Rutgers Law–Camden Scholar Awarded New Jersey Association for Justice's Gold Medal for Distinguished Service

Gold medals don’t come without effort.  For Jay Feinman, a distinguished professor at Rutgers Law–Camden, his legal career has been nothing short of herculean. And the New Jersey Association for Justice (NJAJ) has taken notice. The group has recognized the Rutgers Law–Camden scholar with a Gold Medal for Distinguished Service, acknowledging Feinman’s various academic and professional contributions that include seven books, more than 50 articles, and national and international presentations as indicative of how he has helped advance the civil justice system.

On Thursday, May 1, Feinman received the award that honors an individual who contributes significantly to the law of torts and works to preserve and strengthen laws for safer products and workplaces, a cleaner environment, and quality health care. 

According to Francisco J. Rodriguez, president of the New Jersey Association for Justice, the organization stands for protecting consumers and victims and preserving the rights of people and the Rutgers Law–Camden scholar “has truly demonstrated his commitment to the goal of justice for all.”

During the ceremony, Rodriguez, who presented the gold medal to Feinman during the NJAJ Boardwalk Seminar in Atlantic City, said to the Rutgers Law–Camden distinguished professor, “Your commitment to preserving people’s rights through your teaching and writing and your willingness and extraordinary work to help policymakers understand the arcane world of automobile insurance and the need for reform to protect consumers and hold insurers who act in bad faith accountable is exemplary. Your work has made a huge contribution to the law of torts and deserves recognition.”

One of Feinman’s more recent books, Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It (Delden Press paperback, 2013),  reveals systemic abuses that often leave insurance consumers and injury victims shortchanged and provides readers with steps on how to fight back.

With former Rutgers Law–Camden students Abraham Tran and Oliver Barry, Feinman helped United Policyholders prepare a report on Best Practices for Post-Disaster Insurance Claim Mediation. United Policyholders is a national advice and advocacy organization for insurance consumers, and the Best Practices prescribe standards to aid victims of Superstorm Sandy and other disasters.

His other books include Law 101: Everything You Need to Know About American Law, which Oxford University Press will publish in a fourth edition this summer and which has been distributed in various languages around the world, and Professional Liability to Third Parties (American Bar Association, third edition 2013). His works have been cited by numerous researchers and courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

At Rutgers Law–Camden, Feinman co-directs the Rutgers Center for Risk and Responsibility and teaches courses in Contracts, Torts, and Insurance Law.

Founded in the late 1940s and incorporated in 1976, the New Jersey Association for Justice is headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey. NJAJ is a statewide association of over 2,400 members in private practice and public service, paralegals, law clerks, law students and law school graduates not yet admitted to the bar. NJAJ is dedicated to protecting New Jersey’s families by working to preserve and strengthen the laws for safer products and workplaces, a cleaner environment and quality health care.