On Thursday, July 24, 2025, the Disciplinary Review Board of the Supreme Court of New Jersey issued a letter of admonition to attorney James Nicholas Barletti for professional misconduct. The admonition was a result of a motion for discipline by consent filed by the District XA Ethics Committee.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of James Nicholas Barletti,” with case no. DRB 25-117.
The Board found Barletti in violation of two rules of professional conduct: RPC 1.3, which pertains to a lack of diligence, and RPC 1.4(b), which requires attorneys to keep clients reasonably informed about the status of their matters and to respond promptly to reasonable requests for information. However, the Board dismissed additional charges that Barletti had engaged in gross neglect and failed to ensure that all members of his law firm conformed to the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The case revolved around Barletti’s failure to respond to communications from a client, E.T., who had engaged his firm, Gold, Albanese, Barletti & Locascio LLC, to represent her in a medical malpractice suit. The client had undergone an unsuccessful medical procedure at the Osteo Relief Institute in March 2017 and sought representation from Barletti’s firm, which settled her case in April 2022.
In April 2023, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mistakenly informed the client that she owed a significant amount for medical expenses related to the procedure. The client forwarded this notice to Barletti, but he failed to respond. She sent additional communications in July and August 2023, yet Barletti did not reply to any of her requests for assistance.
Despite her attempts to reach him through letters and voicemails, the client ultimately contacted CMS directly, which led to the correction of the erroneous billing in November 2023. The investigation by the District Ethics Committee revealed that Barletti had not maintained a proper system for managing client communications, contributing to his failure to act on the client’s inquiries.
During the investigation, Barletti acknowledged the lack of a formal process for handling correspondence at his firm and explained that he had closed one of the firm’s offices to improve operational efficiency. However, the Board concluded that while Barletti did receive some correspondence from the client, he had not adequately addressed her needs or provided necessary responses.
In determining the appropriate disciplinary action, the Board noted Barletti’s admission of responsibility and his lack of prior disciplinary issues over his 27 years of practice. They decided that an admonition would be sufficient, taking into account the mitigating factors of his stipulation and the closure of the Wall, New Jersey office. The Board emphasized that Barletti’s actions reflected poorly not only on himself, but also on the legal profession as a whole.
As a condition of the admonition, Barletti is required to complete a continuing legal education course focused on office administration within 90 days of receiving the letter.
According to Avvo.com, Mr. Barletti is a personal injury attorney in Morristown, New Jersey. He attended Seton Hall University School of Law, graduating in 1998. He acquired his law license in New Jersey in the same year.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
