We applaud the governor's nomination of Fabiana Pierre-Louis as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, effective on the mandatory retirement of Justice Walter Timpone in November. A graduate of Rutgers Law School in Camden with high honors, she clerked for Justice John Wallace while he served on the Supreme Court, and served nine years working in all three branches of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey. Ms. Pierre-Louis was appointed head of the Trenton office in 2016 and became in charge of the Camden office two years later. Ms. Pierre-Louise subsequently returned to practice as a partner in the white collar and government investigations practice group in the Cherry Hill office of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, where she had commenced her legal career as an associate before joining the U.S. Attorney's Office. Ms. Pierre-Louis is only 39 years of age, and will bring to the court a new perspective and experience. Upon reappointment and confirmation following her initial seven-year term, she will be able to serve 30 years as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court.

The nomination has led to universal praise in statements of public officials and fellow practitioners. As an attorney of Haitian heritage, Pierre-Louis's appointment also promotes diversity on the bench with appropriate and enormous significance to the perception of justice at a time when confidence in the color blindness of all our institutions has been shaken.