I am proud to be a New Jersey lawyer. I am blessed to use the unique skills and tools of being an attorney to help my clients navigate and resolve disputes. But this role alone would not have fulfilled me as a professional. It is the opportunity to give back, to help share my passion for the importance of the law in our esteemed democracy, that means so much.
It is a distinct honor to serve as president of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation. I am pleased to report the Foundation –the state’s most wide-reaching organization promoting civics and an understanding of the law– is thriving.
The Foundation has been the preeminent voice advancing knowledge about the law and legal system among students, educators, and the public. Through programs, publications, mock trial competitions, educator trainings, scholarships and grant funding, the Foundation touches hundreds of thousands of lives in New Jersey, all with the singular goal of increasing an appreciation and awareness of the law.
Central tenets of the Foundation are to “provide opportunities for attorneys to serve the public through Foundation programs” and “foster professionalism and pride in the profession of law through public service.” Indeed, we could not accomplish all we do without the support from members of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
This is a time like no other in the modern history of this state. Our mission is more important now than ever to support the public and the rule of law. Our efforts will continue. And there are many ways for attorneys to bolster this mission as volunteers. There are young students eager for a role model, community groups looking for speakers and residents in search of information. Members can make a difference in someone’s life through these volunteer opportunities.
I hope that you will consider joining in this solemn obligation to enhance an understanding of the law and legal system through civic and law-related education.
Sign up to volunteer at volunteer.njsbf.org.
Ralph J. Lamparello is managing partner of Chasan Lamparello Mallon & Cappuzzo P.C. where concentrates his practice in civil and criminal litigation with a focus on civil rights and employment law, commercial, environmental, public entity, and white-collar criminal defense. He is president of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation and is a former president of the New Jersey State Bar Association.
This article first appeared in the New Jersey State Bar Association October 2025 edition of New Jersey Lawyer and is reprinted here with permission.