|
Parker McCay Attorneys Involved In Important State Supreme Court Ruling Marlton, NJ, May 6, 2010 - Regional law firm, Parker McCay, on behalf of the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys (NJILGA), recently provided a significant brief to the New Jersey State Supreme Court used by the Court in an important case in which it overturned a decision to disqualify an Atlantic City law firm from representing hundreds of taxpayers in tax appeal cases. Originally, a state Tax Court disqualified the Atlantic City law firm from representing residents of Atlantic City in 2009 tax appeal cases due to the fact that the firm served as Tax Appeal Defense Counsel for Atlantic City in 2006 and 2007. The lower Court held there was a conflict of interest and that the law firm might have had access to information it could use against the City. Parker McCay attorneys, John Gillespie, Brian Guest and Grant Berger, offered their municipal and government law expertise to the Court to clarify the Rules of Professional Conduct for attorneys on conflict of interests regarding former clients. The brief submitted by Parker McCay attorneys on behalf of NJILGA asserted that the Atlantic City law firm's representation of the municipality was not substantially related to its representation of tax payers in the 2009 tax appeals and that the firm did not receive confidential information from the City during their term as tax appeal defense counsel. In its submission, Parker McCay attorneys and NJILGA urged the Court to adopt a balancing test that weighs the need to maintain the highest standard of the profession against a client's right to freely choose his or her counsel. In response to the Supreme Court's decision, Parker McCay attorney John Gillespie said, "I am pleased with the Court's ruling as it clarifies prior case law governing conflicts of interest, which the lower court ignored. The Supreme Court's decision recognizes the importance of ensuring public confidence in the role lawyers play in government representation, while also balancing the rights of individuals to choose the attorneys they wish to represent them. The Court's balancing test accomplishes this." Parker McCay provides comprehensive legal services to a wide array of clients in such specialties as litigation, public finance, corporate, governmental and regulatory affairs. The firm also provides counsel to clients in the fields of banking, real estate, land use, healthcare, creditors' rights, and employment law. Parker McCay is headquartered in Marlton, N.J., with offices in Lawrenceville, N.J. and Atlantic City, N.J. For more information about Parker McCay, visit www.parkermccay.com. Contact: Laurie Reiss, lreiss@parkermccay.com, 856-810-5821 |
| Copyright © by Parker McCay P.A.. All rights reserved. | DISCLAIMER | |
 |
 |
|