The Essex County Bar Association mourns the passing of Thomas R. Ashley on August 20, 2025. Mr. Ashley was a long-time member of the Essex County Bar Association and a towering figure in criminal defense and a groundbreaking civil rights attorney. While at Rutgers Law on a full scholarship, he served as associate editor of the “Rutgers Law Review” and was honored with the American Jurisprudence Award in constitutional and civil rights law. He went on to serve with the NAACP’s national legal staff under the leadership of Roy Wilkins and mentor Robert Carter. He also broke barriers as the first Black associate at Lowenstein Sandler LLP and later as a partner at Brown, Vogelman & Ashley.
Visitation will be held on August 28, 2025 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm and Celebration of Life will be held on August 29, 2025 with the viewing beginning at 10:00 am and the service beginning at 11:00 am at the Metropolitan Baptist Church, 149 Springfield Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102.
