The C. Willard Heckel Inn of Court was founded in 1990 to further civility and excellence in the practice of law in New Jersey in both the state and federal courts. The Inn’s core focus is on criminal and related civil practice in both the federal and state court systems, although many of its programs involve issues of broader appeal to the bar.
The Inn brings together highly experienced and distinguished justices, judges, trial attorneys, members of the bar, and Rutgers Law School students to enhance their skills and focus on emerging and important issues facing the bar and bench. Inn membership gives you an association with some of the finest practitioners and jurists in your community. Meetings are designed to promote social interaction, professional relationships, and camaraderie in a setting of education and skills development, while earning continuing legal education credits.
Sponsored by Rutgers Law School, the Inn plans to host five meetings for the 2022-2023 Inn year. Multiple factors will be considered before finalizing the format for each meeting, but a remote option will be offered for all. The Inn follows Rutgers University health and well-being protocols, which currently require attendees to show proof of full vaccination or a COVID-19 negative PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to an event. Face coverings are no longer required at events. The Inn’s programs qualify for continuing legal education credit hours. Some may include ethics or diversity credits, in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
The membership form for the 2023-2024 Inn season will be available in August.
| Associate - 3 years or less of legal experience | $100 |
| Associate (Government/Public Sector) | $ 75 |
| Barrister - 4 or more years but less than 15 years of legal experience | $175 |
| Barrister (Government/Public Sector) | $100 |
| Master of the Bench - 15 or more years of legal experience | $250 |
| Master of the Bench (Government/Public Sector) | $135 |
Members of the C. Willard Heckel Inn of Court are enrolled as members of the national American Inns of Court, if enrolled and paid by November 1, 2023.
For more information about the Inn, contact IPE@law.rutgers.edu or 973-353-5928.
- Meeting Schedule
- Leadership
- Past Program Highlights
- Continuing Legal Education (CLE)
- Contact Information
2021-2022 Meetings
Wednesday, October 27, 2021 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Implicit Bias and Jury Selection: The Impact of State v. Andujar
The panelists discussed issues related to the Supreme Court of New Jersey’s recent State v. Andujar opinion and issues of implicit bias and jury selection.
Panelists:
- Karen Thompson | Senior Staff Attorney ACLU-NJ
- Joseph J. Russo | Assistant Public Defender | Appellate Deputy Public Defender | Office of the Public Defender | State of New Jersey
- Raymond M. Brown | Partner | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
- Laura Cohen | Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law | Justice Virginia Long Scholar | Director, Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic | Director, Center on Criminal Justice, Youth, Rights, and Race
- Aidan P. O’Connor (moderator) | Partner | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
Wednesday, December 1, 2021 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Immigration Criminal Crossover: Avoiding Unforeseen Pitfalls
Hear from "crimmigration" experts on the intersection of criminal and immigration law and the potential collateral consequences for non-U.S. citizen criminal defendants. Learn to identify the relevant issues and avoid the many unforeseen pitfalls. This is helpful information to know, whether you are defense counsel, prosecution, or the court.
Speakers:
- Michael Noriega, Esq. | Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold & Mangan, L.L.C.
- Ronald P. Mondello, Esq. | Law Offices of Ronald P. Mondello, Esq.
- Joanne Gottesman | Clinical Professor of Law and Director, Clinical Programs (Camden), Rutgers Law School
- Tim Anderson (moderator) | Tim A nderson Law, LLC
Wednesday, February 9, 2022 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Criminal Sentencing Roundtable: Advocacy, Theory, and Practice in New Jersey Federal and State Courts
This program brought together perspectives from federal and state court judges, prosecutors, and criminal defense attorneys to discuss common issues in sentencing practice and advocacy. The roundtable discussion covered topics such as plea agreement restrictions, pre-sentence investigation reports, sentencing memoranda, and effective approaches to courtroom advocacy.
- Honorable Zahid N. Quraishi, U.S.D.J. | Judge, United States District Court for the District of New Jersey | Trenton, New Jersey
- Honorable Marybel Mercado-Ramirez, J.S.C. | Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey | Passaic County, Criminal Division
- AUSA Ray Mateo | U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Danielle Corcione | Member, Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi PC
- Jason Foy | Partner, Foy & Seplowitz LLC
- David Calviello | Trial Chief, Senior Assistant Prosecutor (Ret.) | Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
- Ryan Magee | Partner | Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP | Moderator
Wednesday, March 16, 2022 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Test Your Ethics: How Well Do You Know the Rules of Professional Conduct?
Heckel Inn of Court masters of the bench and Advisory Commttee members led this engaging, interactive meeting using hypothetical problems and a video.
- John M. Fietkiewicz | Senior Counsel | Arnold & Porter
- Samuel P. Moulthrop | Of Counsel | Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP
- Jeffrey D. Smith | Partner | DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP
- Justice Walter F. Timpone (Ret.) | Senior Counsel | Calcagni & Kanefsy
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
State and Federal Law Enforcement Priorities Under the New Leadership and Trials in the Age of COVID
This program featured two panel discussions. In the first, high-level representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office spoke about priorities, policies, and procedures under the current administrations. In the second, an experienced panel of federal and state prosecutors and defense attorneys offered real-life, practical insights into trying cases (both in-person and virtually) during COVID. Attendees heard about selecting juries, prepping, and calling witnesses, jury addresses, and trying cases over Zoom in both criminal and civil cases over the past two years.
David M. Eskew, Partner, Abell Eskew Landau LLP (moderator)
Panel 1: State and Federal Law Enforcement Priorities
- Vikas Khanna, First Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Jennifer Davenport, First Assistant Attorney General, Division of Criminal Justice, Office of the New Jersey Attorney General
Panel 2: Trials in the Age of COVID
- Desiree Grace, Deputy Chief, Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Kelly Sandler, Assistant Prosecutor, Morris Co. Prosecutor’s Office
- Stephen Turano, Law Offices of Stephen Turano
- Sean Mack, Partner, Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
- Darcy Baboulis-Gyscek, Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
2020-2021 Meetings
October 29, 2020 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Remote and Hybrid Trials and Grand Jury Sessions in the Wake of Covid-19
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Jersey courts at the federal and state levels have instituted novel procedures for fully remote or hybrid trials and grand juries. This program discussed practical aspects of preparing for and effectively conducting remote or hybrid trials and grand jury proceedings. Our experienced panelists have been instrumental in shaping the way these proceedings occur in federal and state courts in New Jersey, and offered their insights from having personally conducted these virtual proceedings.
Panelists:
- Demetra Maurice | Senior Assistant Prosecutor | Chief, Major Crimes Unit | Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
- Timothy P. Malone | Counsel | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
- Mary Toscano | Assistant U.S. Attorney | Deputy Chief, Criminal Division | U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Robert H. Wolff | Partner | Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP
Moderator:
- Aidan P. O’Connor | Partner | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden
December 3, 2020 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
The DNJ's ReNew Reentry Program and the Federal First Step Act:
Helping Incarcerated and Recently Released Inmates Succeed
Key players will provide a deep dive discussion of how the District of New Jersey’s ReNew Reentry Program and federal First Step Act came about, what they entail, and how inmates and recently-released individuals can benefit from these programs. Panelists include United States Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer, who was instrumental in creating and implementing the ReNew Reentry Program in the District of New Jersey, and John Koufos, a nationally-recognized leader in the founding of reentry and second-chance programs, who played a integral role in bringing the First Step Act to fruition.
Panelists:
- The Hon. Michael A. Hammer | United States Magistrate Judge | District of New Jersey
- Mary E. Toscano | Deputy Chief, Criminal Division | U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey
- John Koufos | National Director of Reentry Initiatives at Right on Crime, and Executive Direct of Safe Streets & Second Chances | Washington, DC
Moderators:
- Ryan M. Magee | Associate | Riker Danzig | Morristown, NJ
- Tim Anderson | Tim Anderson Law, LLC | Red Bank, NJ
January 21, 2021 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
The Annual Checkup: Healthcare Issues in 2020 and Where We're Headed in 2021
This program started with an explanation of the basic structure of health care fraud enforcement in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, as well as parallel investigations between them. The panelists will then shared how to navigate criminal and civil penalties, federal and state investigations, lessons learned from major cases of 2020, and where enforcement federal and state enforcement trends are headed in 2021.
- David M. Eskew | Partner | Abell Eskew Landau LLP (moderator)
- Nicholas P. Grippo | Deputy Chief, Criminal Division | U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Lee M. Cortes | Chief, Health Care Fraud Unit | U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Lara J. Fogel | Chief, Government & Healthcare Fraud, New Jersey Division of Law | Office of the New Jersey Attorney General
- Jane H. Yoon | Partner | Paul Hastings
- Kendra E. Pannitti | Partner | Frier Levitt
March 11, 2021 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Ethics of Witness Preparation and Trial Testimony
This program discussed the ethical considerations or preparing a witness and trial testimony. Perspectives from the prosecutors and defense counsel in both criminal and civil arenas, as well as the judicial perspective, were shared.
Panelists:
- Hon. Lisa Miralles Walsh, J.S.C. | Criminal Division, Union County Vicinage
- Kevin P. Barry | Law Offices of Kevin P. Barry, LLC
- William G. Neafsey | Essex County Prosecutor's Office
- Joseph A. Reardon III | Leary, Bride, Mergner & Bongiovanni, P.A.
- Patrick L. Rocco | Fleischman Bonner & Rocco LLP
Moderator:
- Joseph D. Rotella | Certified Criminal Trial Attorney
April 22, 2021 (virtual, synchronous meeting)
Conviction Review, "Cold Cases," and Investigative Genealogy
This program examined criminal conviction review in light of claims of actual innocence. It explored “cold case” re-investigations and discussed solving cold cases and overturning convictions through the use of DNA and investigative genealogy.
Panelists:
- Laura Cohen | Distinguished Clinical Professor of Law | Director, Rutgers Criminal and Youth Justice Clinic | Rutgers Law School
- CeCe Moore | Chief Genetic Genealogist | Parabon NanoLabs, Inc.
- Carolyn A. Murray | Director, Conviction Review Unit | Office of Public Integrity and Accountability | New Jersey Office of the Attorney General
Co-Moderators:
- Sabrina Comizzoli | Senior Appellate Counsel | U.S. Attorney's Office, D.N.J.
- Christopher Schellhorn | Assistant Prosecutor, Major Crimes Unit | Morris County Prosecutor's Office
2019-2020 Meetings
March 4, 2020 | Rutgers Law School | Newark
Perspectives on Effective Jury Selection
This program topic was effective jury selection from the perspectives of the defense and the prosecution. After the speakers' presentations, discussion continued in pupillage groups led by the speakers and Inn masters.
Speakers:
Mary Ciancimino, Deputy Public Defender, Office of the Public Defender, Hudson County Office
David M. Eskew, Partner, Abell Eskew Landau LLP, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Jim Sonageri, Sonageri & Fallon, LLC, and Inn Master of the Bench
January 29, 2020
Current Trends and Best Practices in Federal and State Appellate Courts
This panel discussion was on current trends and best practices in federal and state appellate court, including significant recent or pending cases, and some practical oral argument and brief-writing pointers. The panel included perspectives from prosecutors and defense counsel on federal and state matters.
Speakers:
Louise Arkel, Assistant Federal Public Defender, Federal Public Defender's Office, District of New Jersey
Mark E. Coyne, Chief, Appeals Division, U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey
Kayla Rowe, Deputy Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, New Jersey Coalition of Automotive Retailers, and past Deputy Attorney General, Appellate Burueau, Division of Criminal Justice, New Jersey's Office of the Attorney General
Mark H. Friedman worked for the Appellate Section of Office of the Public Defender of New Jersey for over 40 years.
Tim Anderson, Tim Anderson Law, LLC
Aidan P. O'Connor, Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C
November 20, 2019
Crime Victims' Rights
The panel discussed crime victims’ rights at all stages of the criminal justice process at both the state and federal level, including the privacy rights of victims, victims’ input in and access to prosecutorial decision making, and some of the emotional, psychological, and financial aspects of victimization.
The panelists were Shirley Estreicher, the victim/witness coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, Pamela McCauley, the victim/witness coordinator for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and Richard Pompelio, Esq., a crime victims’ rights advocate and founder of the New Jersey Crime Victims’ Law Center. Heckel Inn members Sabrina Comizzoli and Ryan Magee moderated the discussion.
September 25, 2019
Plea Negotiation: An Art, a Science, or Both?
Heckel Inn masters Aidan O'Connor, Chris Schellhorn, and Jeff Smith introduced the topic of negotiating a plea, whether on behalf of the government, a corporate defendant, or an individual defendant. Afterwards, the particpants broke into small groups to discuss and explore various ethical and practical considerations in effectively advocating for a client’s interests while maintaining credibility and civility with your adversary.
2018-2019 Meetings
October 25, 2018
Cannabis Law in the Garden State: Into the Weeds for Attorneys
This program provided an overview of the current status of medical cannabis in New Jersey. The speakers discussed proposed legislation to expand medical cannabis and adult use cannabis. The robust dialogue among speakers and participants raised many important policy and ethical issues facing lawyers and others in the industry.
Speakers:
Sean Mack | Partner | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
Amol Sinha | Executive Director | American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
Christina Strong | Outside Counsel | Compassionate Care Foundation
November 29, 2018
New Jersey Expungement Reform
As of October 1, 2018, new expungement laws have drastically changed New Jersey’s expungement procedures. This lecture identified those changes to the law and provide practical advice on navigating the expungement process.
Introduced by: Ryan M. Magee | Attorney | Riker Danzig | Barrister of the Heckel Inn
January 17, 2019
The Digital Fourth Amendment: Emerging Issues and Challenges
This panel discussion discussed how the Fourth Amendment can protect privacy rights in the digital age. The speakers addressed recent shifts in Supreme Court doctrine through the lens of four emerging topics: (1) the use of “Stingrays” for cell phone surveillance; (2) digital searches and seizures of electronic devices; (3) account searches and the “third-party doctrine”; and (4) government hacking. The program will provide a short introduction to each issue, teach lawyers to identify them in their cases, and suggest key Fourth Amendment arguments for challenging them in court.
Speakers:
Michael Price | Senior Litigation Counsel | Fourth Amendment Center | National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
Matthew S. Adams | Partner | Fox Rothschild LLP
David Malfitano | Assistant Prosecutor | Bergen County Prosecutor's Office
Aidan P. O'Connor | Partner | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
Counsellor and Master of the Bench | C. Willard Heckel Inn of Court
May 9, 2019
Ethical Issues in Corporate Government Investigations
Using hypothetical fact patterns, this program explored ethical issues that can arise during the course of government investigations and prosecutions of corporations from the vantage point of all attorneys involved in the process - defense counsel, prosecutors, and in-house counsel.
Speakers:
Honorable Patty Shwartz
Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Stacy Ludwig
Director | Professional Responsibility Advisory Office | U.S. Department of Justice
Charles Centinaro
Director | Office of Attorney Ethics | Supreme Court of New Jersey
John Fietkiewicz
Senior Counsel | Arnold & Porter
2017-2018 Meetings
September 14, 2017
ETHICAL ISSUES IN CRIMINAL CASES
The first meeting was a panel discussion of challenging ethical issues that face criminal practitioners. The speakers were the Honorable Walter Timpone, Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court; the Honorable Alberto Rivas, the Assignment Judge for Middlesex County; the Honorable John P. McDonald, J.S.C., Family Division for Somerset County; John M. Fietkiewicz, Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey; and Jeffrey D. Smith, president of the Inn and partner at DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP.
October 26, 2017
PERSUASIVE LEGAL WRITING: TIPS FROM SPECIALISTS
Tim Anderson, Vice President of the Inn, moderated a program called, “Persuasive Legal Writing: Tips from Specialists.” The panel included Sabrina Comizzoli, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney, USAO, District of New Jersey; Karina Fuentes, Research & Writing Attorney, FPD’s Office, District of New Jersey; and Jeffrey Mandel, The Law Offices of Jeffrey S. Mandel LLC, author of the Gann publication New Jersey Appellate Practice, who taught an intensive appellate legal writing class at Rutgers Law for 16 years. The panelists provided ways to improve the effectiveness of your legal writing -- everything from briefs, memos, and motions, to legal letters and even emails.
November 30, 2017
YOGI BERRA EXPLAINS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM: “IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING, YOU’LL END UP SOMEPLACE ELSE."
New York Yankees’ great Yogi Berra is perhaps best remembered for his famous expressions. . . many of which made seemingly no sense. This program examined what we learned during the first year of New Jersey’s Criminal Justice Reforms through the use of such expressions, because as Yogi himself once said: “You can observe a lot by just watching.”
Chris Schellhorn, a barrister of the Heckel Inn and assistant prosecutor for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, organized the program; the Honorable Regina Caulfield, a judge in the criminal division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, shared her judicial persepective; and Brian J. Neary, a criminal defense attorney and adjunct professor at Rutgers Law School, offered his perspective.
January 31, 2018
SELECT ISSUES IN DIGITAL EVIDENCE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND DISCOVERY
Heckel Inn Master of the Bench, Aidan O'Connor from Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C., moderated a panel that included Mary Toscano, Chief of the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey, Eric Breslin from Duane Morris LLP, Michael McGowan from Stroz Friedberg, Barbara Rudd, a private investigator, and Melissa Derr from Critical Defence.
April 18, 2018
BAIL REFORM UPDATE
The Honorable Martin G. Cronin, a judge for the Essex County criminal division of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chris Schellhorn, an assistant prosecutor for the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, and a barrister of the Heckel Inn, Judith B. Fallon, the deputy public defender for Passaic County, and president of the ACDL-NJ, and Ryan Magee, an associate of Riker Danzig and the Heckel Inn, and former assistant prosecutor, discussed detention hearings in light of New Jersey's bail reform overhaul, followed by small group mock detention hearings led by the speakers and Inn masters Tim Anderson, Bill Neafsey, Zahid Quraishi, Sam Moulthrop, and Jeff Smith. This was a practical approach to preparing for detention motions, arguments to make (and not make) at the motion, and potential benefits of detention (i.e. speedy trial).
May 22, 2018
TECHNIQUES FOR EFFECTIVE CLOSING ARGUMENTS
Andrew L. Rossner, a master of the Heckel Inn and associate dean for professional and skills education at Rutgers Law School, share best practices and techniques for effective and persuasive closing arguments.
Application of Evidentiary Principles to Electronic and Other Tangible Evidence (May 22, 2017)
This program provided an overview of the Federal Rules of Evidence as they apply to the admission of business records and electronic evidence like social media. The speakers were Heckel Inn Masters of the Bench John M. Fietkiewicz, Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, and Jim Sonageri, of Sonageri & Fallon.
Following the overview, we the pupillage groups practiced and discussed the practical application of the evidentiary principles. The speakers along with Tim Anderson, Samuel P. Moulthrop, Aidan P. O'Connor, James A. Plaisted and Zahid N. Quraishi guided the pupillage groups.
Participants' Feedback:
- This was fantastic. I would love to do the full 3 hour course.
- Good lecture. Enjoyed the clinic. Love the written material.
Understanding and Navigating the Federal Sentencing Minefield (March 23, 2017)
The program provided an overview of the background and basic structure and rules of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and address the application of the Guidelines to situations common to federal practitioners. A number of applications of the Guidelines wukk be addressed in connection with financial and tax crimes and drug offenses, among others, through case studies and practice tips.
Speakers:
- Tim Anderson | Law Offices of Timothy R. Anderson, LLC | Master of the Inn
- Jacob T. Elberg | Assistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Health Care and Government Fraud Unit | U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey
- Aidan P. O’Connor | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden | Master of the Inn
- Jeffrey D. Smith | DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole, LLP | Master of the Inn
Participants' Feedback:
- Panel was excellent!
- Very qualified panel; excellent presentation.
Criminal Justice Bail Reform: It's NOW (January 26, 2017)
New Jersey’s comprehensive criminal justice reform is now in effect. This program addressed questions such as: How is bail reform actually working? How long will clients be held before you can engineer a bail hearing? What can you to do expedite it? How do you escape detention for your client and achieve release?
Speakers:
- Honorable Regina Caulfield | Judge | Superior Court of New Jersey, Criminal Division
- Brian J. Neary | The Law Offices of Brian J. Neary, New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorneys
- Christopher F. Schellhorn | Assistant Prosecutor, Major Crimes Unit/Arson-Environmental Unit | Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
Participants' Feedback:
- Great presentation especially considering that the new bail system is just being implemented.
- Confusing subject matter made simple!
- The topic, speaker and materials provided surpassed my expectations.
- Glad to have speakers who ask questions to audience in between rather than after. Good to have both prosecutor view and defense view. Very knowledgeable speakers. Left with very clear understanding on a topic I had little to no information about prior to this CLE.
Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Practice (December 1, 2016)
This fast paced ethics program focused on real ethical issues that confront criminal law practitioners through the use of hypothetical fact patterns based upon recent ethics cases.
Speaker:
- Andrew L. Rossner | Master of the Bench of the Inn | Associate Dean for Professional and Skills Education | Practice Professor of Law | Director, Rutgers Institute for Professional Education | Rutgers Law School
Participants' Feedback:
- Interesting and engaging discussion that kept the audience involved. Good use of hypotheticals.
- Best ethics CLE I’ve be to! Very interesting and informative.
- Always great!
- Excellent, stimulating discussion.
The Art and Science of Jury Selection (October 27, 2016)
This program discussed using social science analytical tools to evaluate potential jurors and using voir dire and juror profiling during selection. Howard Schlesinger, an experienced jury consultant, gave a presentation with perspectives offered by a prosecutor and defense attorneys. We thank our speakers:
- Paul B. Brickfield, a criminal defense attorney and principal of Brickfield & Donahue in River Edge, New Jersey
- Christopher Schellhorn, Jr. is a Barrister of the Inn, and assistant prosecutor with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office
- Howard G. Schlesinger is a trial and jury consultant and principal of Schlesinger Trial & Jury Consulting, LLC , as well as an attorney and principla of Schlesinger Associates
- James L. Sonageri is a Master of the Bench of the Inn, and principal of Sonageri & Fallon, LLC in Hackensack, New Jersey
Participants' Feedback:
- The inclusion of sample materials and NJ statutes/rules in the program materials is very useful.
- Always great.
The Art of the Appeal: What to Do and What to Avoid (September 28, 2016)
The esteemed panel of sitting and retired judges and justices addressed practice before the Appellate Division and Third Circuit. Attendees had the benefit of hearing the judicial perspective on what to do and what to avoid when handling appeals.
We thank our speakers:
- The Honorable Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr. | Judge | U.S. Court of Appeals | Third Circuit
- The Honorable Anne W. Patterson | Associate Justice | Supreme Court of New Jersey
- The Honorable Gary S. Stein | Special Counsel | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
- Retired Associate Justice | Supreme Court of New Jersey
- The Honorable James R. Zazzali | Of Counsel | Gibbons P.C. | Retired Chief Justice | Supreme Court of New Jersey | Retired Attorney General | State of New Jersey
- The Honorable Marianne Espinosa | Judge | Appellate Division | Superior Court of New Jersey
- James A. Plaisted (moderator) | Member | Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.
Partcipants' Feedback:
- This was an outstanding presentation – full of exceptional materials and great speakers.
- Excellent panel.
- Excellent program! Really fantastic panel! Thank you!
- I especially enjoyed the “behind the scenes” insights of the panel.
- Always great!
- Very useful and informative.
- Great panel of distinguished judges!
Corporate Internal Investigations: Nuts, Bolts and Special Problems, including the Attorney-Client Privilege
Hon. Paul J. Fishman, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey, Russell C. Deyo, retired Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel of Johnson & Johnson; Carlos F. Ortiz, Partner, LeClair Ryan; Jacqueline C. Wolff, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP; James A. Plaisted (moderator), Partner, Walder, Hayden & Brogan, P.A.
Joint Defense Issues: Privileges, Agreements, and Practical & Ethical Problems
Hon. Roberto A. Rivera-Soto, Partner at Ballard Spahr, L.L.P., former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice; Hon. Paul J. Fishman, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey; Justin P. Walder, Partner, Walder, Hayden & Brogan, P.A.; Samuel P. Moulthrop, Partner, Riker Danzig Scherer Hyland & Perretti LLP; James A. Plaisted (moderator), Partner, Walder, Hayden & Brogan, P.A.
Handling Parallel Criminal & Civil Investigations: Navigating the Waters in the Wake of Citigroup
John Farmer, Jr., Dean and Professor of Law, Rutgers School of Law-Newark; Michael Martinez, Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey; Jeffrey D. Smith, Partner, DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole, LLP; John Michael Vazquez, Partner, Critchley, Kinum & Vazquez, LLC
Practical Considerations in Sentencing Advocacy
Stacy Biancamano, Arleo, Donahue & Biancamano; Honorable Stanley R. Chesler, Judge, United States District Court; Honorable Martin G. Cronin, Judge, Superior Court of New Jersey; Rachael Honig, Esq., Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey; Samuel P. Moulthrop, Partner, Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP; Howard Zuckerman, Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor, Essex County Prosecutor's Office
Handling the Media in Cases with Notoriety: A Lawyer's Guide
Hon. Glenn J. Berman, Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis LLP; Joseph A. Hayden Jr., Walder Hayden P.A.; Kevin R. Gardner, Connell Foley LLP; Charles J. Sciarra, Sciarra & Catrambone, LLC; Mark Di Ionno, Columnist, The Star-Ledger
E-Discovery Issues in Federal Criminal Practice
Hon. Patty Shwartz, Circuit Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals; Hon. Jose L. Linares, District Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; John M. Fietkiewicz, Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey; Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, former federal public defender and criminal defense attorney; Samuel P. Moulthrop, Partner, Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP
An Evening with My Cousin Vinny: Trial Techniques from a Master!
Hon. Paul J. Fishman, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey
Policing Corruption Investigations and Prosecutions: Does the Remedy Fit the Harm
Michael Critchley, Sr., founder of Critchley, Kinum & Vazquez, LLC; John Farmer, Jr., Dean and Professor of Law, Rutgers School of Law-Newark; Joseph Hayden, Founding Partner of Walder, Hayden & Brogan, P.A.; Ralph Marra, Senior Vice President of the N.J. Sports and Exposition Authority; Josh Margolin, investigative reporter, New York Post; Ted Sherman, investigative reporter, The Star-Ledger
*Speakers' information at the time of the program.
C. Willard Heckel
About C. Willard Heckel
C. Willard Heckel joined the faculty of Rutgers Law School in 1946. He was its dean from 1963 to 1970, and served as acting dean in 1973 and 1974. Dean Heckel taught, among other things, Constitutional Law and had a keen interest in mentoring students and improving the legal system.
During the 1960's. Heckel served as president of the United Community Corporation, the umbrella organization that funneled federal funds into the Johnson anti-poverty campaign. This corporation played a key role during the period before, during and after the riots, helping to empower the people of Newark to take over the city government from a corrupt regime. In addition, Heckel initiated the process of forming the Newark Legal Services Project, the pioneer legal services project in New Jersey.
Heckel, who was born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, earned a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College, a master's degree from Columbia University, and a law degree from Rutgers.