CREST HAVEN – James B. Arsenault Jr., began his first day as assistant county counsel Monday, the same day his mother retired as secretary to county counsel.
Freeholders appointed Arsenault largely on the recommendation of his old friend, county Counsel John Porto.
“Jim will be a welcome addition to our staff. We are hoping to use the skills he has honed in private practice for several of his governmental clients,” said Porto.
Arsenault, 34, of Seaville, was born and raised in Sea Isle City and graduated from Wildwood Catholic High School in 1989.
He majored in political science at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1993.
He graduated from Villanova Law School in 1996 and accepted a position as law clerk to Superior Court Judge Vincent Segal in Atlantic City.
While working in Atlantic County he met Porto, who was Cape May County’s assistant counsel at the time.
In September 1997 he became an associate with April, Maudsley, and Goloff in Marmora, where he worked for about three and half years.
He joined Cooper Levinson April Niedelman and Wagenheim in Court House in April 2001, and served as solicitor to the Sea Isle City and Upper Township planning boards and Sea Isle City Board of Education, positions he now must give up.
Sea Isle City Zoning Board attorney Ellen Burns is expected to fill-in for Arsenault during the planning board’s April meeting until a successor is named.
The Cooper Levinson firm will continue to represent the school board, although a lawyer has yet to be named to the position.
Arsenault takes over the $65,000-a-year position left by Barbara Bakley-Marino, who has become head of Human Resources and Training for the county.
“I’m very excited to be working for the county,” Arsenault said. “In private practice I got good experience representing public agencies and now I’m looking forward to putting that experience to work.”
He said he intends to continue as a volunteer emergency medical technician in Sea Isle City, where he has served for 14 years.
Arsenault and his wife, the former Christina Benson, have one son, Ryan, 4.
He said his mother, secretary to county counsel since 1992, didn’t retire because he was hired.
“She has worked for the county for 25 years and could use the break,” Arsenault explained.
Contact Colin at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 35 or ncolin@cmcherald.com
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