Rules of Court · Part 1 · New Jersey
RPC 1.12 New Jersey Rules of Court, RPC 1.12: Former Judge, Arbitrator, Mediator or Other Third-Party Neutral or Law Clerk, rendered as code with every cross-reference linked
Former Judge, Arbitrator, Mediator or Other Third-Party Neutral or Law Clerk
(a) Except as stated in paragraph (c), a lawyer shall not represent anyone in connection with a matter in which the lawyer participated personally and substantially as a judge or other adjudicative officer, arbitrator, mediator or other third-party neutral, or law clerk to such a person, unless all parties to the proceeding have given consent, confirmed in writing.
(b) If a lawyer is disqualified by paragraph (a), no lawyer in a firm with which that lawyer is associated may knowingly undertake or continue representation in the matter unless:
(1) the disqualified lawyer is timely screened from any participation in the matter and is apportioned no part of the fee therefrom; and
(2) written notice is promptly given to the parties and any appropriate tribunal to enable them to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this Rule.
(c) A lawyer shall not negotiate for employment with any person who is involved as a party or as an attorney for a party in a matter in which the lawyer is participating personally and substantially as a judge or other adjudicative officer, arbitrator, mediator, or other third-party neutral. A lawyer serving as law clerk to such a person may negotiate for employment with a party or attorney involved in a matter in which the law clerk is participating personally and substantially, but only after the lawyer has notified the person to whom the lawyer is serving as law clerk.
(d) An arbitrator selected by a party in a multi-member arbitration panel is not prohibited from subsequently representing that party.
Note: Adopted July 12, 1984 to be effective September 10, 1984; caption and paragraph (a) amended, new paragraph (b) adopted, former paragraphs (b) and (c) amended and redesignated as paragraphs (c) and (d) November 17, 2003 to be effective January 1, 2004.
Verbatim rule text, unmarked. Nothing here is a summary.
rule RPC 1.12 "Former Judge, Arbitrator, Mediator or Other Third-Party Neutral or Law Clerk" {
(a) Except as stated in paragraph (c), a lawyer shall not represent anyone in connection with a matter in which the lawyer participated personally and substantially as a judge or other adjudicative officer, arbitrator, mediator or other third-party neutral, or law clerk to such a person, unless all parties to the proceeding have given consent, confirmed in writing.
(b) If a lawyer is disqualified by paragraph (a), no lawyer in a firm with which that lawyer is associated may knowingly undertake or continue representation in the matter unless:
(1) the disqualified lawyer is timely screened from any participation in the matter and is apportioned no part of the fee therefrom; and
(2) written notice is promptly given to the parties and any appropriate tribunal to enable them to ascertain compliance with the provisions of this Rule.
(c) A lawyer shall not negotiate for employment with any person who is involved as a party or as an attorney for a party in a matter in which the lawyer is participating personally and substantially as a judge or other adjudicative officer, arbitrator, mediator, or other third-party neutral. A lawyer serving as law clerk to such a person may negotiate for employment with a party or attorney involved in a matter in which the law clerk is participating personally and substantially, but only after the lawyer has notified the person to whom the lawyer is serving as law clerk.
(d) An arbitrator selected by a party in a multi-member arbitration panel is not prohibited from subsequently representing that party.
Note: Adopted July 12, 1984 to be effective September 10, 1984; caption and paragraph (a) amended, new paragraph (b) adopted, former paragraphs (b) and (c) amended and redesignated as paragraphs (c) and (d) November 17, 2003 to be effective January 1, 2004.
}
referenced_by: none
source: njcourts.gov // verbatim; changed 2025-10-17; corpus harvested 2026-09-02← RPC 1.11 · RPC 1.13 → · RPC · all rules
The Rules of Court are a government edict and carry no copyright; the text above is the Judiciary’s own publication, unchanged. Structure, links and highlighting are ours and carry no legal weight. Read the rule on njcourts.gov before you rely on it; amendments take effect each September 1.