I joined the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs in April 2020 (at the start of the pandemic) after practicing law for nearly a decade in New Jersey and New York. I currently serve as the Acting Director of the division. From the moment I arrived, the division has worked tirelessly to help our professional and occupational licensees navigate the pandemic and to protect New Jersey consumers from unscrupulous businesses.
To that end, the division issued health and safety guidance to our licensee community and adopted emergency licensure programs for out-of-state professionals and recent graduates to increase the supply of healthcare workers. Simultaneously, the division investigated and prosecuted price gougers, student loan servicers, unregistered charities, cryptocurrency lending platforms, and companies with lackluster cybersecurity and data privacy practices.
The work has been constant, but it also has been rewarding to know that you are part of a team helping New Jerseyans survive this difficult time. I am consistently impressed with the dedication of the division’s staff and especially grateful for their determined effort over the last two years. Equally welcome has been the opportunity to learn from the creativity of colleagues from across the country through the NAAG network and our multi-jurisdiction enforcement efforts.
A recent highlight of my tenure was the division’s participation in the nationwide settlement with student loan servicer, Navient Corp. Getting relief for student borrowers, including financially struggling borrowers who allegedly were not given the ability to enroll in alternative repayment plans or request appropriate modifications of loan terms, was especially gratifying.
Prior to joining the division, my practice focused on complex civil litigation and government investigations, including financial services, products liability, data privacy, mass tort, consumer fraud, insurance, securities, and antitrust matters. In addition, I represented several clients in civil and criminal government investigations and litigation relating to allegations of fraud and abuse under the False Claims Act and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
My experience both with the division and in private practice extends across all stages of litigation, from the pleading stage through discovery, motion practice, and trial. I have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to engage in appellate practice, having handled appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third and Ninth Circuits, as well as the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey and the New York Appellate Division, Second Department.
I began my career as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Virginia A. Long, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Other articles in this edition include:
- How the State Center Supports the Antitrust and Consumer Protection Efforts of the Attorney General Community
- Attorney General Consumer Protection News: February 2022
- Federal Consumer Protection News: February 2022
