Dominic Rota

Dominic Rota is a senior attorney and trusted advisor with more than two decades of experience counseling government leaders, public institutions, and organizations on ethics, employment, compliance, and governance matters. He is known for delivering practical, steady guidance in complex, high-stakes environments, particularly where legal risk, public accountability, and organizational integrity intersect.

Most recently, Mr. Rota served as Chief Ethics Officer and Ethics Counsel to the Governor of New Jersey, serving as the Governor’s principal legal advisor on ethics and advising the Governor’s Office and senior executive leadership on ethics, conflicts of interest, investigations, and compliance with state statutes and regulatory mandates. In that role, he ensured compliance with the state’s ethics laws and rules, programs, oversaw sensitive investigations, and counseled decision-makers on matters requiring discretion, sound judgment, and risk mitigation. He also served as the EEO Officer for the Governor’s Office, ensuring compliance with the New Jersey Policy Prohibiting Discrimination in the Workplace. 

Earlier in his career, Mr. Rota held senior leadership roles across multiple New Jersey state agencies, developing deep experience in legislative and regulatory affairs and public-sector governance. His background includes service with the New Jersey Department of Education, where he led statewide policy and dispute-resolution functions and oversaw investigations and administrative proceedings under federal and state law, including matters arising under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). He also served as Ethics Officer and Custodian of Public Records with the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, advising on compliance, transparency, and confidentiality in sensitive operational settings.

Throughout his career, Mr. Rota has been deeply involved in employment and EEO matters, including internal investigations, workplace compliance counseling, policy development, and training. He is also a frequent lecturer and presenter, delivering trainings and CLE programs on ethics, compliance, employment law, investigations, and public-sector governance to attorneys, executives, and government professionals.

Mr. Rota earned his Juris Doctorate degree from Rutgers University Camden, where he was a Dean’s Scholar and represented clients in the Civil Practice Clinic. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Mr. Rota is admitted to practice law in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.