David C. Hespe

David Hespe is Of Counsel to Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. and a member of the firm's Education Team. Having been appointed twice as New Jersey's Commissioner of Education, David is an accomplished policy leader with decades of experience throughout all levels of New Jersey and New York education matters. 

He handles a wide variety of education law matters for schools, school districts and higher education institutions, including personnel issues, student discipline, bullying, special-needs students, and litigation and other actions involving school policy.

Well-respected in his field, David is frequently engaged to speak on topics such as education policy, school funding, and school reform.

• The Best Lawyers in America® - Government Relations Practice (2025)

• Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey - Executive Director

• “Tuition Setting Process for APSSD,” NJASBO Annual Conference, June 2023.
• “Culture, Climate and Safety,” Porzio School Safety Symposium, June 2023.
• "Proactive Measures to Secure Your Workplace," Porzio Employment Law Forum, 11/02/2022.
• "All On-Board: How to Recruit and Safely Bring Talent On To Your Team," ASAH's Annual Symposium for Business Office and Human Resources Personnel, 5/13/2022.
• “School Safety,” Porzio Employment Law Forum, October, 2021.
• "Responding to an Employee or Student Showing Symptoms, or Positive Test Results, for COVID-19," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 27, 2020.
• "The Old School and the New - Considerations for School Re-Opening," Porzio Webinar, July 7, 2020.
• "New Jersey Schools Update: Considerations for Graduation and Other Commencement Ceremonies," Porzio Webinar, June 4, 2020.
• "All On-Board: How to Recruit and Safely Bring Talent to Your Team," Porzio Employment Law Forum, October 2019.
• "Roundtable: How to Choose the Right Security Professional for Your District: A Guide to Selection, Addressing Administrative and Legal Issues," New Jersey School Safety Symposium, Porzio Compliance Services, Morristown, NJ, March 29, 2019. 
• "Panel: Planning and Developing a School Safety Plan: Do's and Don'ts," New Jersey School Safety Symposium, Porzio Compliance Services, Morristown, NJ, March 29, 2019. 
• "Workplace Safety: Is it Better Not to Know? Hint: Of Course Not," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, October 3, 2018.
• "Data Privacy & CyberSecurity: Practical Steps to Protect Your School," New Jersey Association of School Administrators, Monroe Township, NJ, May 23, 2018. 
• Keynote address, ASAH's 5th Annual Symposium for Business Office and Human Resources Personnel, South Iselin, NJ, May 18, 2018. 
• "Data Privacy & CyberSecurity: Practical Steps to Protect Your School," New Jersey Association of School Administrators' TECHSPO '18, Atlantic City, NJ, January 25, 2018.
• "Tips From The Firing Squad: Best Practices For Terminations," Porzio Employment Law Forum, Morristown, NJ, November 15, 2017.
• "Communicating with Confidence," New Jersey School Business Officials Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, 2017.
• Keynote address, New Jersey State Bar Association Annual School Law Conference, Woodbridge, NJ, 2017.
• “Helping Your Child Succeed,” Keynote address, New Jersey PTA Annual Legislative Conference, Plainsboro, NJ, 2016.
• “Education Policy and Advocacy: What’s in the Best Interest of Children,” Keynote address, New Jersey School Boards Association and PTA, Trenton, NJ, 2015.
• “A Plan for New Jersey: Where Do We Go From Here,” Keynote address, New Jersey Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Annual Conference, Monroe, NJ, 2015.
• “Education: Our Mission and Challenge,” Keynote address, New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association Annual Conference, Monroe, NJ, 2015.
• “Partnering Together To Improve Education in New Jersey,” New Jersey Education Association Annual Convention, Atlantic City, NJ, 2015.
• “The State of Education in New Jersey,” Keynote address, Annual New Jersey School Boards Association, Superintendents Association and Principals and Supervisors Association Workshop, Atlantic City, NJ, 2014.
• “A New Vision for Workforce Development,” Annual Conference of the New Jersey Utilities Association, Galloway, NJ, 2013.
• “School Reform Jersey Style,” National Superintendents’ Roundtable Forum, Pemberton, NJ, 2012.
• “Education Reform in New Jersey: What, How, Where, When?” Garden State Coalition of Schools Fall Forum, New Brunswick, NJ, 2011.
• “Efficiency and School Funding,” Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton, NJ, 2009.
• “Opportunities in Education,” Fattah Conference on Higher Education, Philadelphia, PA, 2008.
• “School Finance and Facilities,” Invited address, New Jersey Council of Education Commissioners’ Forum, Bridgewater, NJ, 2007.
• “Legal Issues for Superintendents,” New Jersey Association of School Administrators, Glassboro, NJ, 2007.
• “Issues in School Law Today,” 8th Annual Principals Institute, Rowan University, NJ, 2006.
• “Advocacy and Lobbying,” College Bound Association Annual Retreat, Atlantic City, NJ, 2004.
• “Education Issues Facing the Latino Community,” 2nd Annual Latino Education Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, 2000. 
• “Urban Education Reform,” National School Boards Association Annual Legislative Conference, Washington, DC, 1993.

•    New Jersey Commissioner of Education
•    Burlington County College, President and Chief Executive Officer
•    New Jersey Department of Education, Chief of Staff
•    Willingboro School District, Interim Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent
•    Rowan University, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Chair of the Department of Educational Leadership
•    New Jersey Department of Education, Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Executive Services
•    Office of New Jersey Governor Whitman, Assistant Counsel for Education and Higher Education
•    First Assistant Attorney General for the State of New Jersey
•    New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, Associate Counsel