Matthew J. Platkin was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy to serve as the state’s 62nd Attorney General on February 3, 2022, and confirmed to that role with bipartisan support by the New Jersey Senate on September 29, 2022.

As New Jersey’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Platkin has prioritized the safety of New Jersey residents, focusing on combating violent crime and implementing innovative public safety strategies. He has specifically targeted gun crimes and auto thefts, resulting in significant reductions in both areas during his tenure. He has also spearheaded efforts to change how law enforcement responds to mental health emergencies by connecting individuals to resources, underscored by the innovative ARRIVE Together program.

The Attorney General leads a department that touches upon nearly every aspect of life in New Jersey. Its sweeping responsibilities include investigating and prosecuting crimes, representing the State’s interests in court, enforcing strong consumer protection and civil rights statutes, regulating important industries and overseeing over 38,000 law enforcement officers throughout the state. Attorney General Platkin believes that at the center of this work is public trust. With that goal in mind, he has made it a priority to utilize available resources and authority to root out public waste and abuse, eradicate corruption, hold regulated businesses and industries accountable, defend civil rights, end bias and discrimination, and increase transparency concerning law enforcement conduct.

Since his appointment, Attorney General Platkin has established several new offices within the Department of Law and Public Safety. These include the Statewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement Office, the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance and specialized units within the Division of Criminal Justice dedicated to prosecuting human trafficking and complex financial crimes. He has spearheaded the creation of the Reproductive Rights Strike Force and partnered with the Governor’s Office and Legislature to protect access to reproductive healthcare.

Before becoming Attorney General, Platkin served as Chief Counsel to Governor Murphy from January 2018 to October 2020. As Chief Counsel, he oversaw an office of attorneys that advised the Governor on all legal matters, including legislation, executive orders, administrative regulations, and litigation.

In addition to his work in public service, Platkin also worked in private practice, having served as a partner at Lowenstein Sandler in the White-Collar Criminal Defense and Business Litigation practice groups.

Previously, he worked as an associate at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City, where he focused on internal investigations and civil and criminal matters before the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Department of Justice, the New York Department of Financial Services, and various regulatory agencies.

Prior to law school, Platkin began his career as a policy advisor at the Brookings Institution in Washington D.C., working with members of Congress on job growth and economic recovery. He also served as an organizer in San Antonio, Texas.

Platkin was born and raised in New Jersey, growing up in Morris County, and graduated from Madison High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University, and his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School, where he was an editor of the Stanford Law Review. He lives in Montclair with his wife, Sophia, and children, Robert and Maya.