Bergen Administrator Julien Neals Nominated For Federal Judgeship

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — President Joe Biden nominated 11 candidates for federal and district court judge positions Monday, including a familiar face to Bergen County.

County administrator Julien Neals is Biden's nominee for the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, news that drew praise from officials across the state.

Neals, who also serves as county counsel, has worked closely with Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco during his administration.

"Everyone who has had the opportunity to work with Julien knows he is a gentleman of great character, capability, and integrity, and he will serve the federal bench with fairness and distinction. This nomination is well overdue, and I applaud President Joe Biden and New Jersey Senators Cory Booker and Bob Menendez for moving it forward," said Tedesco.

"On a personal note, I am lucky to have had Julien as an integral part of my administration for the past six and a half years. While bittersweet, Bergen County’s loss is truly our nation’s gain."

This isn't Neals' first nomination, and he holds a rather unfortunate record stemming from his one.

In 2017, The Record cited an Alliance for Justice report which pointed out that Neals would have waited 674 days for a decision on his nomination by the end of that calendar year.

Neals likely won't have to wait long this time, as the Biden administration is determined to move quickly on these nominations.

"President Biden has had a career-long commitment to the strength of the federal judiciary, and that is reflected in the historically fast pace at which he has moved to fill vacancies on the federal bench. The intent to nominate 11 individuals today is faster than any President in modern history. With respect to Circuit and District Courts, none of the last four administrations had nominated more than two candidates by this point in their presidency."

Zahid Quraishi, a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, is also nominated for a position with the District Court of New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Quraishi's potential selection has historic implications for both state and country.

"With these nominations, President Biden is proving his commitment to ensuring that our bench is more diverse and reflective of our people. This work is shown, especially, with the elevation of Magistrate Judge Quraishi, who would be not just the first Asian-American to sit on the bench for the District of New Jersey, but also the first Muslim-American federal judge in our nation’s history," he said.

Congressman Bill Pascrell, D-9, said "this revolutionary commitment to re-balance the judiciary will help remake justice in America."

Achieving diversity in these selections was also a chief goal of the President.

"This trailblazing slate of nominees draws from the very best and brightest minds of the American legal profession. Each is deeply qualified and prepared to deliver justice faithfully under our Constitution and impartially to the American people — and together they represent the broad diversity of background, experience, and perspective that makes our nation strong," Biden said.

Julien Neals

A native of Newark, Neals has served as county counsel in Bergen County since 2015, and county administration since 2016.

Neals held multiple positions in Newark's city government from 2006 to 2014 during now Sen. Cory Booker's mayoral administration.

He began his legal career as a clerk for Judge Seymour Margulies on the New Jersey Superior Court, and was a partner at the Secaucus, New Jersey, law firm of Chasan Leyner & Lamparello from 1992 to 2006, and again from 2014 to 2015.

Zahid Quraishi

Quraishi was appointed as a United States Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in 2019.

Prior to 2019 he was a partner at Riker Danzig, where he chaired the firm’s White Collar Criminal Defense and Investigations Group, and served as his firm’s first Chief Diversity Officer.

He served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey from 2008 to 2013.

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