Mercer County, NJ
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Meet the Clerk
Paula Sollami Covello, Esq., Mercer County Clerk was elected to her fourth term of office in 2020, after taking office in January, 2006. Mrs. Covello is an Attorney-at-Law, who is admitted to practice in New Jersey (and previously in Pennsylvania and Washington, DC). She spent the majority of her career working in government, first in the Governor's Office as a Policy Advisor and in the New Jersey Department of Education, serving as the first Executive Director of the New Jersey School Ethics Commission, and in the Department's Controversies & Disputes office writing legal opinions. She also previously worked as an Assistant County Counsel member for Mercer County and in private practice.
As County Clerk, Mrs. Covello has made many positive changes to the Office of the County Clerk. Among these are her implementation of the electronic recording of land records, her work to preserve historic land documents in the Clerk's Records Library, putting an end to a lengthy lawsuit against Mercer County by eliminating a backlog in the recording of land records, and the creation of two online systems for public record searches. She also expanded passport services to the Mercer County Connection, Mercer County's satellite office in Hamilton Township, and has taken passport services to various municipalities throughout Mercer County. She has also increased vote-by-mail participation throughout Mercer County by increasing outreach to constituents to 45,000 residents. Mrs. Covello also offers notary education classes and a class in conjunction with Mercer County Community College on how to search the Clerk's Public Record room. She also speaks on various topics to community groups on elections, voting, property recording trends, foreclosures, and various other subjects.
Mrs. Covello graduated from Ewing High School and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, where she earned a double major in English and Communication Arts. She earned her Juris Doctor degree from New England School of Law in Boston, where she was Editor-in-Chief of her law school newspaper. She also has a Certificate in Public Leadership from Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy, Davenport Institute based in Malibu, California. She has written numerous articles and research papers.
In 2020, County Clerk Sollami-Covello was elected by her peers and served as President of the NJ Constitutional Officers Association (COANJ) and has also served in other leadership offices in this organization which is comprised of County Clerks, Sheriffs and Surrogates throughout New Jersey. In 2014, Covello was elected Director at Large of the Recorders' Division for IACREOT (International Association of Clerks Recorders, Election Officials and Treasurers -now IGO) and has also served on the Clerk's Committee for IACREOT for 10 years, where she was a featured panelist on E-Recording at its international conference (2011). She also has represented COANJ in legislative matters concerning the State's County Clerks.
The Mercer County Clerk is active in civics and in her community, having served on the Lawrence Township Planning Board and on the Democratic Township Committee. She has been a Co-chair for the Womanspace Community of LIghts event and the coordinator of the municipalities for this charity event for 17 years. Additionally, she has served in leadership positions with the New Jersey State Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division, the Mercer County Heartwalk Executive Committee, and was a co-chair of an annual fundraiser for Dress for Success of Central NJ. Mrs. Covello enjoys membership in the Mercer County Bar Association, the Lawrence League of Women Voters, Sons of Italy Association, Trenton Lobby Club, & Lawrenceville Swimming Association. She served on the ESF Camp Executive Board and enjoyed being a troop mother to Lawrence Township Girl Scout Troop 2170.
Her hobbies include swimming, reading, skiing, traveling, cooking, spending time with family and friends and cheering on her daughters in life and dance.
Mrs. Covello is the daughter of former Mercer County Freeholder and attorney Paul J. Sollami and Roseann (Bruno) Sollami. Mrs. Covello and her husband John A. Covello reside in Lawrence Township New Jersey and have two daughters and a rescue dog.