Andrew Bruck will serve as acting attorney general for the remainder of Gov. Phil Murphy’s term, Murphy announced Wednesday afternoon.
Bruck, who currently serves as first assistant attorney general, has been part of the executive leadership team at the Attorney General’s Office since January 2018. He will succeed Gurbir Grewal, who will leave the role to assume a position with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 16.
“Andrew’s wealth of experience will serve him well in this role, and his historic appointment reflects our continuing commitment to ensuring that our state government reflects the rich diversity of our people,” Murphy said.
Bruck said he was honored by the opportunity.
“I thank Gov. Murphy for the confidence that he has placed in me, and I am honored by the opportunity to continue the groundbreaking work of Attorney General Grewal,” he said. “I share their commitment to protecting public safety, building public trust and ensuring the rights of all New Jerseyans. I look forward to working with our department’s 7,700 extraordinary public servants to carry out our vital mission.”
Bruck’s appointment, on the last day of Pride Month, represents another milestone for the state. Bruck is the first member of the LGBTQ+ community to serve as attorney general in the state.
Grewal saluted the announcement.
“I am thrilled that Gov. Murphy has selected Andrew Bruck to lead the Attorney General’s Office for the remainder of my term,” he said. “Andrew is one of the sharpest legal minds and finest public servants that I have ever met. We entered office together on Jan. 16, 2018, and, since that day, he has worked tirelessly to stand up for the rights of New Jerseyans, having helped shape some of our office’s most important policies and respond to many of our state’s most complex legal challenges.
“The people of New Jersey and the dedicated public servants in the Department of Law and Public Safety will be well-served by his leadership.”
Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Bruck spent five years at the U.S. Department of Justice. During that time, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and held several roles in the office of Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, including senior counsel, deputy chief of staff and acting chief of staff.
Before joining the Department of Justice, Bruck worked as a litigation associate in the New York office of Davis Polk & Wardwell and clerked for Chief Justice Stuart Rabner of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He is a graduate of Princeton University and Stanford Law School.
Bruck is a New Jersey native who grew up in Montclair and Mendham. He currently resides in Trenton with his husband, Adam, and 8-month-old daughter, Libby.
