Jorge E. Morales, Esq.

Providing Zealous Defense and Legal Counsel to Clients Charged with Gun Offenses, Facing Permit Issues, and at Risk of Losing their 2nd Amendment Rights in New Jersey

Jorge E. Morales has a long-standing legal career in the criminal justice system, beginning his journey as a judicial law clerk, progressing to become an Assistant County Prosecutor, later assuming the position of Senior Assistant Prosecutor running the homicide unit, and ultimately stepping to the other side of the legal aisle, where he turned all of his prosecutorial experience into an asset for the clients he defends. 

Jorge’s passion for the law began during his studies of criminal justice at Saint John’s University in Queens, New York, where he received his bachelor’s degree. Following his college matriculation, Jorge proceeded to study law at Pace University School of Law (now The Elizabeth Haub School of Law) in White Plains, New York. After graduating from law school, Mr. Morales became a judicial law clerk in Hudson County Superior Court in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he served under the late and Honorable Barbara A. Curran, J.S.C. During his clerkship, Jorge gained valuable insight into the breadth and depth of judicial analysis and decision-making, while also researching and writing bench memoranda on a myriad of criminal law and civil matters. 

Subsequent to his clerkship, Jorge earned a position as an Assistant Prosecutor in the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, where he worked for fifteen years before transferring to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office in 2016, where he spent the next six years. During his lengthy term serving as a Prosecutor, Jorge handled a wide range of cases and assignments in various Units and Divisions of the criminal prosecutorial side of the justice system. 

His expansive experience as prosecutor includes handling the investigation and prosecution of civil forfeiture actions in the Forfeiture Unit, which focuses on property seized in connection with criminal prosecutions, such as drug distribution proceeds, vehicles used in the transportation of illegal weapons or controlled dangerous substances, computers containing illicit pornographic material involving children, facilities involved in the production of drugs, or sites used for the purposes of unlawful gambling activities. This background becomes particularly valuable when defending clients who are at risk of weapons forfeiture due to domestic violence, restraining orders, or extreme risk protective orders. 

Jorge also handled the investigation and prosecution of minors in the Juvenile Unit, participating in the adjudication of juvenile offenders charged with the most serious indictable crimes, as well as minor disorderly persons offenses. He utilizes this knowledge today as he defends the firm’s juvenile clients charged with all manner of guns and weapons offenses. 

As a prosecutor, Mr. Morales garnered enormous knowledge and skill during his time on the Adult Trial Team, where he prosecuted, investigated, and carried out every phase of the legal process in cases involving carjacking, homicide, manslaughter, robbery, drug and gun crimes, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and unlawful possession of a weapon offenses. 

Thereafter, Jorge concentrated on the large-scale, complex investigations and prosecutions of narcotics and gang-related crimes while serving in the Narcotics and Gang Task Force. In these multiple-defendant cases, he tackled wiretapping and communication data warrants, intersecting crimes, and the many complicated aspects of these high-stakes prosecutions. 

Given his superior performance and experience, Jorge was promoted to become a Trial Team Supervisor who led agents, detectives, assistant prosecutors, and other staff in managing and handling the most serious felony cases in the Prosecutor’s Office, including murder and crimes with extended and mandatory minimum sentences. 

Before turning his attention to the practice of criminal defense, Jorge worked in the Homicide Unit, ultimately heading up this unit as the Senior Assistant Prosecutor In-Charge. He spent these years as the leader of the team responsible for prosecuting every homicide case that occurred in Passaic County. Here is an example of one of the cases that Mr. Morales handled in 2022, which involved several defendants, multiple firearms, and the murder of a young man: Men accused in slaying of N.J. honors student to remain behind bars.

Given his impressive scope of work, it is not a surprise that Jorge has also been called upon to teach new assistant prosecutors, assistant deputy attorney generals, and fellow attorneys in topics ranging from trial advocacy to criminal prosecution. 

Combining his New Jersey criminal investigation, prosecution, and trial experience with a distinguished military career, Mr. Morales boasts a unique blend of legal competency as a civilian and military lawyer. Among his many achievements in military service are several deployments, as well as positions as an attorney for the Army’s Judge Advocate Corps, as the Chief of Military Justice at the Joint Task Force in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; as Trial Defense Counsel at Fort Carson in Colorado;  as Chief of Operational Law and Trial Counsel, and as a defense attorney representing service members charged with criminal and administrative offenses in violation of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). He spent his last deployment as a Deputy Staff Judge Advocate for the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) in Djibouti, East Africa, where he led a team of military attorneys and staff. 

Mr. Morales concluded with his last military assignment, serving as Regional Defense Counsel for the entire Tri-State Region, which encompasses New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the New York Metropolitan Area. In this role, he was responsible for leading a team of attorneys who defended service members, while he himself defended senior military personnel facing military charges and administrative actions. After a military career spanning over 39 years, Jorge retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. 

Having practiced law for over 20 years and served his country for more than 30, Mr. Morales has unparalleled experience in the realm of criminal investigation, prosecution, and trial litigation in both the Superior Courts of New Jersey and the Military Courts of the United States. His unwavering passion for defending the Constitution, his fellow Americans, and his clients, whose lives are on the line when facing serious criminal charges, makes his life and career a true testament to his admirable character, his achievements, and his formidable role as a criminal defense lawyer ready to take on every challenge confronted by those he represents. 

Mr. Morales is also bilingual, representing both English and Spanish-speaking clients in criminal cases. Representando a clientes de habla hispana en todos los aspectos de asuntos penales en Nueva Jersey.

Bar Admissions

• New Jersey
• New York