay special tribute to the two men who were so active in the early years of the minority concerns effort, the two men who have served willingly as sources of wisdom and strength through the last two decades," Chief Justice Poritz said in her speech. "We will achieve equality because of men like Justice Coleman and Judge Davis," she said.

Today, Justice Coleman's work is still far-reaching on the subject of minorities in the judicial system. Chief Justice Poritz announced in that speech that a detailed assessment of all 2002 juvenile cases would take place. The study will examine how juveniles of different races are treated by law enforcement, prosecutors, the courts and in sentencing, an issue raised by Justice Coleman in his original report.

Receiving his undergraduate degree cum laude from Virginia State University, Justice Coleman received his law degree from Howard University School of Law, completing additional study at George Washington University School of Law. He also holds honorary doctor of law degrees from Virginia State University, Widener University and Essex County College.

Leadership brought about change

Establishing the law firm of Skoloff & Wolfe in Livingston in 1961, Saul Wolfe began a long, distinguished career of service and dedication to the organized bar.

Of his law partner, Gary N. Skoloff said, "Saul believes that public confidence in the bench and bar require not only the perception, but the reality of meaningful participation by all. He has been an important participant in significant changes in our justice system."

Wolfe has given more than 40 years of commitment to the American Bar Association, participating in various sections and committees and serving as a delegate since 1989. Currently, he is a member of the ABAís executive committee.

Within the New Jersey bar, Wolfeís contributions are immeasurable. In the 1960s, as the Young Lawyer member of the NJSBA's Board of Trustees, he led the effort to change the Association's bylaws to allow the membership more say in the election of the organization's Nominating Committee. During his NJSBA presidency in 1988, Wolfe changed the look of the bar's leadership by appointing minorities and women to key leadership positions in record numbers. In addition, two at-large trustee seats for minorities were added to the NJSBA's Board of Trustees during Wolfe's presidency, ensuring minority participation for years to come. He was also instrumental in obtaining New Jersey Supreme Court approval for the Lawyers Assistance Program, an organization that helps attorneys with drug, alcohol or gambling problems to get the help they need.

Committed to fostering confidence in the Bar, Wolfe chaired the NJSBA's Committee on Discipline and the Supreme Courtís Ethics Financial Committee, where he supported the role of volunteers in the disciplinary process. He worked with the creators of the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education to put in place a system of ongoing skills training, replacing the clerkship system that had been in place. A champion of legal specialization, Wolfe chaired the NJSBA's Committee on Specialization and served as a member of the ABA's Committee on Specialization, chairing its National Conference on Specialization in the Legal Profession. As a result of that conference, certification programs were adopted in numerous jurisdictions.

"Few, if any, lawyers have a more distinguished record of service to the legal profession in New Jersey than Saul Wolfe," said Thomas R. Curtin, a former NJSBA president and partner in the Morristown law firm of Graham, Curtin & Sheridan. "Saul has been in the trenches when the practicing lawyers of New Jersey needed him. He has the respect of those with whom he has worked, whether or not they were on the same side of the issue," Curtin said.

Wolfe received his undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and his law degree from Harvard Law School.

The New Jersey State Bar Foundation publishes a variety of booklets that advise specific members of New Jersey's population of their rights and responsibilities under the law. Its latest offering, Residential Construction and Renovation—A Legal Guide for New Jersey Homeowners, helps New Jersey homeowners navigate the laws surrounding home repair contracts and renovations.

Members of the New Jersey State Bar Association's Construction and Public Contract Law Section wrote the free 28-page manual, which is presented in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format. Residential Construction and Renovation addresses such issues as home inspection licensing, home improvement contracts and residential construction liens. In addition, the booklet outlines the New Home Warranty and Builder's Registration Act, as well as the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The booklet also explains Home Improvement Practice Regulations, and a consumer's rights under the Home Repair Financing Act and the Door-to-Door Home Repair Sales Act.

In addition to Residential Construction and Renovation, the Foundation offers a host of other valuable, free publications geared to New Jersey citizens, students and educators. Those publications include:

Consumer's Guide to New Jersey Law

One of the most popular Foundation publications is Consumer's Guide to New Jersey Law, which contains information on more than 24 different legal topics including buying and selling a home; divorce; domestic violence; child abuse; wills/living wills; the Lemon Law; municipal court rights; small claims court; employment discrimination and much more. Consumer's Guide to New Jersey Law was updated in 2000 and is currently offered in both English and Spanish as well as on audiocassette for the visually impaired.

AIDS and the Law in New Jersey

Volunteer attorneys and AIDS social service workers teamed up to create an informational legal resource booklet for individuals with AIDS or HIV, their families, caregivers and professionals who work in the field. Titled, AIDS and the Law in New Jersey: A Practical Guide, the Foundation cosponsored the booklet with the Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, one of the state's leading AIDS service providers. The booklet identifies legal problems common to persons with AIDS and HIV and covers a variety of topics including laws about confidentiality and discrimination and family concerns. The booklet also offers practical information on financial issues such as government assistance, tax reductions and creditor/debtor obligations. Immigration, insurance benefits, landlord/tenant relationships, legal documents, mental health facilities, military service and schools are all discussed in separate sections. The booklet concludes with a helpful listing of references.

Disability Law: A Legal Primer

Helping individuals with disabilities and their advocates understand their legal rights is the objective of Disability Law: A Legal Primer, now in its fourth edition. Developed and written by the Essex County Bar Association's Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the booklet gives an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It explains what a guardian is and when one is needed, and contains special sections on such topics as Medicare, social security, workers' compensation, special education, estate planning, housing and vocational rehabilitation. A section on the workplace discusses discrimination and defines what is considered a handicap under the law. In addition, a new section added to the fourth edition of the primer examines Medicaid.

Legal Consequences of Substance Abuse

The penalties for drug offenses and driving while intoxicated are outlined in the pamphlet, Legal Consequence of Substance Abuse, including information regarding minors. The pamphlet also contains phone numbers for local chapters in every county in the state for the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, as well as other substance abuse agencies that provide outreach for people with drug and alcohol problems.

Bill of Rights Bulletin

Teachers looking for a way to make learning about the Bill of Rights more fun can utilize the Foundation's Bill of Rights Bulletin. This colorful, award-winning 16-page newsletter is packed with articles covering the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including their relevance in today's world.

You Have the Right!

Keeping young people informed of their rights and places where they can go for help is the goal of You Have the Right!, Your Rights as a Young Person in New Jersey, a publication published by the Bar Foundation and developed and written by the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ).

The 60-page booklet is geared to middle and high school students and their parents. The booklet covers such areas as a young person's right to make decisions, their rights in the family, in school, in out-of-home placements, and in the court system. In addition, the booklet touches on other topics such as special education, adoption and juvenile delinquency. You Have the Right! also offers readers a section titled "Where to Go for Help" that lists many agencies and organizations that specialize in dealing with issues affecting young adults.

All of the free publications above may be ordered in single copies or bulk quantities for agencies and organizations. Orders may be placed directly through the Foundation's Web site at www.njsbf.org or by calling 1-800-FREE LAW.

Updated editions of the Foundation's popular Law Points for Senior Citizens, Students' Rights Handbook and Domestic Violence: The Law and You are expected for distribution in the fall. Law Points explores topics of interest to senior citizens, including Social Security, age discrimination, wills and grandparents' rights. The Students' Rights Handbook is geared to middle and high school students and explains such issues as freedom of speech and expression in school, search and seizure laws pertaining to school lockers and school discipline. The domestic violence booklet will outline the legal rights of domestic violence victims under the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act. Included in the booklet will be information on how to obtain a restraining order, where to file a complaint and valuable resource numbers for domestic violence hotlines as well as shelters in all 21 New Jersey counties.

All events and seminars listed below will be held at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. Only registered participants will be notified if an event is cancelled. For more information visit our Web site at www.njsbf.org or call 1-800 FREE LAW.

Substance Abuse, Schools and the Law
September 30
5:30 to 8:0 p.m.

Mini-Court Teachers' Workshop for Grades K-2
October 8
9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Law Fair/Law Adventure Teachers' Workshop for Grades 3-8
October 15
9:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

High School Mock Trial Competition Workshop
October 23
9:30 a.m. to 1:10 p.m.

Law-Related Education Symposium
December 9
8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation's programs and publications are made
possible by funding from the IOLTA Fund of the Bar of New Jersey.

New Jersey State Bar Foundation
New Jersey Law Center
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(732) 828-0034 Fax

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