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The Price, Meese, Shulman and D’Arminio law firm "is a prestigious one with an outstanding reputation throughout the New York metropolitan area," he said. "I have known its co-founder, Gail Price, Esq. for my entire career and I am excited to be returning to the private practice of law and the next chapter of my career."
Gov. Christie's administration last month asked Molinelli to step down after nearly 14 years in office.
"My plan is to remain working in the office on a day-to-day basis until the end of December and, after taking some time off for vacation, assume my new role as a partner with the Price Meese firm," the prosecutor said Monday.
"I will focus upon the areas of corporate governance and compliance, including internal corporate investigations; employment and labor counseling and litigation in both police and non-police matters; E discovery issues; white-collar and corporate criminal defense and complex commercial litigation," he said.
Molinelli said he will "continue to volunteer my time to continue the war against the heroin epidemic."
He said he's met so many people "and learned so much in my role" that he wants to "continue to work with those dedicated, like me, to end it now."
Molinelli noted that his service spanned four governors, eight attorneys general, four county executives, more than 20 freeholders and a trio of sheriffs.
" Whether the administrations were Republican or Democratic, we have strived to always maintain the highest standards here at the prosecutor's office," he said, "and I have been blessed with what has truly been my most valuable asset through my tenure -- that being the 275 people that serve this office.
"I have hired over 75 percent of [them] and I can say without hesitation that they are the best and the brightest and will continue to be for years and years to come."
Molinelli made clearing cold cases a focus of his tenure after taking the job in 2002. More recently, he attacked the heroin epidemic by pairing punishment with treatment. His office also has pursued child predators.
Among some of his proudest accomplishments, he cited:
• Creating a Computer Crimes Unit;• Centralizing criminal intelligence data sharing;
• Establishing jail diversion alternatives for those with mental illness;
• "Fair and responsible" labor relations;
• Launching a Joint Gang Task Force;
• The M.A.R.S. Initiative, which unites officers from various local, county state and federal to fight specific "impact crimes" in certain areas;
• Becoming the first from Bergen County to be elected president of the County Prosecutors Association.
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