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Coalition of Licensed Professionals grows in support of professional liability bill

In recent years, DSTs have grown in popularity as replacement properties for real estate owners seeking to reinvest sale proceeds into net-leased properties producing a steady stream of income.

The Coalition of Licensed Professionals has added two major organizations to its list of supporters for A1982 (Prieto), the professional liability bill. The Insurance Council of New Jersey (ICNJ) and New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) have added their support to the growing list of supporters to fix the statute of limitations for malpractice claims against licensed professionals to two years, similar to medical professionals.

"We welcome these two important organizations to the growing number of people who want fairness for professionals and protection for consumers," said NJSBA President Robert B. Hille. "This legislation ensures a healthy insurance market is available to protect business small and large and to provide consumers with the protections they deserve when engaging with licensed professionals."

ICNJ and NJBIA join the growing list of licensed professionals and stakeholders such as certified public accountants, architects, engineers, dentists, and a host of others in support of the bill. In addition, every county bar association is also in support of the bill, which would bring the statute of limitations of malpractice claims in line with neighboring states and eliminate fee shifting in malpractice cases against attorneys. Attorneys are the only profession in which fee shifting is applied.

For more information on A1982 and the Coalition of Licensed Professionals, go to www.njsba.com. The public can also convey support by using the "Email your legislator today" tool on the NJSBA website.

Legislators honored for Veterans Diversion Program at Military Law Symposium

The Military Law and Veterans Affairs Section kicked off its annual Military Law Symposium last week with a special thank you to Senator Jeff Van Drew and Assemblyman Rob Andrzejczak for their sponsorship of the Statewide Veterans Diversion Program. The two were prime sponsors of the bill signed into law in May that diverts servicepeople from the courthouse and connect them with services to address their specific needs.

"In the service of our country, veterans witnessed and experienced traumatic situations," said NJSBA President Robert B. Hille. "We should not be treating their conditioned response, which is the product of their service, criminally. Instead, we should connect them with the critical services which will assist them to readjust positively and enable them to live the productive and happy lives they earned."

Van Drew is vice chair of the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Andrzejczak served in the Iraq War as a sergeant until his discharge following an injury which led to the amputation of his leg from a grenade explosion in 2009. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for his heroic actions.

The NJSBA supported the concept of the bill and worked hard for amendments to expand the definition of servicepeople, expand the types of eligible crimes, and provide uniformity in the application of the program. The bill passed into law contained some of the amendments and the NJSBA continues to work with stakeholders to ensure the program reaches out to as many servicepeople as possible.

This is a status report provided by the New Jersey State Bar Association on recently passed and pending legislation, regulations, gubernatorial nominations and/or appointments of interest to lawyers, as well as the involvement of the NJSBA as amicus in appellate court matters. To learn more, visit njsba.com.