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ReardonAnderson C O U N S E L O R S A T L A W
ReardonAnderson.com
March 2020
REAL PEOPLE, REAL CHANGE THE ORIGIN STORY OF REARDON ANDERSON
We hope your 2020 is off to a great start! It is hard to believe, but this month, Reardon Anderson is celebrating its 11th anniversary of opening their doors. Time has flown by since the firm was formed, but not just because of the fun we have. Whether in the courtroom or the conference room, Tom and Erik strive to apply the law and common sense to achieve their clients’ goals. They love what their firm has accomplished and are even more excited about what lies ahead. Providing the best possible legal representation on behalf of their clients and giving back to their community are two areas they are most proud of. But when we look ahead, we cannot help but reminisce for a moment; the firm had some very humble, coincidental beginnings. Despite growing up in neighboring towns and being great friends now, Tom and Erik did not meet until they were practicing law. Fresh out of law school, Erik was looking to practice law with a local firm that focused on trial work. At the same time, Tom was a partner in a growing, local firm that specialized exclusively in litigation and was looking for a new attorney. During the job search, Erik interviewed with a local attorney. As chance would have it, Tom’s mother worked for that attorney and shared Erik’s resume with Tom. Out of the blue — from an employer Erik had not directly applied to — Tom reached out to him. After an interview (which may or may not have occurred at a local tavern), Erik joined Tom’s firm.
companies in state and federal courts throughout New Jersey. During this time, Erik and Tom recognized that they had similar styles in practicing law. They also became friends; in fact, Tom became the godfather of Erik’s son. While working together, Erik and Tom caught the entrepreneurial bug and decided they wanted to start a law firm that focused not only on addressing clients’ legal needs but also providing an exceptional experience during their representation. On Feb. 1, 2009, Tom and Erik opened the doors of their firm. On a shoestring budget, in the midst of the Great Recession, and in a shared office at a Regus office space, Reardon Anderson was born. Over the coming years, the firm grew its practice areas and roster of clients as well as its support staff and attorneys (and the firm even got a real office!). As Reardon Anderson’s practice has grown, so has its impact in the community. For example, after Superstorm Sandy devastated the East Coast, Reardon Anderson represented hundreds of victims throughout New Jersey and New York in rebuilding their lives and businesses. Over the years, Reardon Anderson’s legal representation included fighting to protect the rights of individuals, providing counsel to new business start-ups, assisting families to buy their first homes and resolving legal disputes for individuals and businesses. Tom and Erik have also been recognized for their legal abilities. Both have been designated by the New Jersey Supreme Court as certified civil trial attorneys (a
designation held by less than 2% of all New Jersey attorneys). Also, Erik has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters. Additionally, both are involved with professional organizations — Tom serves on the board of the Transportation Lawyers Association and Erik is a trustee of the Monmouth County Bar Association. Since its creation, Reardon Anderson has also given back to the community where they live and work through supporting charitable organizations. Lastly, our attorneys are active in local chambers of commerce, bar associations, and community volunteering. In the coming years, Reardon Anderson looks forward to continuing to represent and fight for their clients throughout New Jersey and New York. We are excited about continuing to build and strengthen our ties with the local community.
Here’s to the next 11 years!
– The Reardon Anderson Firm
Over the next nine years at that firm, Tom and Erik represented local and national
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Bracket Madness!
WHY WE LOVE MONMOUTH COUNTY
DOMINATE YOUR BRACKET WITH MARCH MADNESS TECHNOLOGY
Rich in History, Centrally Located in the NY to NJ Area!
Tom Reardon and Erik Anderson represent clients from Monmouth County, but they are also lifelong residents themselves! In addition to being part of the community they serve, their office is centrally located to provide legal services to clients throughout New Jersey and New York.
It takes some serious basketball knowledge — and a lot of luck — to successfully predict the outcome of March Madness. Whether you’re an average hoops fan or an expert, it’s more difficult than you might think. The Smithsonian estimates the odds of a perfect bracket are 1 in 9.2 quadrillion. But gone are the days of relying on the most intimidating mascot to make your decisions. Try to beat those odds with these March Madness technologies. ADOBE’S HACK THE BRACKET What if there was a tool that could compare free-throw percentages or shot accuracy between opponents? Well, now there is! For the past two years, Adobe has used its data analytics software to offer a simple-to-use system, Hack the Bracket. The program breaks down points, mistakes, fouls, win percentages, and other statistics into side-by-side comparisons. The software also calculates the percentage of a team winning or losing, giving users a closer look at the game. GOOGLE CLOUD’S STUDENT-LED ANALYTICS It’s one thing to know the numbers; it’s a whole other ball game to understand what they mean. That’s where Google Cloud’s analytics team comes in to help. In 2018, Google partnered with the NCAA to offer live gameplay analyses, and in 2019, the tech giant hired more than 30 college students to contextualize the numbers throughout the tournament. Google’s steps for 2020 remain a mystery, but you can view past records and data at Cloud.WithGoogle.com/ marchmadness. THE NCAA’S ORIGINAL BRACKET CHALLENGE In 1939, Oregon University became the first team to win March Madness, defeating Ohio State University 46-33 in an eight-team tournament. By 1985, the tournament had grown to 64 teams, and the bracket was born. With that kind of history, there’s no better place to create your bracket than with the hosts of spring’s best sporting event: the NCAA’s digital hub. NCAA.com offers you team analyses, real-time updates, and a home for your bracket. With an easy-to-use platform, you don’t have to be a college basketball expert or technology whiz to make your choices and follow your team all the way to the championship.
If you were taking a weekend trip with your family across Monmouth County, you might visit its beautiful beaches along the Atlantic Ocean or its lush farmland. (We know what you are thinking, “New Jersey? Farmland?” Well, we have more racehorses in New Jersey than Kentucky, so there.) Monmouth County’s history is as rich as its soil. Because it's located between New York City and Philadelphia, its history is filled with notable events and visitors dating back to 1683. For example, there are several homes and churches that predate the creation of the United States. The Continental Army, led by George Washington, fought in the Battle of Monmouth, which was the longest land-fought battle of the Revolutionary War (and some say an important step toward winning the war). From historic battlefields to being the birthplace of Bruce Springsteen — Monmouth County has it all. Besides having a wealth of history (or perhaps because of it) Monmouth County is home to many vibrant communities with incredibly diverse businesses. The county welcomed a large number of immigrants from Europe in the early 1900s. The attractiveness of the area has not diminished over the years, and that is why so many people and businesses today call Monmouth County home. Tom and Erik grew up in Monmouth County and are deeply involved with their communities. In fact, both live in the towns where they were raised (Erik is the mayor of his hometown). In addition to representing businesses and individuals in Monmouth County, their centrally located office allows Reardon Anderson to easily represent clients throughout the entire state of New Jersey and the New York City area. Whether you are in New York City, Cape May, or anywhere in between, we can help. If you are in need of legal assistance, do not hesitate to give us a call at 732-997-7749.
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NEW JERSEY SALARY HISTORY BAN
In New Jersey, an employer may not ask an applicant for their salary history. The potential penalty for doing this could range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the circumstances. Following a new trend of laws limiting salary history inquiries, effective Jan. 1, 2020, New Jersey employers cannot ask job applicants about their prior salary, wages, and benefits. It is also illegal to require an applicant’s salary history to satisfy a maximum or minimum criteria. One of the goals of this law is to attempt to narrow the pay gaps between women and men and between minorities and majority groups. Specifically, the law provides a means to stop a potential employer from linking their offer of employment to a prior salary, which may be below market rate. In the past year, other states that have implemented a salary history ban include Alabama, Colorado, Missouri, New York, Maine, and Washington. There are exceptions to this law, mostly relating to consent. An applicant can voluntarily provide past salary information, and the employer can verify whether or not the information given is correct. This can benefit both parties, so long as there’s a mutual agreement about the reason for sharing this information. However, employers still cannot use salary history to determine whether to hire an individual.
Additionally, when a position involves incentives and commissions, an employer is allowed to inquire about general terms and conditions of incentive and compensation plans the applicant had with a prior employer. However, an employer cannot ask about specific dollar amounts earned through those plans. Concerning internal job restructuring, the law provides that it does not apply to internal promotions or transfers. Also, if an employer conducts business in multiple states, including New Jersey, the job application must advise that applicants whose position will substantially be spent in New Jersey should not answer any salary history questions.
New Jersey law regarding employment practices is continually changing! Make sure you stay up to date.
ORANGE GLAZED SALMON
INGREDIENTS
2 salmon fillets (10 oz total)
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
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1 tsp salt
Zest from 1 orange
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2 tbsp ghee
1/3 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
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1 tbsp garlic, minced
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1 tsp tapioca starch
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DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 425 F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. 2. Salt each fillet with 1/2 tsp salt. Bake for 6–8 minutes. 3. In a saucepan, combine ghee and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. 4. Add rosemary, zest, and juice. Cook for another 3 minutes. 5. Stir in tapioca starch until lumps disappear and mixture thickens. 6. Plate salmon and top with orange sauce.
Inspired by RealFoodWithJessica.com
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ReardonAnderson C O U N S E L O R S A T L A W
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55 Gilbert St. N Ste. 2204, Tinton Falls, NJ 07701 732-997-7749 | ReardonAnderson.com
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 Reardon Anderson’s Origin Story 2 March Madness Tech to Make You a Predicting Genius
Why We Love Monmouth County
3 Keeping Salary History Confidential
Orange Glazed Salmon
4 The Evolution of St. Patrick’s Day
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ROOTS
CELEBRATING ST. PADDY’S DAY IN IRELAND VS. AMERICA
From extravagant parades to green-dyed rivers, something about St. Patrick’s Day feels quintessentially American — despite its Irish heritage. That’s because many common St. Patrick’s Day traditions actually originated in America, evolving beyond their roots in the Emerald Isle in a few key ways. On March 17, the Irish commemorate the death of St. Patrick, who brought Christianity to pagan Ireland during the late fourth and early fifth centuries. Historically, these religious origins make for a more somber observance of St. Patrick’s Day. Many Irish families go to church and eat a modest feast as the extent of their celebration. However, St. Patrick’s Day in America is not so much about venerating Ireland’s patron saint as it is about celebrating Irish heritage in a foreign land. When Catholic Irish immigrants first came to the United States, they faced persecution from a largely Protestant population. In response, Irish Americans began using March 17 as a day to publicly declare and celebrate Irish heritage with parades and demonstrations. The observation of St. Patrick’s Day grew in popularity in cities with large Irish populations, like Boston, New York, and Chicago. Then, in the booming post-World War II economy, various businesses aggressively marketed the holiday to Americans of all heritages.
Thus, it became a day when anyone could celebrate Irish American heritage, or at least it gave everyone an excuse to drink like they believe the Irish do. Ironically, imbibing was not a part of St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Ireland until relatively recently. Due to the religious nature of the holiday, pubs and bars closed down on March 17 until 1961. Additionally, the traditional meal of corned beef and cabbage is another American addition. In Ireland, pork and cabbage was actually more common, but impoverished Irish immigrants substituted less expensive beef for pork, and the tradition stuck. Even though the most widely observed St. Patrick’s Day celebrations originated in America, many of them have found their way back to Ireland. Starting in 1996, the St. Patrick’s Day Festival in Dublin now attracts over 1 million attendees with all the drinks and revelry that Americans love. You’d be hard pressed to find a green beer, though. In the hallowed birthplace of Guinness and whiskey, some traditions may be better left across the pond.
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