Esther Suarez, who stepped down last month after a decade as Hudson County executive, has joined one of the state’s most prestigious law firms.
Suarez, a former Superior Court Judge, will be a partner at Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs, where she will chair the firm’s White Collar Defense and Corporate Investigations
“Prosecutor Suarez is one of the most well-respected and admired legal professionals in the state,” said State Sen. Joseph Lagana (D-Paramus), a principal partner. The managing partner, Matthew Giacobbe, said that Suarez’s experience, expertise, and reputation make her an outstanding addition.
The first woman and first Hispanic to serve as Hudson County Prosecutor, Suarez ended a notable ten-year tenure as the first Hispanic to hold the post, and after leading efforts to modernize the technological capabilities of her office and reduce incidents of violent crime.
She is also a former Bergen County Counsel and Hoboken Corporation Counsel.
As a prosecutor, Suarez built an in-house DNA laboratory that enabled her investigators to work efficiently and eliminate a months-long backlog, along with a state-of-the-art cybersecurity lab to collect and forensically analyze data and digital footprints for complex investigations. Suarez also opened a child advocacy center as a welcoming space for children who were victims or witnesses in investigations involving violent crime.
Suarez is also credited with opening the Hudson County Regional Collision Investigation Unit, the Hudson County Regional Arson Task Force, and the Hudson County Regional S.W.A.T. She joined the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force to protect vulnerable youth.
She has championed the establishment of a mental health court and backed criminal justice reform in support of a more equitable judicial system.
During her decade in law enforcement, Suarez made reducing violent crime a top priority in creating safe communities. Hudson became part of the Violent Crime Initiative, which used federal funds to reduce violent crime in Jersey City. The homicide unit under Suarez has achieved a 100% solve rate, surpassing the national average of 58%.
She also increased training for investigators and prosecutors and obtained federal grants to upgrade her office’s infrastructure and software.
Suarez spent five years as a Superior Court Judge before three Democratic state senators from Hudson County agreed upon her as their choice for prosecutor in 2015. She succeeded Guy Gregory, who became acting prosecutor in 2012 after Edward DeFazio stepped down to become a Superior Court Judge.
After the 2020 election, Suarez was considered a leading candidate for U.S. Attorney.
