BJD - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Board Member of the New Jersey Surplus Lines Association

When Daniel S. Jahnsen started the firm he benefited from the friendly advice of a local businessman who said, "Son, the true secret of success is to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you,…and in your case that should be pretty easy." Dan does, however, come with some credentials. Upon graduation from Seton Hall University. he next hopped the #31 bus to Newark where he continued his ersatz erudition at Seton Hall Law. In his first job with an established North Jersey firm, he gained a taste for civil litigation and, lacking any transferable skills, he has remained in that rut ever since. Still, Jahnsen believes "If you're in a rut, you may as well make it interesting" and, in following his own advice, he has cultivated a clientele who have blessed him with the opportunity to try a wide variety of cases. He has gained their confidence by having amassed more than 200 verdicts before juries and in his participation in numerous Appellate and Supreme Court decisions on issues ranging from evidence, negligence, insurance and trial practice. He suffers from the delusion that law is actually a creative process ranging from Professional Malpractice, General Liability, Public Entity, Hospitality and Entertainment, Employment, Coverage, Reinsurance Disputes, to Constitutional Law. His reputation as a successful trial lawyer gives him the unique ability to effectuate settlement and/or negotiate innovative high-low agreements in matters that would otherwise involve significant potential for excess exposure. In addition to his courtroom work, Mr. Jahnsen is a frequent lecturer to insurers and claims organizations and frequently consults on exposures nationwide. Dan has served as board member of the New Jersey Surplus Lines Association, and a member of NAPSLO, DRI, PLUS, and the American Bar Association.

Judy Taboada graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Public Health and a minor in Art History. For all we know she had a Phi Beta Kappa key, graduated Magna Cum Laude, and was Valedictorian, but with those majors, who cares! Realizing a minor in Art History couldn't land you a job as a paper weight, she applied to law school, and it was at Seton Hall University School of Law where she took flight. At Seton Hall she was a member of the Legislative Law Journal and also assisted her professor in publishing an article in Harvard's Journal of Law & Public Policy.We're not quite sure how Judy found us. We suspect she Googled "Opposite of Public Health with No Interest in Art History" and we were her only hit. Her resume (in retrospect, conspicuously silent as to her college curriculum) was impressive in revealing that she was the law clerk for the Presiding Civil Judge of Bergen County. For those unfamiliar, clerking for the presiding judge is one of the most difficult jobs in the court house. It requires in-depth knowledge of diverse areas of law, a high degree of organization, and personal skills to deal with the demanding personalities of the court house. Talk about needs we had to fill! We're pretty sure we asked her lots of questions about these virtues during her interview, but the deal was sealed with Bolan's last question:"What do you enjoy doing after hours?" "Karaoke!" She replied. "How appropriate, what could be more ‘minor' than Art History? "thought Connolly. We think Judy's professional goal is to be a neat version of Vicki Shea-Connolly. Like Vicki she seems to be a magnet for the complex matter commanding creativity and a passionate application of the law. Her practice focuses in General Liability and professional liability claims.Admitted to the New Jersey State Bar, Federal District Court of New Jersey and New York State Bar.

Though most of you are familiar with him as a result of his high profile role as a Commissioner for the burgeoning megalopolis of Allenhurst, New Jersey (270 registered voters), in the light of day, Terrence J. Bolan is an accomplished trial attorney. Terry is a cum laude graduate of Wake Forest University with a B.A. in Psychology where he also enjoyed Distinguished Military Graduate status, which helped us Big Time in gaining entrance to the very affordable Golf Club at Fort Monmouth. Noting that the difference between a 12 inch pizza and a Psychology Major is that a 12 inch pizza can feed a family of four, Terry went on to obtain his Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law before returning to New Jersey just in time to see the Mets win their last World Series. While they haven't since, Terry is undoubtedly possessed of an extra "Y" chromosome; Terry is a natural trial attorney who lives to be in court. He has tried upwards of 150 cases to verdict. He is recognized by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney.Beyond his extensive medical malpractice and dram shop trial experience, he has also tried many complex cases involving products liability, premises liability, employment discrimination and other such esoteric minutiae capable of boring the pigeons off the courthouse roof. Terry lectures on issues ranging from Trial Strategy, Liquor Liability, and Insurance Coverage. Most noteworthy, he authored and presented "Contractual Risk Transfer: Construction of Indemnification Agreements and Additional Insured Endorsements" before the North American Reinsurance Claims Conference and is actively seeking to sell the movie rights on that subject (current E-Bay Bid: $2.13). Mr. Bolan is admitted to New Jersey State Bar, Federal District Court of New Jersey, Third Circuit Court of Appeals, United States Supreme Court. He also passed the Florida State Bar but has thus far refused to join the "Early Bird" crowd despite being a seasoned member of AARP.

If not for the constant cries of "Stick with your day job!" and "Up in front!" we might never have come to know the legal talent of Thomas R. Walters. A musical virtuoso with a natural voice and a face for radio, Tom ultimately succumbed to his passion for law and received his Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he served as Associate Editor of the Law Review. Undergraduate, Tom attended the prestigious engineering institution, University of Scranton, where he earned a B.S. in Political Science and Philosophy minor. Upon graduating from law school, Mr. Walters clerked for a Law Division Judge in the Superior Court, Essex County. Prior to joining the firm Tom focused on products liability, construction litigation, civil rights litigation, premises liability and general negligence claims, and also served as corporate counsel for a multi-national insurer. While working for said "multi-national insurer" we approached Tom and invited him to be on board with us "day one". He politely declined the offer preferring the stability of the corporate world and we harbor no ill will against him for this decision. If we had, we would be seen chiding him on this decision and reminding him that said company is now about as stable as a South American democracy. Obviously we felt no need to go there.Mr. Walters is a seasoned trial attorney with over 50 cases tried to verdict. His primary areas of practice are products liability, trucking litigation, public entity, construction litigation, workers compensation, insurance coverage litigation and premises liability. He has also defended charitable organizations, law enforcement agencies and officers against claims ranging from civil rights violations to dangerous conditions of property.When he is not practicing law, Tom is still living the Peter Pan existence as his band "One Punch Nelson" still plays local gigs and is best known for their breakout hit "You gave me the wrong number, but I still call you any way." Their 8 track can be purchased at Sam Goody and Borders.