On July 23, 2026, the New Jersey Supreme Court approved the addition of Rule 1.8(k) to New Jersey’s Rules of Professional Conduct, effective September 1, 2026. The new rule, which adopts and clarifies ABA Model Rule 1.8(j), creates a new conflict-of-interest rule prohibiting attorneys from having sexual relations with their clients unless a consensual relationship

On July 15, 2026, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that insurance brokers, producers, and agents are not “learned professionals,” and therefore are not exempt from liability under the Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 et seq. In so holding, the Court eradicated the previously recognized, judicially created “semi-professional” exception and further clarified the definition