Bergen Sworn into Freeholder Board

On Sunday, Jan. 6, Bruce Bergen was sworn into the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. 

Bergen, a Springfield resident and a partner in the Cranford law firm of Krevsky, Silber & Bergen, has practiced law in Union County for 32 years.  A lifelong resident of Union County, he has been active in leadership and elected positions with the Union County Democratic Committee since 1979. Bergen was Springfield's township attorney for 17 of the past 19 years.

Among other accolades, Bergen was recently picked by the Springfield B’nai B’rith to receive its 2012 International Citizenship and Civic Award. Last year, he was appointed as a Trustee of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Institute of Local Government Attorneys, the state-wide municipal attorney organization affiliated with the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

In 2010, the New Jersey Supreme Court appointed him to a second term as a member of the District XII (Union County) Attorney Ethics Committee, where he served as Chairman in 2009-2010. He also completed a five year term as the Board Chairman of Central Jersey Legal Services, which provides free civil legal representation to eligible residents of Union, Middlesex and Mercer counties, where he remains a Board member.

Born and raised in Cranford, Bergen has been a member of the Rotary Club of Cranford since 1982 and has twice served as president of the service organization. In 1993 he was named a Paul Harris Fellow, that organization’s highest honor. He also served for many years as the Attorney Coach for the Cranford High School Mock Trial Team.

He has two children, Stefanie and Ross, with his wife of 28 years, Jodi.

In a statement from the county, Bergen said that he hoped to draw on his experience in local government to pursue opportunities for Union County to offer shared services to municipalities and to continue ongoing efforts to broaden business opportunity within Union County.

"I am truly humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to serve as a member of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders," Bergen told Patch.