Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs prevails in PERC Decision on Behalf of East Brunswick Board of Education Granting Scope of Negotiations Petition Seeking Restraint of Binding Arbitration Filed by Teachers’ Union
Mar 2, 2026 l Client Alert
On February 26, 2026, the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (“PERC”) granted the East Brunswick Board of Education’s (“Board”) scope of negotiations petition restraining the binding arbitration of a grievance filed by the East Brunswick Education Association (“Association”)…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs prevails in a challenge by a parent in the US Supreme Court on the inclusion of instruction about Islam in the middle school social studies curriculum under the First Amendment
Dec 9, 2025 l Client Alert
On December 8, 2025, the United States Supreme Court denied a Petition for Certiorari filed by a parent of a former Chatham Middle School student seeking review of the Third Circuit’s decision affirming the dismissal of her lawsuit against the School District of the Chathams that had alleged…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS BOARD IN DISPUTE OVER THE TEACHER’S RESIGNATION DATE
Dec 9, 2025 l Client Alert
On December 4, 2025, the New Jersey Commissioner of Education issued a Final Decision in Laura Richards v. Livingston Board of Education, Essex County, affirming the Initial Decision of the Administrative Law Judge in favor of the Board. After Richards, a teacher, was appointed to a position at another school district at a public meeting, the Board’s Director of Human Resources…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS PREVAILS IN APPEAL ARISING FROM TERMINATION OF CHIEF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR FOR CONDUCTING UNBECOMING
Dec 5, 2025 l Client Alert
On November 26, 2025, Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs (“CGAJ”) prevailed in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey when the Court refused to overturn an arbitrator’s decision that the Montague Board of Education (“Board”) had sustained charges of unbecoming conduct against…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS PREVAILS IN PERC DECISION ON BEHALF OF TOWNSHIP OF SPRINGFIELD GRANTING REQUEST FOR A RESTRAINT OF BINDING ARBITRATION OF TWO GRIEVANCES FILED BY POLICE UNIONS
Nov 21, 2025 l Client Alert
On November 17, 2025 the New Jersey Public Employment Relations…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS PREVAILS IN APPELLATE DIVISION AFFIRMING DISMISSAL IN FAVOR OF BOROUGH OF MADISON AND MORRIS COUNTY CONSTRUCTION BOARD OF APPEALS IN CHALLENGE TO DENIAL OF BUILDING PERMIT
Oct 9, 2025 l Client Alert
The Appellate Division affirmed the trial court’s dismissal of Plaintiff’s complaint challenging the Borough of Madison’s (the “Borough”) denial of…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS SUCCESFULLY OBTAINS DISMISSAL OF LAWSUIT CHALLENGING TERMINATION OF PROBATIONARY OFFICER
Sep 19, 2025 l Client Alert
Wayne Township terminated plaintiff who was a probationary officer in his first year of employment for failing a required drug test. Plaintiff filed a lawsuit challenging his termination alleging that he was entitled to a full disciplinary hearing pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-147 and a subsequent review of his termination before the Superior Court pursuant to…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS OBTAINS SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND ATTORNEY’S FEES IN PREDATORY TOWING ACTION IN SOMERSET COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT
Sep 4, 2025 l Client Alert
On September 12, 2025, the Hon. Michael V. Cresitello, Jr., A.J.S.C. of the Somerset County Superior Court entered orders granting Plaintiff Mike’s Towing and Recovery’s motion for summary judgment including…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS WELCOMES DEENA B. ROSENDAHL
Sep 4, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to welcome Deena B. Rosendahl as a Partner in the Firm’s Labor & Employment and Municipal & Public Entity Practice Groups. Deena has over 25 years of experience in labor and employment law, as well as municipal and public entity work. Her extensive background includes representing various New Jersey Municipalities…
FORMER HUDSON COUNTY PROSECUTOR ESTHER SUAREZ JOINS CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS
Sep 4, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to announce that Esther Suarez has joined the Firm as Partner following a distinguished career that includes service as New Jersey Superior Court Judge, Hudson County Prosecutor, Bergen County Counsel, Hoboken Corporation Counsel…
APPELLATE DIVISION AFFRIMS JUDGMENT IN FAVOR OF TOWNSHIP OF MILLBURN, GOVERNING BODY, BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR IN CHALLENGE TO BOND ORDINANCE AND ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Sep 2, 2025 l Client Alert
The Plaintiff resident attorney filed an action in lieu of prerogative writ challenging the adoption of a bond ordinance alleging a conflict of interest of the former mayor, an alleged improper limit on the time allowed for public comment, and alleged failures by the Township to provide information…
PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLICATION REFORM SENATE BILL NO. 4654 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Aug 28, 2025 l Client Alert
On June 30, 2025, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill No. 4654, which makes significant changes to the requirements for publication and advertisement of legal notices by New Jersey governmental and public entities. Prior to this new law, it had been well established that New Jersey governmental and public entities were required to publish legal notices in printed newspapers to afford the public notice and the ability to participate in hearings, meetings, applications, and solicitations. Under the new law, as of March 1, 2026, all New Jersey governmental and public entities will be required to publish or advertise legal notices on the municipality’s or entity’s official website. Specifically, the law states that “whenever a public entity…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs OBTAINS ARBITRATION VICTORIES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN HEALTH CONTRIBUTION DISPUTES UNDER CHAPTER 44
Aug 19, 2025 l Client Alert
In recent arbitration decisions involving the Chester and Ridgewood Boards of Education, the respective Education Associations challenged the districts’ continued requirement that employees contribute toward dental insurance premiums at rates originally established under Chapter 78 of New Jersey law. Both Associations argued that the implementation of Chapter 44…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs PREVAILS IN PREROGATIVE WRITS ACTION, OVERTURNING PLANNING BOARD’S DENIAL OF CLIENT’S CANNABIS DISPENSARY APPLICTION
Aug 18, 2025 l Client Alert
On August 15, 2025, the Honorable Rudolph A. Filko, A.J.S.C., in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Passaic County, issued an order and opinion in This Budz 4 U, LLC v. Planning/Zoning Board of the Borough of Haledon, reversing the Defendant’s denial of Plaintiff’s application for preliminary and final major site plan approval and granting the application…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Obtains Dismissal of Retiree Health Benefits Claims Against County of Morris in its Entirety with Prejudice
August 6, 2025 l Client Alert
On July 31, 2025, the Honorable Jodi Lee Alper, J.S.C., in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Morris County, issued an opinion in Michael Peoples v. County of Morris, et al, dismissing the Plaintiff’s Complaint against the County of Morris in its entirety, with prejudice. The Plaintiff’s Complaint consisted of six counts, wherein the Plaintiff had alleged that he was improperly denied retiree health benefits from the County based upon the County’s retiree health benefit program.
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Obtains Dismissal of a Constitutional Claim in Federal District Court Against a Municipality and its Municipal Court Official Based on Judicial Immunity
July 28, 2025 l Client Alert
On July 22, 2025, the Honorable Zahid N. Quraishi, U.S.D.J., in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, issued an opinion in Carolyn Peterson-Daily v. City of Asbury Park, et al., dismissing the Plaintiff’s claim against the City and its Municipal Court Officials for alleged violations…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Prevails in Appellate Decision Affirming the Dismissal of a School Ethics Complaint based on Board Member’s Personal Social Media Posts
July 8, 2025 l Client Alert
On July 7, 2025, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division issued an opinion in Stephanie Siegel v. Sahar Aziz, Westfield Board of Education…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Welcomes 2 Litigation Attorneys
June 26, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to announce the addition of two new attorneys to the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group in 2025:
Denis F. Driscoll is a seasoned trial attorney with over 34 years of experience and is a Certified Civil Trial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. He represents clients in all areas of complex civil liability, including professional liability, product liability, and general liability claims. His practice area also includes land use, municipal defense, white collar crimes, and criminal…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Prevails in Nearly $2 Million Claim Against Municipality for Flooding Damage to Commercial Property During Tropical Storm Ida
May 30, 2025 l Client Alert
On May 21, 2025 Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, successfully obtained summary judgment dismissing the City of Hackensack (“City”) from a nearly…
New Jersey Pay Transparency Act Takes Effect June 1: What Employers Need to Know
May 8, 2025 l Client Alert
Beginning June 1, 2025, New Jersey’s new Pay Transparency Act will require covered employers to include detailed compensation information in job postings and adopt new protocols for announcing promotion opportunities. The law applies to employers with 10 or more employees working at least 20 calendar weeks in New Jersey, including private companies, public entities, and employment agencies. Temporary help service firms and certain…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Prevails in PERC Decision Remanding County College of Morris Faculty Retaliation Case for Reassessment Under the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Bridgewater Standard
May 7, 2025 l Client Alert
On April 24, 2025, the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) remanded a Hearing Examiner’s decision in a case involving the…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Wins a Defense Verdict at Trial in an NJLAD Retaliation Lawsuit
May 6, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC recently obtained a successful defense verdict on May 2, 2025, after a two-week trial before the Honorable Judge Mayra V. Tarantino in Essex County Superior Court of New Jersey. The Complaint was filed by the Plaintiff against the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (the “employer”) under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, alleging that the employer had terminated Plaintiff’s employment in retaliation for requesting and using an accommodation for a…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Prevails in Third Circuit Precedential Decision Upholding Curriculum Under the Establishment Clause
May 5, 2025 l Client Alert
On May 5, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued a precedential opinion in Hilsenrath v. School District of the Chathams, et al., rejecting a constitutional challenge to a public school’s social studies curriculum that included instructional content about Islam. The plaintiff, a parent of a 7th-grade student, argued that the inclusion of videos and written materials about Islamic beliefs and practices in a middle school world cultures and geography class violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Plaintiff sought an injunction, a declaratory judgment…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Prevails in Appellate Decision with Reversal of Decision by Trial Court in Favor of Builder in Affordable Housing Litigation
Apr 25, 2025 l Client Alert
On April 24, 2025 the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey issued a decision in the matter of IMO of the Application of the Township of Wayne and the Planning Board of the Township of Wayne reversing two (2) orders by the trial court in favor of Developer AvalonBay Communities, Inc. (“Developer”). The trial court had ruled that the Township and its…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Congratulates the Firm’s Attorneys Named to New Jersey Super Lawyers
Mar 24, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs congratulates the attorneys from the firm who have been selected for the prestigious New Jersey Super Lawyers in their respected practice areas. This honor is awarded to a select group of…
Judge Edward A. Jerejian, Joins Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs
Feb 3, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to announce that Judge Edward A. Jerejian has joined the Firm as Of-Counsel after nineteen years of distinguished service as Judge of the Superior Court. For the past seven years Judge Jerejian was the Presiding Judge of the Bergen Chancery Division, General Equity, and Probate Part…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs Welcomes 3 New Education Attorneys
Feb 3, 2025 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to announce the addition of three new attorneys to the Firm’s Education Practice Group in 2025:
R. Scott Eveland – Partner
Jaclyn D’Arminio – Partner
Ruth Albuquerque – Associate
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS Prevails in Appellate Decision Underscoring that Managerial Prerogative Decisions are Not Negotiable Nor Arbitrable Under the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act
Jul 12, 2024 l Client Alert
On July 3, 2024, the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Division issued a…
What Employers Need to Know About Changes to the FLSA’s White-Collar Exemption Salary Requirements
Jul 3, 2024 l Client Alert
On July 1, 2024, the Department of Labor’s revised overtime exemption rule became effective for most employers, despite the filing of multiple lawsuits seeking to challenge it. As such, employers must now take steps to ensure that their employees are properly classified in order to comply with the…
Governor Phil Murphy Signs Senate Bill Overhauling the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA)
Jun 19, 2024 l Client Alert
On June 5, 2024, Governor Murphy signed Senate bill S2930/A4045 into
law. This bill has the effect of overhauling the New Jersey Open Public Records
Act (“OPRA”), N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1, et seq. so that it comports with the digital age
and facilitates the minimization of various other challenges that public
agencies often encountered in their compliance with the law. The amendments take effect on the Tuesday after Labor Day…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS Prevails In Appellate Decision With Affirmance Of Dismissal Of Challenge By Second Low Bidder for Solid Waste Contract For City Of Paterson With Savings Of Over $10 Million Over 5 Years
Apr 2, 2024 l Client Alert
On April 1, 2024 the Superior Court of New Jersey Appellate Decision issued…
U.S. Supreme Court Issues Two Decisions on Public Officials’ Free Speech on Social Media
Mar 18, 2024 l Client Alert
On March 15, 2024 the United States Supreme Court issued two decisions: Lindke v. Freed, No. 22-611, and O’Connor-Ratcliff v. Garnier, No. 22-324, which directly affect the free speech rights of public officials in the current age of social media usage. Both cases involve public officials’ use of social media to communicate regarding public affairs. The cases gave the Supreme Court an opportunity to resolve a circuit court split over how…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS Prevails in PERC Decision Dismissing Union’s Unfair Practice Charge Against the City of Newark
Mar 4, 2024 l Client Alert
On March 1, 2024, the Public Employment Relations Commission issued a decision in the matter of City of Newark, (Respondent or City) v. Local 617…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS Prevails in School Ethics Commission Decision Overturning Administrative Law Judge’s Order to Quash Subpoena
Feb 15, 2024 l Client Alert
On February 13, 2024 the School Ethics Commission issued a decision in the…
3rd CIRCUIT RULES REFUSAL TO WEAR MASK ISN’T PROTECTED BY FIRST AMENDMENT
Feb 8, 2024 l Client Alert
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled on February 5, 2024 that the refusal to wear a mask is not protected by the First Amendment’s guarantee of free speech following the issuance of criminal charges…
CLEARY GIACOBBE ALFIERI JACOBS PREVAILS IN PERC DECISION UPHOLDING UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE AGAINST MENDHAM BOROUGH EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Feb 6, 2024 l Client Alert
On January 25, 2024, the State of New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) issues a decision involving the Mendham Borough…
Title 34 Amendment Regarding “Public Bodies” and Compensatory Time Off
Jan 8, 2024 l Client Alert
Recently, representatives of the New Jersey Department of Labor (“NJDOL”) have taken the position that municipalities are no longer permitted to allow employees to earn and use compensatory time in lieu of overtime payments…
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC Welcomes Six Attorneys And Launches New Website
Sep 7, 2023 l Client Alert
Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, LLC is pleased to announce the addition of six new attorneys to our firm in 2023. We are also excited to share the launch of our brand new website. We invite everyone to explore the new site….
Sick Leave Legislative Expansion / Amendments to
N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1 and N.J.S.A.18A:30-4
Jul 17, 2023 l Client Alert
On July 3, 2023, Governor Phil Murphy signed into law P.L. 2023, c. 95 – which provided significant amendments to sick leave laws impacting school employees; N.J.S.A. 18A:30-1 and N.J.S.A. 18A:30-4. In short, these…
New Jersey Department of Education Reiterates Guidance from U.S. Department of Education Regarding Discipline of Students with Disabilities
Jan 20, 2023 l Client Alert
On July 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) released new guidance…