Listen to this articleAfter leading the Division of Law in the New Jersey Attorney General‘s Office on an interim basis for nearly a year, Michael Walters is now officially director, according to the state.
The office tapped Walters as interim in December 2024, when Michael T.G. Long rejoined Lowenstein Sandler LLP as a partner in the white collar defense and business litigation practice groups.
Staffed by over 500 attorneys, the DOL serves as the primary legal counsel for New Jersey state government. Its responsibilities cover a broad swath of legal issues, including banking and insurance, child protection, civil rights, consumer protection, corrections, education, the environment, finance, health, taxation, transportation and the state budget.
Prior to becoming acting director, Walters served as deputy director with oversight of the litigation practice group. In that role, he bore responsibility for coordinating and developing litigation strategy for defending the state, its agencies and former state employees.
A 26-year veteran of the AG’s office, Walters has also served as a section chief and line deputy in the law division’s education and higher education sections.
Setting a standard
In a Nov. 7 press release announcing the appointment, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said, “Mike has focused on public service law for his entire career, and I can think of no better person to continue steering the Division and demanding accountability on behalf of New Jerseyans in the years ahead.
“His dedication and integrity set a standard for both our newest employees and our veteran deputy attorneys general, and I am pleased he will continue leading our civil practice, which has grown significantly and achieved amazing results during his tenure,” the AG added.
According to Platkin, the DOL has “achieved numerous victories” for the state over the past year in the areas such as environment, labor, consumer fraud, civil rights, antitrust and government fraud.
After thanking Platkin for the opportunity to continue in the position, Walters said, “Working for New Jersey in this capacity is an honor and I am so pleased to be supported every day by a fantastic team of professionals throughout DOL.”
