Christie’s chief counsel is leaving office

TRENTON (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie's chief counsel is stepping down later this month after nearly four years in the administration.

Christie announced Friday that Chris Porrino will be returning to private practice at Lowenstein Sandler after a year and a half as the Republican governor's top attorney.

Christie called Porrino's service "invaluable" and said he delivered results for New Jersey residents as the director of the Division of Law from 2012 to 2014.

Porrino settled a case with a Harvey Cedars couple who did not want to cede their land to the state for dune construction. Christie says the case paved the way for the state to protect its coastline.

Christie also announced that Thomas P. Scrivo of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter will succeed Porrino as chief counsel.

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