William Caruso, Managing Director at Archer Public Affairs and Partner with Archer &
Greiner, P.C., has been active in New Jersey’s governmental and legislative affairs for nearly two decades.
Mr. Caruso also leads Archer’s Cannabis Law practice group. He is a recognized expert in state and federal Cannabis law, and has been an active advocate in the movement to end marijuana prohibition for nearly ten years.
Mr. Caruso is a founding member of the New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform steering committee, a partnership of public safety, medical, civil rights, faith, political, and criminal justice reform organizations and individuals committed to changing New Jersey’s laws to legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana for adults 21 and older. He is also a board member of the New Jersey Cannabis Industry Association, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing the legalization of cannabis. As a government staffer and now as a lawyer and advocate, Mr. Caruso has been a leader in cannabis policy at the state and federal level for the last two decades.
Mr. Caruso is highly experienced in related areas of law that directly impact cannabis law, including business planning and transactions, employment law, land use, zoning and municipal law, and healthcare law and regulation, and is dedicated to helping clients comply with evolving cannabis laws ethically and responsibly.
Mr. Caruso also leads Archer Public Affairs, an Archer affiliate that provides full-service government and regulatory affairs advice and advocacy to businesses in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Mr. Caruso is among a select group of attorneys, policy makers and civic leaders selected for New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Transition2018 advisory team. He serves on the team’s Law and Justice committee, one of 14 committees analyzing and making recommendations on various issues facing New Jersey.
Prior to joining Archer, Mr. Caruso served for nearly five years as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Assembly Majority Office in Trenton, where he was responsible for developing and implementing the Assembly’s policy agenda. As top aide to Speaker Sheila Oliver, Mr. Caruso served as lead staff negotiator on all policy matters, as liaison to the Governor’s office, Senate and state departments. He was responsible for daily management of approximately 30 policy research professionals and communications and administrative staff. During his tenure, Mr.
Caruso helped shepherd through numerous pieces of landmark legislation, including pension and health benefits reform.
Prior to his Assembly post, Mr. Caruso served for more than 11 years as Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, overseeing all aspects of the Congressman’s policy and public relations agenda, with specialization in economic development, education and defense policy. He was responsible for daily management of approximately 20 policy research professionals and communications and administrative staff in offices in New Jersey and Washington, D.C. Mr.
Caruso also served 11 years as Congressman Andrews’ Campaign Manager.
In addition, Mr. Caruso served as Democratic legal and public relations advisor to the 2011 New Jersey Apportionment Commission, which was tasked with redrawing the lines of the state’s 40 legislative districts following the 2010 census. He is one of New Jersey’s most influential political and policy players, and is a prolific and sought-after speaker on both cannabis law and governmental affairs. Mr. Caruso appears regularly on television news programs as a political commentator.
Mr. Caruso earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Government from Bucknell University, and his Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law–Camden. He lives in Berlin Borough, Camden County, with his wife, Amanda, and their three sons.