Connell Foley LLP is pleased to announce the Honorable Kim Guadagno has joined the firm as a Partner. She will practice out of the firm’s Jersey City office.
“Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno is an outstanding addition to Connell Foley,” said Managing Partner Philip F. McGovern Jr. “Kim is a person of exceptional substance and character. Her breadth of knowledge and experience as New Jersey’s first Lieutenant Governor combined with her passionate advocacy for businesses make her an invaluable member of our firm. Moreover, her years and results achieved as a federal and state prosecutor speak volumes about her legal ability. We are honored by her decision to join Connell Foley.”
Lt. Governor Guadagno will join four Connell Foley practice groups – Corporate and Business Law, White Collar Criminal Defense, Commercial Litigation, and Corporate Compliance and Internal Investigations. Drawing on her extensive background in the public and private sectors, Lt. Governor Guadagno will provide strategic counsel to clients involved in complex civil, criminal, and regulatory litigation. She will also counsel clients on a wide range of local, state, and federal policy issues, economic development projects, and business matters.
“It was an easy decision to join Connell Foley,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “After eight years of public service as New Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor, I am eager to return to practicing law at one of the region’s most dynamic firms with an extraordinary group of dedicated and experienced professionals. I know that my years of experience at the state and federal levels, along with my deep involvement in the business community, will empower clients and contribute to Connell Foley’s continued growth.”
As New Jersey’s 33rd Secretary of State, Lt. Governor Guadagno was widely recognized by industry leaders statewide for her success in creating and retaining jobs, promoting economic growth, and reducing burdensome regulations on businesses. Lt. Governor Guadagno’s tremendous relationships with government and business leaders are unparalleled and will further strengthen Connell Foley’s steadfast commitment to counseling startups, large public and private corporations, financial institutions, and nonprofits. As a former Assistant United States Attorney and Assistant Attorney General in New Jersey, Lt. Governor Guadagno has vast experience in conducting and organizing highly successful and complex investigations and litigation.
After graduating cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law, the Lieutenant Governor clerked for the Honorable Henry F. Werker and the Honorable Kevin T. Duffy in the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York. Following her clerkships, she spent five years at a private practice in New York City until she began her public service career as a federal prosecutor with the Organized Crime and Racketeering Strike Force in Brooklyn, New York. From 1990 to 1998, Lt. Governor Guadagno served as an Assistant United States Attorney, holding various positions including Deputy Chief of the corruption unit. Twice during her time as a federal prosecutor, she was the recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice Director’s Award, the Nation’s highest honor for superior performance.