The state Supreme Court has upheld the invalidation of a retainer agreement between a paralegal-client, Lisa Balducci, and her then-lawyer, Brian Cige, in a suit brought under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination. But the court has said the underlying issue needs a closer look from an ad hoc committee.

On a broader level, Balducci v. Cige centered on whether lawyers in LAD and certain fee-shifting cases must inform clients about aspects of their fees or refer them to attorneys who may represent them for less money.