Porzio Attorney Kerri Wright Named New Jersey School Board Association 2021-2022 Board Member of the Year

October 21, 2021 (Morristown, NJ) – Porzio Principal, Kerri Wright, a lawyer who specializes in education law and employment law, and a longtime member of the Chester Board of Education has been named the New Jersey School Boards Association’s (NJSBA) 2021-2022 Board Member of the Year.

This honor was established in 2005 and is given annually to recognize an "individual board of education member who makes significant contributions to public education, exemplifies leadership in the field of education with a strong commitment to the children of New Jersey, demonstrates a strong commitment to personal and professional development as a board member and shows active involvement in school governance at the local, county and state levels."

“There are around 600 school districts in the State of New Jersey, and most districts have seven or nine members. The New Jersey School Boards Association selects only one person to be named Board Member of the Year, and we could not be more proud that Kerri was the one person selected. This is a remarkable achievement that speaks directly to her dedication to education and her passion for supporting schools in New Jersey," said Vito A. Gagliardi, Jr., Managing Principal of Porzio, Bromberg & Newman. Gagliardi and Wright co-chair the firm's Employment & Education team.

Wright served the Chester Board of Education as vice president from 2010-2012, as president from 2013-2015 and as chair of its Negotiations Committee for nearly 14 years. She was elected to the board in 2007 and is an NJSBA certified board member.

As an attorney, Wright has considerable expertise reconfiguring school districts, including the creation and dissolution of regional school districts and the creation and termination of sending-receiving relationships. She has significant experience representing and counseling school boards, charter schools, private schools and colleges in a variety of areas and has written numerous articles to help guide and assist school boards in their decision making.

Wright has been involved in numerous court cases that have shaped the educational landscape of New Jersey and the country.  She is a member of the Morris County Bar Association and has been admitted to the bar associations of New Jersey, New York and the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of the New Jersey Association of School Attorneys – and a fellow at Lead New Jersey, which seeks to make New Jersey a better place to live and work.

Wright graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Seton Hall University, where she also earned a Master of Public Administration. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Emory University School of Law. She has written articles for numerous publications, including NJSBA’s School Leader; Corporate Counsel Law and New Jersey Law Journal.

As the 2021-2022 winner, Wright will be recognized at Virtual Workshop 2021 and be featured in a future issue of School Leader magazine.

NJSBA Board Member of the Year - Award Selection Process

All eligible nominations for the annual New Jersey Board Member of the Year Award were forwarded to the officers of another state school boards association. These officers reviewed the nominations, selected Wright as the winner and forwarded their choice to the NJSBA.

For additional information and to read the NJSBA 2021 Board Member of the Year Announcement, please click here.

About Porzio

Founded in 1962, Porzio, Bromberg & Newman, P.C. is a full-service law firm with over 90 lawyers throughout offices in New York City, Morristown, Ocean City, and Princeton, NJ, Wilmington, DE, Westborough, MA, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The firm is committed to serving clients, providing high-quality work, and achieving results through legal strategy, advocacy, technology, and consulting services offered through the law firm and its three wholly-owned subsidiary companies. The firm provides legal services in education law, business law, employment, litigation, bankruptcy and restructuring, intellectual property and trademark, real estate, and other areas to businesses of all sizes ranging from start-up companies to Fortune 500 corporations, including public and private organizations. For additional information, please visit www.pbnlaw.com.