On October 20, Bob will be speaking before the Hunterdon Regionial Ethics Committee, and invited guests, on the statutory purposes of Medical Ethics Committees and the role of medical powers of attorney.  The Hunterdon Regional Ethics Committee is composed of  people that work in long term care nursing homes in our county.  There are social workers, nurses, administrators, chaplains, physicians and a few other disciplines on the committee. 

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Bob Shanahan will be sworn in as the President of the Hunterdon County Bar Associaiton on September 22, 2010.

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We would like to announce that Pearl Westreich, our long-time real estate paralegal, has retired.  Pearl was with us when we opened our doors for business in 1997.  Although she had no formal paralegal training, in a short time, she became very proficient and, we dare say, became one of the best paralegals in Hunterdon County.  We wish her well,  and thank her for her many years of service.

We also would like to welcome Joan Dorsey, who has joined the firm as our new real estate paralegal.  Joan will shortly complete the paralegal program at Raritan Valley Community College, and will work with our attorneys handling real estate, business and probate matters. Welcome Joan!

Unity Bank, on Old Highway 22 in Clinton, will be holding its home mortgage seminar on May 19, from 6-8pm.  Bob Shanahan will be participating by speaking about the role of an attorney in a residential real estate transaction. 

May is National Elder Law Month.  As part of a nationwide observance of National Elder Law Month by the National Academy of ElderLaw Attorneys (NAELA), Bob Shanahan will be giving a presentation "Living Wills and Healthcare Powers of Attorney: The Legal and Practical Issues", at Independence Manor, in Flemington, on May 17th, from 6:30-8:00 pm.   The legal purpose of living wills, who is bound by them, when they become effective, DNR orders, and hospital ethics committees will be discussed.  All are welcome.

Wednesday, April 14th, from 6:00-8:30pm   "Guardians and End of Life Decision Making"   This program, sponsored by Volunteer Guardianship One on One, Inc., will be held at the Hunterdon County Hospice.  Speakers will be board member, Bob Shanahan, board member, Rev. Jim DeVries and Dr. Susan Bauman, who is the Director of Palliative Care Services at Hunterdon Medical Center. www.volunteerguardianship.org

Nicole Voigt teaches Legal I and Legal II, courses on business formation and contracts, respectively, for the Small Business Development Center, located at the Raritan Valley Community College. These classes may be taken independently, or along with other coursework as part of the Entrepreneur Certificate Program. Classes are offered in both the spring and the fall. For information on upcoming classes, visit www.sbdcrvcc.com.

Residential real estate contracts executed on or after January 1, 2010, must comply with the reformed Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), requiring use of the updated HUD-1 and HUD-1A forms at closing. In part, closing costs must be compared to the lender’s previously issued Good Faith Estimate, and deviations beyond certain tolerances are penalized and may, in practical effect, delay closing. Attorney Nicole Voigt is currently offering a brief presentation on key points that realtors should be aware of to facilitate timely sharing of necessary information and to avoid delays in closing. Real estate offices interested in inviting Nicole to present may contact her at (908)713-1862.

Associate Attorney, Nicole Voigt (left) and Andrea Lovas, Manager of Donor Relations and Events for SAFE in Hunterdon (right), attended the successful January 21, 2010 Bunco Blizzard fundraising event, sponsored by the Business Women’s Charitable Foundation. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefited, in part, breast cancer awareness. www.bizwomencharity.com

On Monday, December 21, 2009, a Hunterdon County jury returned a verdict in the amount of $352,000.00 in favor the firm's client, the Union of Independent Flight Attendants. Kevin prosecuted this breach of contract case for over three weeks before the Hon. Peter Buchsbaum. 

Kevin has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Collaborative Law Group, Inc. The NJCLG is a not-for-profit organization of interdisciplinary collaborative professionals, which is devoted to educating the public about the benefits of collaborative divorces rather than traditional dissolutions through litigation. 

In December 2009, Kevin presided over the grand opening of the Open Cupboard Food Pantry's new location, which is now located next to Rite Aid on Old Highway 22 in Clinton.  Attending the event was Congressman Leonard Lance (7th District), who spoke and cut the ribbon in addition to bringing boxes of food collected at his congressional office. Kevin is president of the board of directors and has been active with the Open Cupboard for over a dozen years.

Nicole has been accepted as a member of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners.www.njawbo.org.

On November 17, 2009, Bob will be addressing the Hunterdon County Medical Society, at its monthly meeting, on "Advance Directives: An Attorney's Perspective".   Bob is looking for feedback from the medical community about the practical aspects of Advance Directives in end of life care.  He would like to see a joint County Medical Society-County Bar Association commission to discuss these and other issues.

The Board of Directors of Volunteer Guardianship, One on One, Inc. has elected Bob Shanahan as its Vice President. Volunteer Guardianship, One on One, Inc is an organization which trains and supports volunteers to become guardians for those who cannot act for themselves and have no family to undertake the responsibility.  www.volunteerguardianship.org 

Bob Shanahan has been invited to speak to the Hunterdon County Regional Ethics Committe on powers of attorney, at its regular meeting on October 21, in Flemington.  The Regional Ethics Committee is composed of physicians, nurses, other healthcare workers and members of the community, and is available to assist in addressing ethical concerns and needs of long-term care residents in the County.

On Wednesday, September 30, Bob Shanahan became the President-Elect of the Hunterdon County Bar Association.  www.huntcolaw.org

Briteside Adult Day Care Centers, Inc. has announced that Bob Shanahan has been appointed to its Advisory Board.  Bob is looking forward to assisting this worthy organization which assists so many families in Hunterdon County.  For more information on Briteside see www.britesideadultdaycenter.org

Bob Shanahan is scheduled to join a presentation on Volunteer Guardianship One on One Inc, to the Hunterdon Regional Ethics Committee on June 18.  Bob is a member of the Board of Directors of Volunteer Guardianship, which is an organization which trains and supports volunteers to become guardians for those who cannot act for themselves and have no family to undertake the responsibility.  www.volunteerguardianship.org     The Hunterdon Regional Ethics Committee is composed of  people that work in long term care nursing homes in our county.  There are social workers, nurses, administrators, chaplains, physicians and a few other disciplines on the committee. 

May 5, 2009  Bob Shanahan spoke at a meeting sponsored by PNC Investments, at the Beaver Brook Country Club, on "How to Avoid or Minimize the Tax-Man by Properly Planning Your Estate".    The types of federal and state death taxes were discussed.