On September 12th, 2025, Governor Murphy legalized “natural organic reduction” making New Jersey the 14th state to permit the composting of human bodies as an alternative to traditional burial or cremation. While the Board of Mortuary Science has yet to issue regulations which will govern the process, funeral businesses are…
Background The Third Circuit recently ruled that an employee’s violation of workplace cyber policies does not amount to “unauthorized access” under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA). In NRA Group, LLC v. Durenleau, the company sued two former employees for sharing passwords and accessing systems in violation of…
The recent enactment of H.R. 1, commonly known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” or the “Act,” which has been signed into law, includes a critical provision that permanently and significantly increases the federal estate and gift tax exemption amounts. This will have a profound impact on wealth transfer…
When the founder of a family-owned business passes away, the impact can be both financial and personal. Even successful companies can face significant conflict if there isn’t a clear plan for how ownership and control will transfer to the next generation. This risk is particularly high when some children are…
On June 30, 2025, Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill A5804 (S4666), significantly revising New Jersey’s “mansion tax” with major implications for high-valued real estate transactions. Adopted in 2004, the “mansion tax” imposed a tax equal to 1% of the purchase price of all residential property, and of many types…
On June 20, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court held in Stanley v. City of Sanford that retirees are not “qualified individuals” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and therefore cannot bring employment discrimination claims based on events that occurred after they retire. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch…
On June 5, 2025, the United States Supreme Court in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services unanimously held that plaintiffs from majority demographic groups do not have to satisfy a heightened burden to prove discrimination under Title VII. Although lower courts were split on the issue, the Court’s decision…
On April 3rd, 2025, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development proposed new rules, which are designed to clarify the application of the “ABC test.” The ABC test is a legal standard used to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee for purposes of…
On June 1st, 2025, New Jersey’s Pay Transparency Act (the “Act”) goes into effect, requiring New Jersey employers to identify certain wage or salary information in both internal and external job postings. The Act is another effort in a series of steps taken by the state of New Jersey to…
On April 17th, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in Cunningham v. Cornell University establishing a plaintiff-friendly pleading standard applicable to prohibited transaction claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). The Court’s holding makes it significantly easier for plaintiffs to defeat early-stage motions to…