NJBIZ Conversations: Chris Porrino

NJBIZ STAFF//December 21, 2020

New Jersey’s federal courts rank among the busiest in the nation and handle some of the most complex litigation, with the state being home to Fortune 500 companies and a center of the pharmaceutical industry. But the bench here also has one of the highest vacancy rates in the country, with about a third of the 17-judge allotment unfilled. Chris Porrino, who served as state attorney general under Gov. Chris Christie and is now a partner at Roseland’s Lowenstein Sandler, pointed out the problem in a recent op-ed article on NJ.com. In this week’s edition of NJBIZ Conversations, Porrino expands on that piece for NJBIZ Editor Jeff Kanige, explaining why the situation is bad for business. “Businesses have their disputes linger — sometimes you’re a defendant that can be used for strategic advantage,” said Porrino, who chairs Lowenstein’s litigation department. “But one thing I know about litigation is the cases that take longer don’t get cheaper. And so businesses end up paying more for those outcomes because they’re dragging that over a longer period.” Watch the full interview here.