NEW BRUNSWICK – Norberto A. Garcia was sworn in on May 14 as President of the New Jersey State Bar Association for the 2026–2027 term, becoming the first foreign-born president in the Association’s history.
New Jersey Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner administered the oath of office at the NJSBA’s Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlantic City. Garcia was joined by family, friends, and colleagues, along with members of the NJSBA Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, as he began his term during the Association’s 127th year.
In remarks at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Garcia said he intends to draw on his experience in both small and large firm practice as he leads the Association in advocating for the interests of attorneys, judges, law students, law clerks, and paralegals across the state.
“Too often there’s an assumption that lawyers have unlimited time, money, and support. We all know that’s not the case,” Garcia said. “As we consider rule changes, legislation, and court decisions, I will keep a clear focus on their real-world impact and on the day-to-day practice and well-being of lawyers.”
Looking ahead to his priorities for the year, Garcia emphasized the importance of rebuilding professional connection and community in the legal field following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want the New Jersey State Bar Association to occupy that space—to give lawyers the opportunity to come together, communicate, and mentor one another,” he said. “We should expand opportunities for experienced attorneys to engage and for newer lawyers to find guidance and support. We will continue our strong partnership with county and affinity bar associations across the state, serving as a connecting entity and a center of gravity for the legal community in New Jersey.”
Garcia, a partner at Blume, Forte, Fried, Zerres & Molinari, previously served as president of the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, which promotes law-related education and public understanding of the legal system.
A Certified Civil Trial Attorney and member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, he has handled a broad range of personal injury matters, including automobile accidents, construction litigation, premises liability, and medical malpractice. He has been recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer annually from 2013 to the present.
His service within the organized bar is extensive. He is a former trustee of the NJSBA, a past co-chair and current member of its Diversity Committee, and a member of the Civil Trial Bar Section Executive Committee. He also previously served as president of the Hudson County Bar Association and was a trustee of that organization from 2000 to 2013, and he currently chairs the Hudson County Civil Practice Committee.
Garcia serves as a trustee of the Hudson County Bar Foundation and has been active in the Hudson County Inns of Court since 1996, where he previously served as a master. He was president of the North Hudson Lawyers Club in 2003 and served on the Supreme Court Office of Attorney Ethics, District VI Fee Arbitration Committee from 2004 to 2009, chairing it in 2009. From 2005 to 2008, he served on the Supreme Court Committee on Minority Affairs.
He is also a former chair of the New Jersey Fund for Client Protection and was appointed in 2021 to the Character and Fitness Committee of the New Jersey Board of Bar Examiners.
Born in Camagüey, Cuba, Garcia immigrated to the United States with his parents as a young child and grew up in Hudson County. He graduated cum laude from Seton Hall University with a bachelor’s degree in history and earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He resides in Kinnelon with his wife and two sons.