Intro 

Matthew J. Platkin was nominated by Governor Phil Murphy to serve as the state’s 62nd Attorney General on February 3, 2022, and confirmed to that role by the New Jersey Senate on September 29, 2022. From February 14 until his confirmation, Platkin served as Acting Attorney General. 

Early Life and Education 

AG Platkin was born and raised in New Jersey, grew 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. 

Career Highlights 

From  2018 through 2020, AG Platkin served as Chief Counsel to Governor Murphy. As Chief Counsel, Platkin oversaw an office of attorneys that advised the Governor on all legal matters, including legislation, executive orders, administrative regulations, and litigations. He also was responsible for coordinating with the Attorney General’s Office on civil matters, including affirmative litigations, and oversaw judicial and prosecutorial nominations.  

From October 2020 to February 2022, AG Platkin served as a partner at Lowenstein Sandler in the White Collar Criminal Defense and Business Litigation practice groups, and also served on the firm’s Pro Bono Committee. He is admitted to the bar in New Jersey and New York.  

Following graduation from law school, AG Platkin practiced law 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, AG 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 following the 2008 financial crisis. He also ws an organizer in San Antonio, Texas. 

Attorney General Accomplishments 

Since his appointment, AG 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.  

In 2024, under AG Platkin’s leadership, New Jersey reached a $14 million resolution of a natural resource damages lawsuit against two companies for the contamination of groundwater with trichloroethylene (TCE).  

Personal Life 

AG Platkin lives in Montclair with his wife, Sophia, and son.