Highlands Council Names Christine LaRocca, Esq. Chief Counsel

CHESTER, N.J. — At its most recent meeting the Highlands Council voted to appoint Christine LaRocca, Esq. to the position of Chief Counsel. LaRocca has been serving as Senior Counsel since October 2018 and was a part-time Staff Attorney with the agency prior to that, starting with the organization in September 2017.

“We are delighted to have Christine move into this role,” said Carl Richko, Highlands Council Chairman. “Her depth of knowledge from working with the Council over the past several years is a tremendous asset and her contributions at the Council have been consistently of the highest quality.”

During her tenure with the Council, LaRocca has been integral in the success of the Highlands Development Credit Bank Purchase Program and the Open Space Program, driving numerous transactions to closing. She has also served as the Ethics Liaison Officer and managed all legal aspects of agency contracting, among her multiple duties.

Prior to joining the Highlands Council, LaRocca spent more than a decade providing in-house legal counsel on all aspects of environmental and safety compliance for a Fortune 500 consumer products company. Her experience also includes work with two of New Jersey’s top law firms, focusing on environmental and real estate matters.  Prior to becoming an attorney, she worked at the Bergen County Utilities Authority, the third largest municipal wastewater treatment authority in New Jersey, managing permitting and other environmental projects. LaRocca is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and New York, and is also a member of the Justice Stewart Pollack Environmental American Inn of Court.

A lifetime resident of Bergen County, LaRocca is also actively engaged as a community volunteer. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of Spectrum for Living Development, Inc., which provides residential, medical and support services to more than 800 developmentally disabled adults, and Secretary to the Board of Trustees of Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR), an organization committed to protection of the cold water fishery of the Upper Delaware River Watershed. In addition, LaRocca currently serves as President of the Joan Wulff Fly Fishers, an organization that promotes women’s knowledge and interest in fly fishing.

“I appreciate Christine’s commitment to the mission of our agency.” said Lisa J. Plevin, Highlands Council Executive Director. “Chief Counsel is a critical leadership position here and I look forward to her contributions.”

LaRocca fills the position left vacant by the retirement of John Maher in June.

Actions taken by the Council at this meeting will take effect following the Governor’s review and consideration of the meeting minutes, up to 10 business days from receipt of the minutes. Materials related to this meeting including resolutions, presentations, audio and minutes will be posted at: www.nj.gov/njhighlands/about/calend/  (click on July 18, 2019 meeting).

The Highlands Council is a regional planning agency established in 2004 with the passage of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act and charged with implementation of the Act. More information is available at www.nj.gov/njhighlands.