Now that Philip Sellinger has won confirmation as U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, observers say all eyes will be on his staffing decisions as indicators for the priorities his tenure will take.

Sellinger won confirmation by a voice vote of the Senate on Tuesday night. As soon as President Joe Biden signs his commission, Sellinger is free to schedule his swearing-in ceremony, said Matthew Reilly, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Sellinger takes over following the departure of U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito in January. Rachael Honig served as acting U.S. attorney in the interim.

Sellinger, who is white, got the nod from the White House after several organizations called for the nomination to go to a person of color. Sellinger was chosen after another front-runner, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, who is Hispanic, took herself out of the running.

Carlos Bollar, president of the Hispanic National Bar Association and a partner at Archer in Haddonfield, is among those who had urged Biden and the state's U.S. senators to choose a diverse candidate for the post. His group and others pointed out that New Jersey has never had a Black or Hispanic person in the job of U.S. attorney.

Carlos Bollar of Archer & Greiner/courtesy photo

"We are disappointed that Senators Menendez and Booker and the Biden White House did not utilize this opportunity to make a historic selection for the U.S. attorney position. There was a great opportunity to make a selection of a person of color. I don't know when the next opportunity to change history in that way will be," Bollar said.

Now that Sellinger has been confirmed, Bollar said his group wishes the incoming U.S. attorney well, and has no doubt Sellinger will be competent. However, Bollar said, he hopes Sellinger will consider diversity when making staffing decisions.

"I think the diversity of the U.S. Attorney's Office needs to be reflective of the state of New Jersey as well. I'm optimistic the U.S. attorney will take that to heart," Bollar said.

Sellinger was an assistant U.S. attorney in the District of New Jersey from 1981 to 1984. He is co-managing shareholder of Greenberg Traurig's Florham Park office and was a past co-chair of the firm's global litigation practice. Sellinger is a member of the Democratic State Committee and is known as a fundraiser for Democratic candidates.

Christopher Adams, chair of the Criminal Defense and Regulatory Compliance Practice Group at Greenbaum Rowe Smith & Davis in Woodbridge, will likewise be closely watching personnel decisions made by Sellinger.