CJ Griffin

CJ Griffin is the director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center at Pashman Stein Walder Hayden (Stein Public Interest Center). Established in 2019, the Stein Public Interest Center is dedicated to a broad range of public interest impact litigation and appellate advocacy that advances social, racial, and economic justice; protects civil liberties and constitutional rights; and promotes an open and transparent government. In 2021, CJ was profiled by Super Lawyers in an article titled "The Inspired CJG - How the RBG documentary moved CJ Griffin to build a first-of-its-kind public-interest center."

CJ Griffin’s legal practice focuses on media law, appellate advocacy, employment, criminal defense and cannabis law.

CJ has extensive experience representing media companies, non profit organizations and citizens in Open Public Records Act (OPRA) litigations. Several of CJ’s cases have resulted in landmark decisions from the Supreme Court and Appellate Division, including Rivera v. Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Libertarians for Trans. Gov’t v. Cumberland County, North Jersey Media Group Inc. v. Township of Lyndhurst; Scheeler v. Atlantic County Joint Municipal Insurance Fund; and Wronko v. New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. CJ publishes the Firm’s “New Jersey OPRA Blog” to keep the public informed about updates in the law and routinely hosts OPRA trainings for community organizations and news-rooms.

CJ has built a considerable appellate practice. CJ has argued before the New Jersey Supreme Court nearly 20 times and has worked on nearly 60 cases that have become published opinions. This includes regular appearances before the appellate courts in an amicus curiae capacity on a variety of legal issues. CJ also serves on the Amicus Committee of the New Jersey State Bar Association. In 2018, the New Jersey Law Journal awarded the Firm a Litigation Department of the Year Award for its appellate work, primarily in the OPRA field. In 2022, New Jersey Monitor published an article titled "In praise of CJ Griffin, who fights to shine a spotlight on N.J. government" that highlights CJ's OPRA and police transparency work."  

CJ is proud of the results achieved for clients, some of which are noted here and under the “Important Cases” section of this biography.  Of course, each legal matter is unique on many levels, and past successes are not a guarantee of results in any other pending or future matters.

Honors & Recognitions

• Named #16 on InsiderNJ's 2023 "Insider Out 100 LGBTQ Power List"

• Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers of New Jersey, Honorable Lawrence A. Whipple Memorial Award, 2022

• Named #7 on InsiderNJ's 2022 "Insider Out 100 LGBTQ Power List" and named in the top 10 on Insider NJ's 2021 "Insider Out 100 LGBTQ Power List"
• Named #12 on InsiderNJ's 2022 “Insider 100: Cannabis Power List”
• Partners for Women and Justice, “Partner in Justice Award,” 2021
• New Jersey Law Journal, Attorney of the Year Finalist, 2020
• Star Ledger, “20 New Jerseyans to Watch in 2020”
• National Law Journal, “2019 Litigation Trailblazer”
• Senator Loretta Weinberg’s “Women’s Power List", 2019-2021, 2023
• InsiderNJ, “Insider 100: Cannabis Power List,” 2021 & 2019
• Databird’s Research Journal, “250 Cannabis Law Experts” List, 2018
• InsiderNJ, “Insider 100 LGBT Power” List, 2018-2020
• New Jersey Bar Association, Young Lawyer’s Division--Professional Achievement Award, 2017
• New Jersey Law Journal, Attorney of the Year Finalist, 2018 & 2020
• Selected for inclusion in the list of Best Lawyers in America, 2024
• Selected for inclusion in the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers, 2020-2023
• Selected for inclusion in the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star, 2013-2019

The Best Lawyers list is issued by Woodward/White, Inc. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://www.bestlawyers.com/About/MethodologyBasic.aspx.

The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html.

The New Jersey Rising Star list is issued by Thomson Reuters. A description of the selection methodology can be found at http://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html.

The Insider 100: Cannabis Power List is issued by Insider NJ. A description of the selection methodology can be found at https://www.insidernj.com/2021-insider-cannabis-power/.

No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Blog Posts

Community & Professional

• ACLU-NJ, Board of Trustees, Vice President (2016-Present)
• New Jersey State Bar Association, 2009-Present
  • Media Law Committee, Co-Chair, 2018-current
  • LGBT Rights Section, Chair, 2015; Member, current
  • Bylaws & Resolutions Committee, 2018-current
  • Amicus Committee, 2018-current
• Association of Criminal Lawyers of New Jersey, 2020-present
  • Police Accountability Committee, 2020-Present
• New Jersey Law Journal’s Young Lawyers Advisory Board, Former Member

• State v. Gomes, __ N.J. __ (2023)

• State v. Canfield, 252 N.J. 497 (2023)

• State v. A.M., 252 N.J. 432 (2023)

• ACLU of N.J. v. County Prosecutor’s Ass’n of N.J., __ N.J. Super. __ (App. Div. 2023)

• State v. Ramirez, 252 N.J. 277 (2022)

• State v. Bailey, 251 N.J. 101 (2022)

• State v. Thompson, 250 N.J. 556 (2022)

• State v. Bell, 250 N.J. 519 (2022)

• Acoli v. N.J. State Parole Board, 250 N.J. 431 (2022)

• State v. O.D.A.-C., 250 N.J. 408 (2022)

• State v. Sims, 250 N.J. 189 (2022)

• Rivera v. Union County Prosecutor’s Office, 250 N.J. 124 (2022)

• Libertarians for Transparent Gov’t v. Cumberland County, 250 N.J. 46 (2022)

• State v. Francisco, 471 N.J. Super. 386 (App. Div. 2022)

• State v. Gonzalez, 249 N.J. 612 (2022)

• State v. Ryan, 249 N.J. 581 (2022)

• State v. Nyema, 249 N.J. 509 (2022)

• State v. Comer, 249 N.J. 359 (2022)

• State v. Caronna, 469 N.J. Super. 462 (App. Div. 2021)

• C.R. v. M.T., 248 N.J. 428 (2021)

• Bozzi v. City of Jersey City, 248 N.J. 274 (2021)

• State v. Carter, 247 N.J. 488 (2021)

• State v. Andujar, 247 N.J. 275 (2021)

• In re Attorney Gen. Law Enf't Directive Nos. 2020-5 & 2020-6, 246 N.J. 462 (2021)

• Gannett Satellite Info. Network, LLC v. Twp. of Neptune, 467 N.J. Super. 385 (App. Div. 2021)

• State v. Lopez-Carrera, 245 N.J. 596 (2021)

• State v. Garcia, 245 N.J. 412 (2021)

• In re Atty Gen. Law Enf't Directive Nos. 2020-5 & 2020-6, 465 N.J. Super. 111 (App. Div. 2020)

• Fraternal Order of Police, Newark Lodge No. 12 v. City of Newark, 244 N.J 75 (2020)

• State v. Courtney, 243 N.J. 77 (2020)

• State v. Greene, 242 N.J. 530 (2020)

• Friedman v. Martinez, 242 N.J. 449 (2020)

• State v. J.V., 242 N.J. 432 (2020)

• State v. Trinidad, 241 N.J. 425 (2020)

• Wild v. Carriage Funeral Holdings Inc., 241 N.J. 285 (2020)

• State v. Shaw, 241 N.J. 223 (2020)

• Digital First Media v. Ewing Twp., 462 N.J. Super. 389 (App. Div. 2020)

• L.R. v. Camden City Pub. Sch. Dist., 238 N.J. 547 (2019)

• Correa v. Grossi, 458 N.J. Super. 571 (App. Div. 2019)

• Piscitelli v. City of Garfield Zoning Bd., 237 N.J. 333 (2019)

• Paff v. Ocean Cnty. Prosecutor's Office, 235 N.J. 1 (2018)

• Kean Federation of Teachers v. Morel, 233 N.J. 566 (2018)

• Brennan v. Bergen Cnty. Prosecutor’s Office, 233 N.J. 330 (2018)

• Scheeler v. Atl. Cnty. Mun. Joint Ins. Fund, 454 N.J. Super. 621 (App. Div. 2018)

• Petro-Lubricant Testing Labs, Inc. v. Asher Adelman, 233 N.J. 236 (2018)

• Libertarians for Transp. Gov’t v. Gov’t Records Council, 453 N.J. Super. 83 (App. Div. 2018)

• Wronko v. N.J.S.P.C.A., 453 N.J. Super. 73 (App. Div. 2018)

• In re New Jersey Firemen’s Ass’n, 230 N.J. 258 (2017)

• N. Jersey Media Group Inc. v. Office of Gov., 451 N.J. Super. 282 (App. Div. 2017)

• N. Jersey Media Group Inc. v. Twp. of Lyndhurst, 229 N.J. 541 (2017)

• State v. Bacome, 228 N.J. 94 (2017)

• Gilleran v. Twp. of Bloomfield, 227 N.J. 159 (2016)

• N. Jersey Media Group Inc. v. Twp. of Lyndhurst, 441 N.J. Super. 70 (App. Div. 2015)

• Gilleran v. Twp. of Bloomfield, 440 N.J. Super. 490 (App. Div.  2015)

• State v. Tate, 220 N.J. 393 (2015)

• Turner v. Twp. of Irvington, 430 N.J. Super. 274 (App. Div. 2013)

• Headen v. Jersey City Bd. of Educ., 212 N.J. 437 (2012)

• Wilson ex rel. Manzano v. City of Jersey City, 209 N.J. 558 (2012)