Grifa Nominated by Governor Christie as DCA Commissioner
January 25, 2010
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has nominated Wolff & Samson member Lori Grifa as the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
“I am so honored to be considered for this important role,” said Grifa. “New Jersey has many challenging issues to deal with in the near term and transparency and accountability of government are key among them. I know the Governor is devoutly committed to good government and I share in his passion; I look forward to serving in his Cabinet.”
Grifa was a public member of the DCA’s Subcommittee for Intergovernmental Cooperation from 2007-2008, where she worked to remove bureaucratic hurdles impeding the construction of affordable housing for residents in need throughout the state. She also was appointed by Senator Richard J. Codey to serve as chairperson of the Advisory Council to the NJ Juvenile Justice Commission, a body dedicated to the development and implementation of policies for juvenile crime prevention and deterrence and the rehabilitation of the state’s incarcerated juvenile offenders.
In addition, when David Samson was appointed state attorney general in 2002, Grifa left Wolff & Samson to serve as his chief of staff, where she was responsible for managing the staff of the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety.
Before joining Wolff & Samson, Grifa was a special assistant district attorney in the Homicide Investigation Unit of the New York County District Attorney’s Office for two years and was a senior assistant district attorney in the Office of the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney from 1989-1997, where she specialized in homicide and gang-related prosecutions.
Grifa earned her bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University, where she graduated cum laude, and her law degree from Boston College School of Law. She is listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Administrative Law and was named by NJBIZ in 2008 as one of New Jersey's "Best 50 Women in Business."
She is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity – Newark and has personally been involved in the construction of more than 10 single family homes in Newark. She is also a former member of the D.A.R.E New Jersey Board of Directors. She has served on numerous committees of the New Jersey Supreme Court, including the State Domestic Violence Working Group, as well as the District V-A Ethics Committee.
