Another top aide to leave Christie administration

Gov. Christie's chief counsel is leaving the governor's office for a job in the private sector, joining a number of top aides and cabinet members who have left the administration in recent weeks.

After serving in the administration for nearly four years, Chris Porrino will return to his former law firm, Lowenstein Sandler LLP, as co-chair of the firm's national litigation practice, Christie's office said Friday. Porrino, who will leave at the end of the month, will be replaced by Thomas P. Scrivo of the law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney and Carpenter, Christie's office said.

Porrino has served as Christie's chief counsel for the last 18 months.

"Since Chris came on board as my Chief Counsel and every single day since then, he has been by my side as an invaluable source of guidance and wisdom for this administration – even during the most challenging of times," Christie said in a statement.

Porrino's departure comes after the governor's office said in late June that three cabinet officials -- Christie's treasurer, and the commissioners of the Health and Banking & Insurance departments -- would leave in the coming weeks.

Christie's longtime communications director, Maria Comella, also left in June and is now working for his presidential campaign.

Prior to becoming chief counsel, Porrino was director of the Division of Law from February 2012 to January 2014.

Scrivo is currently managing partner of his firm's Newark office and co-chair of its commercial litigation practice group, Christie's office said.