Regina Appolon, highly regarded in Trenton as a respected, experienced and strategic advisor, has joined the government affairs practice at McCarter & English, the firm announced Monday.
Appolon, who joins the firm as a government affairs advisor (she is not an attorney) will work out of the firm’s Trenton office.
Guillermo Artiles, chair of McCarter’s Government Affairs practice, applauded the announcement.
“We are excited to add Regina to our dynamic team,” he said. “She is well-known in Trenton and beyond, and her strong reputation and experience in state government make her an invaluable resource to our clients who seek strategic advice and insight.”
Appolon most recently served as a Strategic Advisor and Public Affairs & Government Professional at Princeton Public Affairs Group.
“I am honored to join such a talented and respected group,” she said. “McCarter’s strong lobbying team paired with the firm’s national platform and legal service offerings, provide clients with a more integrated and strategic approach to advocacy.”
Appolon began her government career as deputy chief of staff and legislative director to Assemblyman John Wisniewski. She also served as chief of staff to Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, now a State Senator, where she played a pivotal role in the passage of nationally recognized legislation, including the creation of a separate hair braiding license in New Jersey; financial literacy requirements for students in grades 6-8; and the CROWN Act, which bans discrimination based on hair texture and style.
“Regina was an integral member of my team whose work made a meaningful impact on our constituents,” McKnight said. “She is also a strong leader in the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, and she will certainly be an asset to McCarter.”
McCarter’s Government Affairs group, led by Artiles, who worked for New Jersey’s last two governors, also includes New Jersey’s Republican National Committeeman Bill Palatucci; Michael Maitland, a former chief of staff to Rep. Donald Norcross and aide to US Senator Frank Lautenberg; Brian Wilton, the first-ever General Counsel of NJ Transit; Stephanie Olivo, the former Compliance Director for the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC); Vincent Mauro, Jr., former chief of staff for Connecticut’s Senate Democrats; Christian Callegari, former Campaign Deputy Political Director to Governor
Mikie Sherrill and Chief of Staff to Mayor Andre Sayegh. Michael Murphy, a former prosecutor of Morris County and candidate for Governor of New Jersey, works for McCarter Government Solutions, LLC.
McCarter Firmwide Managing Partner Joe Boccassini is thrilled.
“It’s great to see our Government Affairs group continue to grow with Regina’s arrival,” he said. “She joins a dynamic and experienced team that has helped our clients navigate the legislative and regulatory landscape in New Jersey and beyond and we are very proud to welcome her to McCarter.”
Active in civic organizations in New Jersey, Appolon currently serves as the gtreasurer of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Foundation and as a board member of NY/NJ Baykeeper.
She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Rutgers University.
