Brach Eichler Talks | Law & Legal Insights from Lawyers

Brach Eichler LLC

Brach Eichler Talks is a legal podcast hosted by attorneys at Brach Eichler that provides actionable insights across a broad spectrum of practice areas, including corporate law, healthcare, labor and employment, litigation, real estate, tax, trusts & estates, and more. Tailored for business owners, healthcare providers, general counsel, and individuals, each episode translates complex legal developments and real-world challenges into clear, practical guidance to help you stay informed and prepared. 🎙️ Stream it now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio. 🔗 Learn more and explore full episodes at https://www.bracheichler.com/brach-eichler-talks-podcast/

  1. 6d ago

    Can Out-of-State Doctors Practice Telehealth in New Jersey? Third Circuit Decision Explained

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit recently decided in MacDonald v. President of the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners that only physicians licensed in New Jersey may practice telemedicine with patients located in New Jersey. The underlying action was filed by multiple out-of-state physicians who did not hold a New Jersey medical license but sought to practice telemedicine within the state. The District Court dismissed the case outright, and on appeal, the Third Circuit affirmed the substantial holding of the dismissal, with only a minor modification concerning due process. The First Amendment Argument and the Court’s Holding On appeal, the court addressed a fundamental question: Does the First Amendment protect the speech of a physician with a high level of scrutiny regarding their right to give advice to a patient located in New Jersey? The Third Circuit declined to apply strict scrutiny or a strict application of First Amendment rights. In its reasoning, the court pointed to the extensive history and tradition of medical licensing dating back to the sixteenth century, with roots in English common law. Key determinations from the holding include: Valid State Interest: The State has a valid interest in protecting the public by administering and enforcing a physician licensure program. Coexistence of Speech and Regulation: First Amendment protected speech properly coexists with licensing regulations designed to safeguard the public interest. Content-Based Regulation: While an unlicensed physician has the right to free speech, communications involving diagnoses, treatment advice, and medical consultations are content-based speech regulated to protect the public. In this context, the public interest trumps that protected interest. Low Burden on Physicians: The court rejected counterarguments and found a very low burden on physicians to comply. Because doctors must be licensed wherever they practice, obtaining a license in an alternate state is primarily an administrative burden, which remains low compared to the State's interest in public protection. Under this ruling, in order to practice medicine—even in a telehealth setting—with a patient located within the state of New Jersey, a physician must be licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners (BME). Broader Implications Beyond Telehealth The court’s First Amendment analysis has implications reaching beyond this specific case. Because the logic and legal reasoning rely on the state's interest in regulating content-based professional speech to protect the public, the decision could extend to other professional licensing boards and other disciplines from state to state. Related Reading For additional background on this ruling from Brach Eichler’s Healthcare Law practice, read the firm's alert: Third Circuit Upholds New Jersey Physician Licensure Requirement for Provision of Telemedicine to New Jersey Patients. Contact & Information For questions about this topic or this segment, contact Keith J. Roberts directly: Email: kroberts@bracheichler.com Firm Website: BrachEichler.com Case Decision: Access the full text of MacDonald v. President of the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners. Disclaimer: This post is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact Keith directly if you need specific legal advice.

    Can Out-of-State Doctors Practice Telehealth in New Jersey? Third Circuit Decision Explained
  2. Aug 7

    The Day New Jersey Overtook California on Employee-Friendly Leave Policies

    New Jersey just set a new national standard for employee-friendly leave, leaving even California in the dust. In this episode, we break down the groundbreaking legal shift that went into effect on July 17, 2026, fundamentally altering the landscape for businesses across the Garden State. Whether you run a large corporation or a small local business, the rules of the game have changed. Employees receiving Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) or Family Leave Insurance (FLI) are now entitled to strict, stand-alone job protection, with absolutely no minimum company size and no minimum tenure required. Key Topics Covered: The Big Shift: Why New Jersey's TDI and FLI programs are now powerful job-protection laws, even if the leave isn't covered by FMLA or NJFLA. Expanded Coverage: How the New Jersey Family Leave Act (NJFLA) drastically reduced its threshold, sweeping in employers with as few as 15 employees (down from 30) and covering workers with just 3 months and 250 hours on the job. Leave Durations Explained: The breakdown of required protected leave, including up to 26 weeks for personal health conditions, 12 weeks for caregiving, and 24+ weeks for maternity and bonding time. Retroactive Reach: Why these new protections apply to certain leaves that began before July 17, 2026. Actionable Advice: The steps HR teams, managers, and business owners must take right now to update reinstatement policies, track FLI leave, and coordinate PTO without violating the Earned Sick Leave Law. This episode is based on a Labor & Employment law alert published by Brach Eichler LLC. Brach Eichler’s Labor & Employment team of attorneys is available to guide clients through any changes specific to your workforce and amend your internal policies. *This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact us if you need specific legal advice.

    The Day New Jersey Overtook California on Employee-Friendly Leave Policies
  3. Aug 7

    New Jersey Bill Targets Hospital Closures and Financial Distress

    In this episode of the Brach Eichler Talks podcast, we dive into a critical healthcare law update affecting medical facilities and communities across New Jersey. We explore a newly proposed bill introduced by State Sen. Raj Mukherji that targets hospital closures and financial distress. Recent hospital closures have highlighted gaps in regulatory enforcement when operators scale back services or abruptly cease operations. Tune in to understand how this proposed legislation would empower New Jersey regulators, the Department of Health (DOH), the Attorney General, and local municipalities to intervene, appoint receivers, and preserve community access to care. Key Takeaways in This Episode: The Proposed Legislation: How the May 2026 bill introduced by Sen. Raj Mukherji expands tools for NJ regulators and local governments to address financially distressed hospitals. Current NJ Law: An overview of the existing regulations for general acute-care hospitals, including the Certificate of Need and the mandatory Department of Health public review process. Closing Enforcement Gaps: How the bill addresses operators who scale back services in ways that undermine current closure requirements. The Role of a Receiver: The legal process for petitioning the Superior Court to appoint a receiver to oversee, stabilize, or conduct an orderly wind-down of a failing hospital. Connect With Our Healthcare Law Team For more information or specific guidance on how these proposed changes may impact your healthcare organization, please contact our attorneys: John D. Fanburg, Managing Member and Chair, Healthcare Phone: 973-403-3107 Email: jfanburg@bracheichler.com Jonathan J. Walzman, Member, Healthcare Phone: 973-403-3120 Email: jwalzman@bracheichler.com Subscribe & Follow Don't miss an episode! Subscribe to Brach Eichler Talks on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for real-time updates on new episodes and trending legal topics. For more information and legal resources, visit: bracheichler.com *This is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact the authors if you need specific advice.

    New Jersey Bill Targets Hospital Closures and Financial Distress
  4. Aug 6

    AI: How Businesses Have Been Managing Rapid Change

    In this episode of the Brach Eichler Talks podcast, Members Lani M. Dornfeld, CHPC, and Jay Sabin discuss one of the most pressing issues facing business leaders today: the unregulated use of artificial intelligence in the workplace. Click here to view the Action Plan now. With the rapid evolution of technology, there is a widening gap between employee adoption of AI and corporate management. Lani and Jay break down the critical differences between reactive generative AI (like ChatGPT) and proactive agentic AI, which can autonomously execute tasks and pull data from multiple electronic systems. They explore the severe reputational, cyber, and regulatory risks of these tools, sharing real-world examples of AI implementation gone wrong, and explain why guardrails are even more critical with agentic AI. Tune in to learn how your organization can build effective corporate protections, from enforcing interim policies and educating your workforce to properly vetting vendors and conducting private management briefings. Need help navigating AI compliance for your organization? Whether you need to develop a holistic AI acceptable use policy, require a detailed review of AI vendor contracts, or need to incorporate AI procedures into your existing HIPAA compliance programs, our team is here to help. Please do not hesitate to contact Lani M. Dornfeld, Esq., CHPC (ldornfeld@bracheichler.com) or Jay Sabin, Esq. (jsabin@bracheichler.com) to kickstart, solidify, enhance, or augment your organization's management of AI. Subscribe & Follow: Don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook for updates on new episodes. For more information and resources, visit BrachEichler.com. *This content is intended to provide general information, not legal advice. Please contact Lani or Jay to consult on your organization’s specific AI management needs.

    AI: How Businesses Have Been Managing Rapid Change

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Brach Eichler Talks is a legal podcast hosted by attorneys at Brach Eichler that provides actionable insights across a broad spectrum of practice areas, including corporate law, healthcare, labor and employment, litigation, real estate, tax, trusts & estates, and more. Tailored for business owners, healthcare providers, general counsel, and individuals, each episode translates complex legal developments and real-world challenges into clear, practical guidance to help you stay informed and prepared. 🎙️ Stream it now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Podbean, Amazon Music, and iHeartRadio. 🔗 Learn more and explore full episodes at https://www.bracheichler.com/brach-eichler-talks-podcast/