Rachel Wainer Apter

{{Infobox judge

|name = Rachel Wainer Apter

|office = Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court

|appointer = Phil Murphy

|term_start = October 21, 2022

|term_end =

|predecessor = Jaynee LaVecchia

|successor =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1980|7|22}}

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic{{Cite web|url=https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2021/03/15/north-jerseys-wainer-apter-named-phil-murphy-supreme-court/4699187001/|title = North Jersey native tapped by Gov. Phil Murphy to state Supreme Court. Here's who she is}}

|education = University of Pennsylvania (BA)
Harvard University (JD)

}}

Rachel Wainer Apter (born July 22, 1980){{cite web |title=Justices Biographies |url=https://www.njcourts.gov/courts/supreme/about#toc-justice-fabiana-pierre-louisv}} is an American lawyer who serves as a justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Early life and education

Wainer Apter grew up in Rockaway, New Jersey, where she attended Morris Hills High School.{{Cite web|last=Wildstein|first=David|date=March 14, 2021|title=Rachel Wainer Apter will be Murphy's pick for New Jersey Supreme Court|url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/judiciary/rachel-wainer-apter-will-be-murphys-pick-for-new-jersey-supreme-court/|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=New Jersey Globe|language=en-US}} She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and received her Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, graduating in 2007.Racioppi, Dustin. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/new-jersey/2021/03/15/north-jerseys-wainer-apter-named-phil-murphy-supreme-court/4699187001/ "North Jersey native tapped by Gov. Phil Murphy to state Supreme Court. Here's who she is"], The Record, March 15, 2021. Accessed March 16, 2021. "Wainer Apter grew up in Rockaway and graduated from Morris Hills High School. She received an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her juris doctorate from Harvard Law School. She lives in Englewood with her husband, Jonathan, and three children."{{Cite web |last=Lat |first=David |date=2010-08-10 |title=Supreme Court Clerk Hiring Watch: Justice Kagan's Clerks! - Above the LawAbove the Law |url=https://abovethelaw.com/2010/08/supreme-court-clerk-hiring-watch-justice-kagans-clerkslady-kaga-hires-a-seasoned-crew/ |access-date=2022-10-13 |language=en-US}}

Career

After law school, Wainer Apter clerked for Judge Jed S. Rakoff of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and then for Chief Judge Robert Katzmann of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. She then went on to clerk for Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg of the Supreme Court of the United States.{{Cite web|agency=The Associated Press|date=March 15, 2021|title=Gov. Murphy names civil rights division head to New Jersey's high court|url=https://6abc.com/10419374/|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=6abc Philadelphia|language=en}} Wainer Apter then worked in the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice at Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe and as an attorney at the ACLU in New York.{{Cite web|last=Johnsn|first=Brent Johnson|date=March 15, 2021|title=Murphy picks civil rights attorney, former Ruth Bader Ginsburg clerk to join N.J. Supreme Court|url=https://www.nj.com/politics/2021/03/murphy-to-pick-civil-rights-attorney-former-ruth-bader-ginsburg-clerk-to-join-nj-supreme-court.html|access-date=March 15, 2021|website=nj|language=en}} She then became counsel to the Attorney General of New Jersey and then director of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights.

While working at the New Jersey Attorney General office, Wainer Apter led a team that sought to uphold the DACA program.{{Cite web |last=O'Dea |first=Collen|date=October 18, 2022 |title=Long wait over, NJ gets two new Supreme Court justices |url=https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2022/10/nj-supreme-court-rachel-wainer-apter-douglas-fasciale-supreme-court-justice-gov-phil-murphy-ruth-bader-ginsburg/ |access-date=October 18, 2022 |website=New Spotlight News |language=en-US}}

On March 15, 2021, Governor Phil Murphy nominated Wainer Apter to be a justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. She was nominated to replace the retiring Justice Jaynee LaVecchia. Her nomination expired in 2021 due to Senator Holly Schepisi refusing to give senatorial consent and blocking her nomination.{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Joey |date=October 6, 2021 |title=Murphy optimistic on Wainer Apter nomination despite long delay |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/judiciary/murphy-optimistic-on-wainer-apter-nomination-despite-long-delay/ |access-date=November 14, 2021 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Joey |date=December 6, 2021 |title=Nine months after Wainer Apter's nomination, Schepisi remains noncommittal |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/legislature/nine-months-after-wainer-apters-nomination-schepisi-remains-noncommittal/ |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}} In January 2022, Schepisi suggested she may be open to supporting Wainer Apter's nomination.{{Cite web |last=Biryukov |first=Nikita |date=January 10, 2022 |title=Senator suggests deal may be near for stalled Supreme Court nominee |url=https://newjerseymonitor.com/2022/01/10/senator-suggests-deal-may-be-near-for-stalled-supreme-court-nominee/ |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=New Jersey Monitor |language=en-US}} On January 11, 2022, Governor Murphy renominated Wainer Apter.{{Cite press release |title=Governor Murphy Announces Intention to Renominate Rachel Wainer Apter to Serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court |date=January 11, 2022 |publisher=Office of the Governor |location=Trenton, New Jersey |url=https://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562022/20220111b.shtml |access-date=April 13, 2022}}{{Cite web |last=Wildstein |first=David |date=January 11, 2022 |title=Murphy to renominate Wainer Apter to Supreme Court |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/governor/murphy-to-renominate-wainer-apter-to-supreme-court/ |access-date=April 13, 2022 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}} On October 13, 2022, her nomination was voted out of committee by an 8–3 vote, after Republicans voiced their concern over her time with her time as a director of the civil rights division of the New Jersey Attorney General's office and staff attorney for the ACLU.{{Cite web |last=Parmley |first=Suzette |date=October 13, 2022 |title=Murphy picks for N.J. Supreme Court advance, but not before one's activist past is questioned |url=https://www.nj.com/news/2022/10/murphy-picks-for-nj-supreme-court-advance-but-not-before-ones-activist-past-is-questioned.html |access-date=October 17, 2022 |website=nj |language=en}} On October 17, 2022, her nomination was confirmed by a 23–14 vote.{{Cite web |last=Biryukov |first=Nikita |date=October 17, 2022 |title=Lawmakers confirm two for New Jersey Supreme Court seats |url=https://newjerseymonitor.com/2022/10/17/lawmakers-confirm-two-for-new-jersey-supreme-court-seats/ |access-date=October 19, 2022 |website=New Jersey Monitor |language=en-US}} She was sworn into office on October 21, 2022.{{Cite web |last=Wildstein |first=David |date=October 21, 2022 |title=Fisher steps down from Supreme Court assignment, leaving Sabatino as 7th justice |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/judiciary/fisher-steps-down-from-supreme-court-assignment-leaving-sabatino-as-7th-justice/ |access-date=October 21, 2022 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}}