Notice - Attorney Succession Planning - Implementation of Enhancements to Attorney Registration System Effective September 26, 2025

After a study that included participation by the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection and the Supreme Court Committee on Wellness in the Law, and with input from the members of the legal profession, the Supreme Court today announces a measure to further its ongoing efforts to protect the public and support attorney wellness.

Going forward, the annual attorney registration process will prompt New Jersey attorneys in private practice to disclose the status of any succession planning the attorney has undertaken for use in the unfortunate event of their incapacity, death, disbarment, or other inability to practice. Consistent with the framework announced in April 2025, attorneys will have the option to:

• Designate a Successor Attorney: Identify a New Jersey-licensed attorney who can protect client interests in the event of the registrant’s death, disability, or incapacity
• Identify a Person with Knowledge: Provide contact information for someone (attorney or non-attorney) familiar with the location and access procedures for the attorney’s professional records
• Document the Existence and Location of a Written Succession Plan: Indicate if a written succession plan has been created and specify its location (without filing or uploading the plan).
• Acknowledge that No Plan Exists/Employer Responsibility: State if no succession plan currently exists; indicate if the attorney’s employer or firm is responsible for client files should the attorney become unavailable or unable to practice.

This process is intended to reinforce attorneys’ professional responsibilities, encourage proactive succession planning, safeguard clients’ interests, and limit the burden that falls to attorneys’ loved ones in difficult times. It also will facilitate education and communication on this important topic. Those who are identified as successor attorneys or persons with knowledge will receive an email confirming their designation. Updated resources and guidance for attorneys creating a plan as well as those serving as successor attorneys are available on the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection webpage under “Succession Planning.”

Questions regarding Attorney Succession Planning may be directed to the New Jersey Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection at 855-533-3863 (Option 2) or cpf.mbx@njcourts.gov