Kathleen S. Murphy

Partner, Roseland Office

85 Livingston Avenue

Roseland, New Jersey 07068

Phone:  (973) 535-0500

kmurphy@connellfoley.com

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Published Decisions
Professional Activities

Kathleen S. Murphy focuses her practice on  Litigation and Labor and Employment Law. Ms. Murphy has tried more than seventy-five jury verdict trials. Her extensive trial experiences involve defense of enumerable automobile negligence claims, product liability trials, environmental claims, and employment discrimination claims. Ms. Murphy has broad expertise in the Appellate Court, having argued dozens of cases relating to evidential and substantive issues. She is also skilled in the Supreme Court, and in 2007 she argued a case which determined an issue of admissibility of evidence that had long divided the Appellate Courts and is now cited regularly. The Supreme Court of New Jersey, Board of Trial Attorney Certification has designated Ms. Murphy a Certified Civil Trial Attorney.

 

Ms. Murphy is a member of the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, a prestigious organization that requires elected membership; she was nominated and elected in 2001. She has also been a member of the Supreme Court Advisory Committee since 2004. Ms. Murphy is a member of The American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a national organization in which election for membership is required by the voting members. She was elected for membership in 1992, was elected Treasurer of the North Jersey chapter from 1997-1998, and served as elected president from 1999-2000. In 1998, Ms. Murphy received the Civil Trial Attorney Achievement Award from the Essex County Bar Association.

 

Ms. Murphy was Law Secretary to Hon. Robert A. Matthews, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division, from 1977 to 1978. She was a Member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey Ethics Committee from 1986 to 1990, a Barrister in the Essex County Inns of Court from 1987 to 1988, and Master in that Inn from 1988 to 1990. Ms. Murphy was a Member of the Judicial Appointments Committee from 1987 to 1990 and the Judicial Evaluation Committee from 1989 to 1990.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Practice Areas:

Business Litigation

Labor and Employment Law

Insurance Law

Product Liability and Tort Law

 

Admitted to Practice:

State of New Jersey

United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Seton Hall University (B.S., 1973)

Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., 1977)

 

Affiliations:

New Jersey State Bar Association

Essex County Bar Association

American Bar Association


Published Decisions

Lunsford v. Vizcaino v. NJM, 392 N.J. Super. 366, 920 A.2d 754 (2007) in which the Appellate Division clarified the insurance carrier’s obligation to defend an intentional act when alternatively pled with negligence, with a favorable result for the insurance carrier.

Brenman v. DeMello, 191 N.J. 18, 921 A.2d 1110 (2007) in which the Supreme Court made a conclusive determination of the admissibility of photographs without need for expert testimony, reversing a contrary finding.
Argent v. Brady v. NJM, 386 N.J. Super. 343, 901 A.2d 419 ((2006) an insurance coverage case wherein the Appellate Division defined the business pursuits exclusion favorably to the insurance industry.

Professional Activities

Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), elected for membership, June 1992 to present

Member, Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, elected for membership, May 2001

President, ABOTA, 1999-2000

Secretary, Treasurer, ABOTA, 1997-1998

Member, Essex County Bar President’s Council – Liaison between Bench and Bar, June 1990-1997

Member, Essex County Judicial and County Prosecutor Appointments Committee, 1988-1992

Member, Essex County Judicial Evaluation Committee, 1989-1992

Member, Essex County Arbitrators Committee, 1988-1995

Member, Supreme Court of New Jersey Ethics Committee, 1985-1990

Master, William J. Brennan, Jr. Chapter – Essex County Inns of Court, 1988-1993

Barrister, William J. Brennan, Jr. Chapter – Essex County Inns of Court, 1986-1988

Executive Member, Supreme Court of New Jersey, Civil Trial Bar Committee, 1980-1983