Prior to joining the firm, Ms. O’Keefe served as in-house counsel for Essex County, as Assistant Essex County Counsel and Chief of the Claims and Litigation section, where she gained extensive experience representing public entities, officials, and employees in civil litigation matters in state and federal courts, with a focus on tort actions, civil rights matters, employment disputes, and insurance-related claims. In addition to her courtroom work, she provided ongoing legal guidance to government departments and officials on compliance, risk management, and policy development, ensuring sound governance and effective legal strategy. She brings over a decade of litigation and advisory experience, combining wide-ranging legal knowledge with strategic, practical problem-solving.
Earlier in her career, Ms. O’Keefe served as a law clerk for the Hon. Robert H. Gardner, J.S.C., in the Superior Court of New Jersey. She also served as a legal intern in both the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit and the Special Victims Unit of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ms. O’Keefe is admitted to practice in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She earned her Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law in 2012, where she obtained a certification in Administrative and Constitutional Law through the Law and Government Institute, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University.
