Governor-elect Sherrill nominates Jennifer Davenport for New Jersey attorney general
TRENTON, N.J. — Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill on Monday announced Jennifer Davenport as her nominee to serve as New Jersey’s next attorney general, citing Davenport’s extensive background in public service and law enforcement at both the state and federal levels.
Davenport, a lifelong New Jersey resident, has more than 15 years of experience in law enforcement and legal leadership roles. Sherrill said Davenport’s background and approach make her well-suited to lead the state’s top law enforcement office.
“A strong Attorney General is critical to delivering for New Jerseyans, whether that taking on price gougers, fighting for federal resources, or protecting our rights and freedoms. That’s why I’m excited to announce Jennifer Davenport as my Attorney General nominee,” Sherrill said. “Working with Jen at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, I saw her ironclad commitment to upholding the law and the Constitution. Equally as powerful is her dedication to public service, working hand-in-hand with the communities she served to ensure our residents felt safe and supported. Jen’s ability to work with anyone and everyone to deliver for our residents and her decade and a half of experience with complex civil and criminal cases will be essential as we work to build a more affordable Garden State. As a lifelong New Jerseyan, I know Jen will never back down from a fight.”
If confirmed, Davenport would oversee the Department of Law and Public Safety, which includes the Division of Criminal Justice, the New Jersey State Police, and the Division of Consumer Affairs, among other agencies.
Davenport said she is honored by the nomination and pledged to continue her career in public service.
“I am so grateful to Governor-elect Sherrill for nominating me to serve as Attorney General. The Attorney General’s Office plays a critical role in advancing the Governor-elect’s mission of keeping residents safe and making the state affordable, and I share her commitment to that mission,” Davenport said. “I have spent my career in public service and alongside law enforcement, and in each role, I have worked to bring people together and solve the toughest problems facing our state. So, from taking on gun violence and human trafficking, to protecting our children, to ensuring affordability, to defending New Jerseyans from attacks out of Washington, I will build on my career in law enforcement and in public service to protect New Jerseyans every day.”
Davenport previously served four years in senior leadership roles at the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, including as first assistant attorney general and principal law enforcement adviser. She also served as New Jersey’s commissioner on the Waterfront Commission, where she worked on anti-corruption efforts in the New York–New Jersey harbor region.
After leaving the Attorney General’s Office in 2022, Davenport joined PSEG, where she served as senior director of compliance and currently holds the role of deputy general counsel and chief litigation counsel.
Earlier in her career, Davenport served as division counsel to the New Jersey division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and spent seven years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, including as chief of the General Crimes Unit. She also worked as a litigation associate at law firms in Newark and clerked for Chief Judge John W. Bissell of the U.S. District Court in Newark. Before and during law school, she worked as an intelligence analyst at the DEA.
Davenport is a graduate of DeSales University and Seton Hall University School of Law. Her nomination is subject to confirmation by the New Jersey Senate.
