January – June 2013 Archives
Tara St. Angelo joined the firm in June as an associate. Ms. St. Angelo's practice areas include municipal law and land use. She graduated from William and Mary School of Law and served as a clerk to the Honorable B. Theodore Bozonelis, the former assignment judge for Morris and Sussex Counties. Ms. St. Angelo previously worked as an associate for a Morris County law firm, where she gained experience in many areas including municipal law and land use.
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On the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog, Diana Fredericks shares information about "What Is Included In Child Support?"
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Diana Fredericks attend the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce's
Young Professionals 3rd Annual Summer Mixer on June 25.
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On the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog, Diana Fredericks shares information about "Step-Parents and Child Support".
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Gebhardt & Kiefer was pleased to award two scholarships in June; one to a Clinton Township Middle School student for dramatic academic improvement during the 2012-2013 school year, and one to a Voorhees High School student in high academic standing.
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Gebhardt & Kiefer was pleased to support the Kalmia Club's 17th Annual "Hidden Gardens of Lambertville Tour" on June 8. The Kalmia Club is a women's non-profit civic organization dedicated to providing opportunities for education, leadership, and community service to its members.
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Diana Fredericks graduated from the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce's "Leadership Hunterdon 2013" program on June 6. The nine-month program prepares participants for leadership roles on committees or Boards of Directors of nonprofit organizations throughout the county. Ms. Fredericks and her classmates were charged with researching critical issues pertaining to economic development in Hunterdon County, and writing a report on their findings to be shared with appropriate organizations. As a result of her work in the program, Ms. Fredericks has been asked to join the Board of the "Women in Business Forum" for the Chamber.
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On the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog, Diana Fredericks shares "Tips on Child Support: Where Parents Have 50/50 Physical Custody".
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William Rudnik has been invited to serve on the New Jersey State Bar Association Family Law Executive Committee for 2013-2014.
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On May 15, John Manfreda will speak about estate planning at The Chelsea At Brookfield Assisted Living facility in Belvidere, Warren County, NJ from 3pm to 5pm, as part of a joint presentation with the Trust Department of First Hope Bank. Mr. Manfreda will speak on general estate planning topics, including issues related to working with a professional fiduciary to enhance the effectiveness of one's estate plan for the benefit of a surviving spouse, children and grandchildren.
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On May 3, William Rudnik lectured on NJ domestic violence laws at a seminar entitled "Domestic Violence Laws and Ethical Considerations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey". The seminar was part of the Northampton County Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education Lunch Lecture Series, and was sponsored by Women Lawyers of the Lehigh Valley.
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Gebhardt & Kiefer was pleased to sponsor the "Women's Leadership Summit 2013", presented by the Women's Business Forum of Hunterdon on April 30. Diana Fredericks and Lori MacWilliam participated in the forum, which featured key women executives and public figures from Hunterdon County.
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"Bill of Rights for Children in Divorce" is the newest post by Diana Fredericks on the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog.
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William Goodwin participated in the 2013 Boston Marathon, finishing 43rd in his age group with a time of 3:08.14. He finished about 1.5 hours before the explosions occurred.
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"Top Eight Things to Know When Contemplating Divorce" is the newest post by Diana Fredericks on the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog.
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John Manfreda will present a free Estate Planning seminar at the Somerville Public Library on Thurs., May 2 from 6-8 pm. The topic is "Legal and Tax Aspects of Estate Planning in 2013". He will discuss recent developments in and changes to the Estate and Gift Tax laws after the 2012 tax reform act, to include: Probate and Trust administration updates, new techniques for addressing financial and estate planning issues affecting 2nd marriage couples ("blended families"), long-term care insurance, Medicaid Planning, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, and Asset Protection Planning. All are welcome to attend.
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Gebhardt & Kiefer was pleased to support the Hunterdon Hills Lions Club with an ad in the program book for the 41st Annual Dinner Dance on April 21.
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As a member of the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce's "Leadership Hunterdon" group, Diana Fredericks attended a Business Program day on April 19. She and other group members met with key Hunterdon County business leaders, including Joe Colalillo, President, ShopRite of Hunterdon County; Steve Kalafer, President, Flemington Car & Truck Country; Robert Wise, President & CEO of Hunterdon Medical Center; Jan Rega, Business Programs Director, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture; Debbie Meola, President, Clinton Business Products; and John Martorana, President, Oxford Communications.
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On April 18, Diana Fredericks attended the Superior Court of New Jersey's program on "Exploring Cultural Competency within Your Community".
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Recent post on the Gebhardt & Kiefer Family Law Blog: Diana Fredericks shares "Ten Questions To Ask During An Initial Consultation" with a family law attorney.
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John Manfreda will present a free Estate Planning seminar at the Clinton Public Library on Thurs., April 4 from 7-9 pm. The topic is "Legal and Tax Aspects of Estate Planning in 2013". He will discuss recent developments in and changes to the Estate and Gift Tax laws after the 2012 tax reform act, to include: Probate and Trust administration updates, new techniques for addressing financial and estate planning issues affecting 2nd marriage couples ("blended families"), long-term care insurance, Medicaid Planning, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills, Revocable Living Trusts, and Asset Protection Planning. All are welcome to attend.
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William Goodwin attended the NJ State Bar Association Family Law Symposium from March 20th-24th.
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On March 19, William Goodwin and Diana Fredericks attended the Vicinage XIII Family Law Inns of Court for a presentation on Professionalism and Civility: Bench and Bar Perspective. Mr. Goodwin served on the panel with other attorneys and judges, discussing the do's and don'ts of professionalism from the bar perspective. Ms. Fredericks was responsible for obtaining speakers and organizing the event.
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Cynthia Richards successfully argued the appeal in the case of Kenneth H. Ader v. Lebanon Twp. This workers' compensation case continues to maintain the statutory requirement that a petitioner must give notice to his or her employer within ninety days of a work related injury. The entire opinion can be found on the Hunterdon County News website at http://www.thehcnews.com/breaking/appellate-court-denies-injuries-to-lebanon-twp-rescue-chief/
Cynthia Richards also met with success in the case of Ms. M. (name withheld to maintain client privacy). Ms. M. was terminated from her job at a national retail establishment two months after she had filed a workers' compensation claim petition for a work-related accident. She was denied unemployment benefits as her employer allegedly terminated her due to her falsifying records. This allegation was successfully overturned on appeal and a decision was rendered by the State of New Jersey Department of Labor Appeals Tribunal determining that the allegations were untrue and allowing Ms. M. to receive unemployment benefits including back benefits. This national retail company also denied her claim in workers' compensation court maintaining her accident had not occurred. After a trial that continued periodically for a year, Ms. Richards was successful in convincing the court that the accident had occurred and was compensable.
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On February 28, William Rudnik presented a seminar on family law and divorce at NORWESCAP in Flemington.
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William Goodwin was recently re-appointed Secretary of the Board of Trustees for Hunterdon Helpline. The Hunterdon Helpline serves the community as an initial assistance call center that receives, responds to, follows up and documents requests for assistance, and also provides information, referrals, advocacy and care management.
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Diana Fredericks is currently serving as a Board member for the Women's Business Forum of Hunterdon, which is part of the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce. The forum's mission is to strengthen women leaders through educational forums and a year-long Conscious Leadership Coaching Program.
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Judith Kopen attended a reception for former Kingwood Township Mayor Elaine Niemann on February 6, 2013 at the National Hotel in Frenchtown NJ. The reception honored Ms. Niemann's long history of public service to the citizens of Kingwood Township.
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Gebhardt & Kiefer was pleased to support the athletes of the North Hunterdon High School Baseball Team with a contribution to the North Baseball Booster Club in February.
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Gebhardt & Kiefer is pleased to announce that Leslie Parikh became a Partner in the firm in February 2013. Ms. Parikh, who joined the firm in 2001, practices in the areas of employment law, civil rights litigation, municipal law, general liability, premises liability, insurance defense, and representation of public entities in both State and Federal Court. She currently serves as the municipal attorney for Peapack-Gladstone and as an associate municipal attorney for numerous towns in Hunterdon and Warren Counties. Ms. Parikh has extensive expertise and knowledge in the handling of cases on behalf of government entities and officials under Title 59, including the various defenses and immunities available under the Act to public entities and school boards. In this regard, she has successfully prevailed on numerous pre-trial motions for summary judgment, as well as on appeal on behalf of school boards, municipalities, and other public entities. In addition, Ms. Parikh has successfully handled a variety of employment-related cases involving claims of hostile work environment, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, whistleblower liability, and retaliation. She has also obtained numerous favorable decisions and dismissals in a variety of civil rights cases. Ms. Parikh graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1999, and received a Bachelor's degree from Rutgers University in 1996. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Stephen F. Smith, Jr., J.S.C., in Morris County, NJ, and was admitted to the bar of the state of New Jersey in 2000.
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Richard Cushing was elected to the Executive Committee of the Institute of Municipal Attorneys, an organization of over 400 local government attorneys in New Jersey. Cushing will serve as secretary for the organization. He was previously awarded the Gordon D. Griffin Award by that organization for recognition of excellence in municipal law, exemplary service to municipalities, and his community service.
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Diana Fredericks is on the planning committee for the Anderson House 20th Anniversary Celebration Benefit, to be held on Feb. 8 at the Stangl Factory in Flemington. Anderson House is a well-respected halfway house program serving women from all New Jersey counties. www.andersonhouse.org
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On January 24, John Manfreda presided over a program entitled "Medicaid Update and Special Needs Trusts" given at the Greater Middlesex/Somerset Estate Planning Council. Mr. Manfreda has been a Member of the Council and a Trustee for more than 20 years and has served as President of the Council for the past 10 years running. The Council is an accredited member of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils and boasts a membership consisting of almost 100 of the most prominent lawyers, accountants, trust officers, life insurance and financial planning professionals in Central New Jersey whose practices are concentrated in the estate planning area. Other estate planning programs presided over by Mr. Manfreda for the Council this year include "NJ Inheritance and Estate Tax Update" and "Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families".
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Diana Fredericks attended the NJ Family Law Symposium on January 26. During this annual event, the state's leading family law experts offer thought-provoking and insightful presentations examining today's cutting-edge issues and "outside the box" problems that attorneys frequently confront in the practice of family law.
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William Rudnik served as a judge for the 2013 Hunterdon County Mock Trial Program on January 19 at the Hunterdon County Courthouse. The Mock Trial Program is an annual competition for aspiring law students from Hunterdon County high schools, with the winner moving on to the regional competition.
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On January 18, Diana Fredericks attended "Legislative Government Day" as part of her participation in the Chamber of Commerce's "Leadership Hunterdon" program. She met with key Hunterdon County government officials, including Freeholder Rob Walton, County Clerk Mary Melfi, County Surrogate Susan Hoffman, Lambertville Mayor David Devecchio, Frenchtown Mayor Warren Cooper, Assemblypersons Jack Ciattarelli, Erik Peterson, and Donna Simon, and Sheriff Fred Brown.
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