About BPU

Lee A. Solomon, Esquire, was named by Governor Christopher J. Christie as President to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on February 23, 2010. President Solomon also serves as a member of the Governor's Cabinet. The BPU has jurisdiction over the rates and facilities of telephone, electric, gas, water and wastewater and the cable television companies and works to ensure that consumers have access to safe, reliable, and efficient services at reasonable costs. In addition, the BPU is working to foster competition, innovation and consumer choice in the telecommunications and energy markets.

Prior to his nomination, Lee served as a Judge of the Superior Court of New Jersey, sitting in Camden County. Judge Solomon was first assigned to the Family Division, and heard non-jury cases involving divorces, non-dissolutions, child custody, abuse and neglect, domestic violence and criminal contempts for violations of domestic violence restraining orders. Judge Solomon was then assigned to the Criminal Division where he heard all varieties of criminal cases. Judge Solomon was appointed to the Superior Court by Acting Governor, Senate President, Richard J. Codey, and was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate on December 15, 2005. Judge Solomon was sworn in as a member of the Court on January 13, 2006.

Previously, Lee served as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern Vicinages of New Jersey. On June 4, 2002, he was sworn in by Christopher J. Christie, U.S. Attorney, District of New Jersey. Lee lead the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Camden and Trenton, managing a staff of forty-seven Assistant U.S. Attorneys and support personnel, which handled approximately 950 cases per year.

Prior to his appointment to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Lee served five years as the Camden County Prosecutor and one year as Acting Prosecutor. In this position, he directed an office with a staff of more than 260, and the State’s third largest caseload. During this time, Lee was a member of the New Jersey County Prosecutors Association, and served as Vice Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee, as well as the Inter-Agency Committee. Additionally, he served on the Board of the National District Attorneys Association. Lee also served as Chairperson of the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. In November of 1998, the New Jersey Attorney General appointed Lee as the Monitor of the Camden City Police Department. He then reorganized the 390 member force and continued its supervision until leaving the post of Camden County Prosecutor.

Before his prosecutorial appointment, Lee served five years in the New Jersey General Assembly. As a Legislator, Lee distinguished himself as one of the policy leaders in Trenton. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Environmental Quality Committee and as a member of the Assembly Policy & Rules Committee. In addition, Lee served as Vice-Chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, Vice-Chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee, and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Justice.

Prior to taking his seat in the General Assembly, Lee served two years as a member of the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders. As Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Freeholder Board, Lee Solomon wrote the first budget that reduced the tax rate for county taxpayers. Lee also was the Chairman of the Public Safety Committee, which was responsible for the Camden County Park Police and the Fire Marshal’s Office. From 1986 to 1994, Lee served as a member of the Haddon Heights Borough Council.

Lee received his law degree (J.D.) from Widener University School of Law in 1978, where he served as an External Articles Editor and member of the Delaware Journal of Corporate Law. He completed his undergraduate studies at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1975 while majoring in English and Natural Sciences.

President Solomon and his wife Dianne currently reside in the Borough of Haddonfield, New Jersey. They have three grown children, Eric, age 25, Rachel, age 24, and Aaron Jacob, age 19, who is currently attending the University of Pittsburgh.