Franklin, William P.

In the modern courtroom, the value of a qualified and experienced advocate cannot be overstated. All too often, the party with the best advocate is the party that obtains "justice." As of August 1999, out of approximately 68,700 attorneys in the State of New Jersey, only 1,450 attorneys were Board Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Mr. Curley is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney.

Not many attorneys pursue advanced training beyond the traditional law degree. Fewer still pursue the equivalent of a "Master of Laws" degree. Mr. Curley is one of a select few attorneys practicing in New Jersey who have attained the Master of Laws in Trial Advocacy from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law. The Temple Law School Trial Advocacy programs are nationally recognized and consistently ranked as the top for trial advocacy training in the United States. The LL.M. in Trial Advocacy at Temple provides intense training by nationally known trial lawyers, law professors and communications experts. Attorneys are trained in the winning litigation and trial techniques of top litigators.

Mr. Curley is therefore one of only a handful of attorneys in New Jersey offering clients the combination of the elite degree of Master of Laws in Trial Advocacy and Board Certification by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Specialist.

"Certified Trial Attorney" is a designation granted by the New Jersey Supreme Court to attorneys who are able to demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in criminal and/or civil trial practice. The Supreme Court, through its Board on Trial Attorney Certification, designates only those lawyers who apply for certification and who are able to meet the standards set by the Board and approved by the Court.

An attorney must meet the following requirements to become Board certified:

• Must be a member in good standing of the New Jersey bar for at least 5 years
• In the 3 years prior to filing an application, must have taken continuing legal education courses
• Must show a substantial involvement in preparation of litigated matters and demonstrate primary responsibility for a specific number of completed trials in New Jersey Superior Court
• Must demonstrate an unblemished reputation by submitting a list of attorneys and judges who will attest to the applicant's character and ability
• Must pass a written examination covering various aspects of trial practice

The Certification program helps consumers find attorneys who have a recognized level of competence in specialized fields of law. Certification also helps lawyers by giving them a way to make their experience known to the public and to other lawyers.

Certification is good for seven years. To be re-certified, an attorney must apply for re-certification every five years and meet requirements that are similar to certification.

Although many practicing trial attorneys now advertise in newspapers, on television, in the Yellow Pages and on the internet, only attorneys certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court are entitled to use the designation "Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney" on their letterhead, business cards, Yellow Page listings or in their advertisements.

Anyone in need of more information regarding the certification program should address his/her questions to: Board on Trial Attorney Certification, CN970, Trenton, NJ 08625, 609-777-0366

Mr. Curley was selected for designation by Law & Politics Magazine, as a "Super Lawyer" in the area of Business Litigation in 2007, 2009, 2010 and in 2011. The "Super Lawyer" selections are also published annually through New Jersey Monthly Magazine. Mr. Curley was also selected for inclusion as a 2008 "Super Lawyer" in the area of Business Litigation in the "Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition," which features selected Business Litigation attorneys from across the country. More information about the "Super Lawyer" designation and the selection process can be access through the "Super Lawyers" website at http://www.superlawyers.com/.