Joseph W. Torre is a Partner in HDRB&B’s Litigation Department. A seasoned trial lawyer and former prosecutor with more than a decade of courtroom experience, Joe now focuses his practice on a broad range of civil litigation matters, including employment, commercial, complex business disputes, and personal injury. He regularly represents companies, executives, and individuals—as both plaintiffs and defendants—in high-stakes litigation in state and federal courts, drawing on his trial and negotiation experience to strategically position cases and obtain favorable results. Joe brings to these matters the same meticulous preparation, strategic thinking, and poise under pressure that defined his criminal trial work.
Joe has effectively transferred his trial and negotiation skills to resolve many civil disputes—both in and out of the courtroom. He is adept at developing persuasive narratives from dense fact patterns, positioning cases for favorable settlements, and, when necessary, taking cases through trial. His ability to simplify complex legal issues and present them in a compelling way has made him a trusted advocate in high-stakes civil litigation.
Joe’s civil practice is grounded in a distinguished criminal career. Before joining HDRB&B, Joe served in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, where he oversaw complex multi-jurisdictional investigations and prosecutions. His work on white-collar, violent crime, and organized crime matters led to the successful prosecution of numerous high-profile cases, including the homicide trial State v. Sui Kam Tung, which was featured on NBC’s Dateline: “The Room Downstairs.” As Chief of Intelligence and Counterterrorism, Joe directed intelligence collection and analysis and prosecuted criminal and terrorist activity in collaboration with the New Jersey and New York FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces. In 2019, he received the FBI Director Award for his outstanding record in prosecution through combined efforts with the FBI.
Earlier in his career, Joe worked in private practice representing individual and corporate clients in criminal, commercial, and business litigation. He is certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Criminal Trial Attorney.* His extensive experience with investigative strategy and complex evidentiary issues makes him particularly effective in internal corporate investigations and in navigating parallel civil, regulatory, and criminal exposure. Known for his equanimity and relatability in the courtroom, Joe is a persuasive advocate who combines trial-tested skills with practical, business-minded judgment to achieve strong outcomes for his clients in civil and criminal matters alike.
Joe earned his J.D. magna cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law and received his B.A. from Villanova University. Joe is an active member of the New Jersey State and Bergen County Bar Associations. He is also a graduate of the Justice Morris Pashman American Inn of Court.
*Attorneys are designed by the Supreme Court as “certified attorneys” if they are able to demonstrate appropriate levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in a specific practice area of law or practice; have passed a rigorous examination; and have been recognized by their peers and judges as having sufficient skills and reputation in the designated specialty.
