On August 5, 2015, nearly 40 county bar association representatives from 19 of New Jersey’s 21 counties met at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe for the Association of County Bar Presidents’ (“ACBP”) first meeting in over 15 years. The organization, which had been dormant since 1999, was reorganized to provide a forum for the county bar associations of New Jersey to share resources, discuss issues concerning the practice of law and to advocate on behalf of their member organizations.
Issues related to the operation of New Jersey’s justice system were the spark that caused several county bar association officers to take up the cause of reconvening the ACBP. The ACBP’s executive committee was selected from the county bar presidents and presidents-elect in attendance. Craig M. Aronow of Rebenack, Aronow & Mascolo, LLP in New Brunswick and president of the Middlesex County Bar Association will serve as ACBP president. Jeralyn Lawrence of Norris McLaughlin & Morris and president of the Somerset County Bar Association will serve as vice president. Kevin Walker of the New Jersey Public Defender’s Office and president of the Burlington County Bar Association is the treasurer, while Diana Manning from Bressler, Amery & Ross and president of the Morris County Bar Association is the organization’s secretary.
The organization intends to tackle issues such as judicial vacancies, protection of the public’s access to justice, the administration of justice while providing the county bar associations of New Jersey with a means of sharing ideas, resources and promoting the education of New Jersey’s attorneys.
“I am excited about this group. The energy at our initial meeting was strong. Every representative in attendance was optimistic about the contribution that the ACBP can make to New Jersey’s legal community. This first year we will choose just a handful of issues to address and focus on getting organized, but with the types of leaders in this group, it won’t be long before we are taking effective action,” said Aronow.
The ACBP’s next meeting will in the late fall or early winter.