Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour has announced Arlene Quiñones Perez as corporation counsel following a unanimous vote (9-0) by the city council.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I’m honored by the trust Mayor Jabbour and the City Council have placed in me,” said Quiñones Perez, a former Clinton councilwoman, said in a statement.
“Hoboken is a vibrant and engaged community, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the administration and council to provide sound legal guidance that supports transparency, equity, and effective governance.”
The appointment of Quiñones Perez, an equity partner at DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP and the firm’s Director of Diversity & Inclusion, will also provide the city with immediate access to a broad multidisciplinary legal team of attorneys and paralegals.
They will be capable of supporting the Administration and Council with draft legislation, contract negotiations, procurement, litigation management, and regulatory compliance.
Additionally, the city anticipates that this new organizational model for the law office will result in estimated annual savings of more than $150,000 in taxpayer money.
The team will also include Hannah Cunning Valente, an associate in the firm’s labor and employment practice group, and a fifth-generation Hoboken resident.
“Arlene’s deep experience in municipal law and her practical understanding of local government will be a tremendous asset to Hoboken,” added Jabbour.
“With the support of Hannah and a broader team behind her, our City will gain additional resources while also delivering meaningful savings for taxpayers. I’m excited to welcome her to this role and look forward to working with her as we continue to strengthen Hoboken’s legal and legislative foundation.”
Jabbour also thanked outgoing Corporation Counsel Brian Aloia and Assistant Corporation Counsels Alyssa Wells and Shanna Cushnie for their collective years of dedicated service.
“I want to sincerely thank Brian Aloia and his team for their leadership and commitment to Hoboken over the past decade. Brian has been a strong legal partner to both the council and the Administration. While we will miss his guidance, we wish him all the best on his next chapter,” the new mayor added.
Council President Ruben Ramos also expressed enthusiasm about the appointment.
“Arlene is going to be a great fit for Hoboken. I’ve had the opportunity to work with her in the past and I know firsthand that she is highly experienced and will develop strong, productive relationships with my council colleagues,” he exclaimed.
“The council relies on good, practical legal advice when we’re working through ordinances and policy issues, and Arlene’s expertise will help us get things done the right way. Having Hannah on the team, a resident who really knows and loves Hoboken, is also a big plus. I am confident in Mayor Jabbour’s choice, and I look forward to working with them in the months ahead.”
 by the city council.){kind=link}
Aloia needed Aloha as in goodbye as his work deteriorated the longer he worked under Bhalla. It was sad to witness it. Now we have a questionable DEI hire? Excellence should be the driver in hiring in Hoboken not some diversity quotient. Hopefully the new CC can do better. As it looks right now, it’s an iffy proposition.
Is DEI hire.
Any criticism will be labeled as sexist and or racist and ignored..
Yup, absolutely. Because that’s exactly what your criticism is: sexist and racist.
It must be an empty life, to be so lacking in independent thinking that you only know the memes you are spoon fed. I hope someday you break out of the bubble.
You’re such a sad sack. Someone expresses a concern about Hoboken not searching and hiring the best available talent and you drop into your Sybil mode with name-calling.
Didn’t Miss Emily publicly announce a call for people to submit resumes?
How many resumes were collected for Business Adminstrator? How many for Corporation Counsel?
On the latter, she can choose who she is most comfortable with and we will cross our fingers. But the BA position is critically important as Emily has no financial experience, she’s a government worker in social work.
So, show us the details on all the resumes submitted and interview. Thanks and of course you will produce zero.
You’re such a sad sack. Someone expresses a concern about Hoboken not searching and hiring the best available talent and you drop into your Sybil mode with name-calling.
Didn’t Miss Emily publicly announce a call for people to submit resumes?
How many resumes were collected for Business Adminstrator? How many for Corporation Counsel?
On the latter, she can choose who she is most comfortable with and we will cross our fingers. But the BA position is critically important as Emily has no financial experience, she’s a government worker in social work.
So, show us the details on all the resumes submitted and interviews. Thanks and of course you will produce zero.
why did corporate council (all three lawyers) abruptly resign in Hoboken?