Weekend Warrior - Joshua (Josh) Kutner

What inspired you to pursue law school, and how did your political experience influence that decision?

Like any overly argumentative child, I certainly received my fair share of exasperated encouragement to become a lawyer one day. But coming from a family without any attorneys, the career path is more something I found along the way than something I actually set out to achieve from a young age.

My experience working in state government and politics has played a major role in my decision to pursue a legal career, as my interest in both fields stems from a desire to advocate on behalf of others. Working in the state legislature, I have been able to play a small role in providing over 200,000 residents with effective, communicative leadership that strives to meet them where they are.

In making this slight career transition, I’m looking forward to applying my political communications skills toward crafting effective legal arguments and securing favorable outcomes on behalf of clients. Most importantly, I hope to use the opportunities and resources that I’ve been able to access to pursue pro bono and charitable work that I find truly fulfilling.

Can you share one or two standout moments from your time working with Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis that had a real impact on you?

Many of the standout moments from my time in the Assemblywoman’s office have been on the constituent services side of things. Whether it’s helping to secure long-awaited unemployment benefits for residents like Maggie—a perpetually cheery senior resident in Warren Township just looking to stay in the community she’s called home for years—or visiting elementary school students in Dunellen for Read Across America Week to chat about state government, there’s nothing quite like when your day’s job description includes getting to bring a smile to someone’s face.

I’ve also had the privilege of pairing those experiences with critically important legislative efforts. For instance, this past year, our office helped champion the enactment of S715/A908, a bipartisan bill the Assemblywoman sponsored that required our state Attorney General to finally establish a sexual assault forensic evidence (SAFE) kit tracking system. Working with our partners across the aisle, we worked to boost public awareness of the shameful backlog that has been present in our state and gather momentum in support of a solution that provides real transparency for survivors.

How has managing a legislative portfolio of over 550 bills shaped your understanding of law and policy?

I think the three-digit number in that question speaks to one major takeaway about state policy: New Jersey may have a part-time state legislature, but there is a lot of legislation introduced each session—several thousand bills and resolutions, actually.

Quite often, this means that (unfortunately, for the sake of our state) it’s not enough to simply have a smart policy proposal and trust that it will sprout arms and legs à la Schoolhouse Rock and march its way onto the Governor’s desk. Effective advocacy is critical, and the style and strategic decisions of the particular messenger(s) backing a given bill can very possibly be what makes the difference in advancing a bill through the legislative process.

There are two key lessons to take away from that:

1. Attorneys and law students passionate about a potential state policy change should take the leap and reach out to a legislator to discuss their proposal, as personal advocacy really does have an impact at the state level; and
2. Drawing a parallel to the practice of law, we should all keep in mind that there’s no such thing as a “slam-dunk case” without effective, persuasive advocacy to deliver it.

You’ve held impressive political and legal internships — which experience taught you the most unexpected lesson, and what was it?

When I was an undergraduate student at The George Washington University, I had the privilege of interning for Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01). In addition to the typical features of a “Hillternship,” like leading tours of the Capitol Building (which, for an American history nerd like myself, was about as good as it gets) and speaking with constituents, I had the unique opportunity to work within a bipartisan staff.

The major lesson I took away from that experience—a lesson that is not so “unexpected” in substance, but is unlikely to be reinforced by working in Congress—is that having ideological diversity within an office is a critically important asset that enhances the quality and thoughtfulness of work product while also enriching everyone involved.

This is a lesson I’ve carried forward into leadership teams that I’ve formed in the years since, and even into the friendships I’ve worked to nurture. We can all benefit from another reminder to step outside our echo chambers and truly listen to one another.

How has your time on the Seton Hall Law Review helped sharpen your legal skills?

My time on the Seton Hall Law Review has greatly improved my legal writing and editing skills, which allowed me to hit the ground running on my assignments as a Summer Associate in 2025 and will surely serve me well as I begin my legal career.

Honing these abilities within individual coursework is one thing, but working alongside other bright young scholars and learning from one another is an invaluable experience that I’d encourage every student to consider trying.

What strategies have you used to balance law school, high-profile political work, and personal commitments?

I could give the typical answers here about the importance of time management, reading thoroughly, crafting effective and succinct outlines, and keeping a calendar that also allows for downtime—all of which are undoubtedly helpful.

However, I truly feel that the greatest assets that have allowed me to successfully navigate the time constraints that attending law school part-time imposes have been the support and understanding of my loved ones and my employer. There’s plenty of truth to the expression that “when you want something done, give it to a busy person,” but that busy person is only able to take care of business with a sturdy and reliable support system around them.

I’m beyond grateful to have mine and look forward to repaying them in spades on the other side of graduation.

Which classes or professors at Seton Hall Law have had the biggest influence on your career path so far?

My Weekend Program cohort is thankful for all of the incredible professors who have stepped up and worked within our unique schedule to provide us with a quality academic experience. In particular, I’ve been especially grateful for those who have drawn upon their wealth of real-world experience to provide us with greater insight into their fields—there’s nothing quite like learning Civil Procedure from a then-sitting federal district court judge, Hon. John Michael Vazquez, or learning appellate advocacy skills from the then-Deputy Solicitor General of New Jersey, Angela Cai.

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout-out to Professor Lee Larson Cornwell for her exemplary guidance during Lawyering in my first year.

For students aspiring to enter politics or legislative work, what advice would you give them?

The best advice I could give would simply be to take a leap of faith and reach out to a candidate or office whose mission you believe in. Many of us spend months or years gaining interest in politics and/or public policy and following along on our phones while trying to figure out whether it’s something we’d actually like to engage with in the real world.

But there are few more fulfilling experiences than throwing that passion behind furthering a cause you support, and most campaigns and legislative offices would be eager to have an extra pair of hands to help out.

If you step forward now, the worst-case outcome will be that you learn this field is not for you—which is a valuable lesson in and of itself, and one that’s better to learn sooner rather than later. But if things work out, getting engaged now in this important gubernatorial election year could help jump-start more serious engagement, or even a career. One opportunity leads to another very quickly—my first internship led to the next, which ultimately landed me my first full-time job the day after my undergraduate graduation, and from there it was off to the races.

Anyone in the Seton Hall community who’s interested in getting involved on either side of the aisle should feel more than free to reach out to me directly to learn more.

Outside of your professional life, what’s one personal goal or passion project you’re currently pursuing?

One major bucket-list item for me is visiting every national park. I recently had the opportunity to visit Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming with my girlfriend, Emma, and we’re already looking forward to planning our next adventure.

As anyone who’s visited one of these incredible sites can attest, the National Park System is perhaps America’s greatest invention, and each trip is a spiritual experience and a great escape wrapped up in one. Protecting public lands has never been more important.

Looking ahead, what’s your dream role or long-term vision for your career?

Ultimately, I’m striving to have a career where I not only have the opportunity to succeed professionally, but where I’m also able to live a holistically fulfilling life.

My “dream role” is not so much about the title it may carry, but rather the ability to marry professional achievement with the ability to be present for and support my family, as well as to become an active leader in the community I choose to call home. Thanks to the incredible education and connections that Seton Hall Law has provided me with over the past three-plus years, I’m incredibly fortunate to be in a position where these goals are in sight.