Kenneth S. Javerbaum
Plaintiffs' Personal Injury Law - Springfield, NJ

Even today, most of our clients come to us by referral from other lawyers or former clients. With nearly 70,000 lawyers in the state to choose from, the mere fact that they came to us means a lot. We never take that for granted. That's true now more than ever. Clients are very sophisticated today. They are astute consumers; they will "shop around" before retaining a lawyer. I respect that and welcome "being interviewed" and "shopped around" by a prospective client. Prospective clients generally know a little about us before they see us: Most know we've been trial lawyers for more than 40 years and that we have an exceptionally talented and collegial team. They know this either through recommendations by former clients, referrals by other attorneys or through familiarity with our website. We don't mislead a client about their case. Too often, lawyers will promise the moon. People simply want honesty, confidence and experience. We've always understood that. For me, it's always been about people.

I could never litigate for corporate interests. When you defend an insurance company in an accident case, who thanks you? No one. When you engage in time billing, what incentive is there to accomplish things efficiently? Our contingent fee representation of citizens dealing with real injuries is unbelievably gratifying in every respect. I love the human element of our work. Over the years I've found that, no matter a person's background or beliefs, we share a confidence and a commitment through a case. A rapport is established and each case has its own human drama. For me there's a sense of excitement - and responsibility - in connecting with a client and being in a courtroom. We handle many cases, but for the client, theirs is the only case that he or she is concerned about. I'm always sensitive to that.

Lawyers take a knock, often justifiably, for not communicating and for not returning phone calls promptly. I have always emphasized communication. Not uncommonly, people hear from me at ungodly early morning hours or during prime-time television. Questions seem to get answered more quickly and clients know that they have not been forgotten or their case neglected when their lawyer calls during non-business hours. From the outset, I make every effort to predict the course of a case and to give a clear idea of the tentacled path that a case can take. I never create unrealistic expectations.

There is no substitute for preparation. There is no fact you don't know, no document you are unaware of, none that can not be located within 30 seconds and no question for which you are unprepared. The insurance industry and chambers of commerce have framed the political debate in recent years. But the fact is, there are far fewer unjustified rewards than there are denials of recovery for the worthy plaintiff. I think juries generally are fair minded. They understand the idea of reasonable compensation. No amount of lobbying by the insurance industry will change that. Our firm has been very fortunate. We're very stable, have little turnover and our lawyers and staff build careers here. We're a professional family with our own rites and rituals (Fridays are bagel day!). We balance what you might call a retail practice (client referrals) and a wholesale practice (attorney referrals). We strive to be accessible, communicative and do a good job for everybody. Your professional life should reflect your private life and we treat everyone the way we want to be treated. If a client has an appointment, you don't want to keep them waiting. You must treat everyone well - clients, adversaries, other lawyers and Judges. Everything comes around. There are many other paths that I could have taken in life. The one I've chosen is one that is totally satisfying and one that I do well. There has been a serendipity to it all - I'm one of those few, lucky people who's enjoying every day... each one more than the last.

Kenneth S. Javerbaum
"We strive to be accessible, communicative and to do a good job for everybody. Your professional life should reflect your private life and we treat everyone the way we want to be treated."
Phone: (973) 379-4200
Fax: (973) 379-7872
 
 
Education
Rutgers University, B.A., 1963
Rutgers University School of Law, J.D., with honors, 1966
 
2014-02-10 12:17:30