Ronald Chen (born May 28, 1958) is currently University Professor, Distinguished Professor of Law and Judge Leonard I Garth Scholar at Rutgers Law School. Until August 2018, he was co-dean of Rutgers Law School and is the former New Jersey Public Advocate.
Until January 2010, he served as the New Jersey Public Advocate, having been nominated to fill that position on January 5, 2006, by Governor of New JerseyJon Corzine.[1] He was the first public advocate since 1994, when the job was abolished by former Governor Christine Todd Whitman following the two-year tenure of Zulima Farber, who was Governor James Florio's Public Advocate. The first New Jersey public advocate—and the first of any state—was Stanley Van Ness, whose office filed an Amicus Brief in the case resulting in a decision which was to become known as the Mt. Laurel Doctrine, which prevents municipalities from using zoning as a means of excluding low-income residents.[4] Prior to becoming public advocate, Chen was an associate dean and professor of law at Rutgers Law School, teaching courses on contracts, constitutional law, and the federal courts. He returned to Rutgers after his term as public advocate and resumed an active teaching and administrative role. In April 2013, he rose from Vice-Dean to Acting Dean, due to new responsibilities assumed by Dean John Farmer. He was appointed permanent Dean in April 2015.[5] With the merger of the Newark and Camden campuses, he became co-dean of Rutgers Law School.[6] until 2018.
^Chan, Sewell. "Metro Briefing", The New York Times, January 6, 2006. Accessed June 20, 2008. "Governor-elect Jon S. Corzine nominated Ronald Chen yesterday to serve as public advocate and Lisa Jackson to head the Department of Environmental Protection."
"Ronald K. Chen". law.newark.rutgers.edu. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2015., Rutgers School of Law biography of Ronald K. Chen.