Scarinci Hollenbeck Alum is New Hudson County Prosecutor

Scarinci Hollenbeck Alumna Judge Esther Suarez Nominated to Hudson County Prosecutor

Scarinci Hollenbeck is pleased to congratulate Passaic County Judge Esther Suarez on her nomination to the position of Hudson County Prosecutor by Governor Chris Christie. Suarez, a former associate at Scarinci Hollenbeck, was chosen to fill the three-year vacancy and become Hudson County’s first female and Hispanic lead prosecutor after a unanimous vote by the state Senate. A Hudson County native and a Superior Court Judge with an impeccable record, Judge Suarez brings a solid background of legal experience to the office. Suarez will replace Guy Gregory, who has been the acting Hudson County prosecutor since August 2012, and her appointment will run five years.

While at Scarinci Hollenbeck, Judge Suarez concentrated on labor and municipal law. Managing partner Donald Scarinci praised her as an extremely competent attorney. “She will make an outstanding prosecutor,” he said, “she knows Hudson County extremely well.”

Mr. Scarinci continued: “It is significant that the vote was unanimous. The county prosecutor is a constitutional officer nominated and appointed by the governor with the consent of the state Senate. The governor has the authority to make the appointment, but senators in the district have the right to block it, using what’s known as senatorial courtesy.”

Suarez is widely known as a very community-minded woman with innovative ideas. She was praised by many for her investment and commitment on the bench in Passaic, where she worked in the family division.

Suarez worked as corporation counsel in Hoboken from 2001 to 2003, and was also the director of the Law Department County Counsel in Bergen County, a county adjuster, and general counsel of the Union City Parking Authority.

Suarez, who currently resides in Secaucus, was born and raised in Bayonne. She received her B.A. from Douglass College, Rutgers University. During college, she also studied abroad at Universite de Tours in France. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from Rutgers University School of Law in 1997.