Pashman Stein Walder Hayden P.C.'s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practice Profiled in NJBiz
Pashman Stein Walder Hayden’s attorneys Former Superior Court Judge Ronny Jo Siegal, Former State Supreme Court Justice Gary Stein and Managing Partner Michael Stein were interviewed for the NJBiz article “After Hanging Up the Robes, Judges Find Career Options in NJ Law Firms.”
The November 13, 2017 article discusses what NJ justices and judges do when they step down from the court. Martin Daks from NJBiz delves into what some retired jurists are doing now that they are back in private practice and how their time on the bench helps them effectively mediate and advise clients on advocacy and appellate matters.
Where do New Jersey justices and judges go when they step down from the state Supreme Court or other courts? Unlike Judge Judy, most won’t end up starring on their own TV show—instead, they may find a new home at a law firm. But retired jurists—whether they leave at New Jersey’s mandatory retirement age of 70, or depart earlier—face emotional and other changes as they re-enter the private sector. Moving is a big step, as former Superior Court Judge Ronny Jo Siegal reports. She retired from the court in July, and in September joined the Hackensack-based law firm Pashman Stein Walder Hayden.
Thanks to guidelines issued by the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts, limits on their in-state practice of law include a prohibition on appearing at counsel’s table during a court proceeding or serving as counsel of record. Still, retired justices and judges can engage in activities like alternative dispute resolution, and appellate and trial advocacy.
A change of pace
“It took a change in mindset to get used to being back in private practice. I still felt I had more to contribute to my community after I retired from the court,” said Siegal. She met Michael Stein, chair and managing partner of Pashman Stein through a family court matter and found him “to be a gifted attorney who was both conscientious and perceptive,” she said. “After I ‘hung up my robe,’ Mike introduced me to Pashman Stein…and I was extraordinarily impressed with the communal atmosphere. ….I wanted to integrate community service with my legal work and this firm encourages that kind of activity.”
Full story: NJBIZ