The Newark St. Patrick's Day Parade  has chosen attorney and leading Irish American Patrick Dunican as Grand Marshal 2013. Newark is the oldest parade in the state first organized in 1936.

The Parade Committee is comprised of member organizations which include Irish organizations, fraternal Organizations, religious organizations, and other civic, social, and athletic organizations with predominantly Irish membership.

The first Grand Marshal of the Parade was former Newark Mayor Charles P. Gillen, born in County Roscommon.

Since then, the Parade has been led by prominent men and women in the Irish-American community including mayors, legislators, businessmen, labor leaders, a number of national officers of the AOH, one nationally known sculptor, and one Archbishop.

Patrick Dunican is the third attorney to serve as Grand Marshal.Intensely proud of his Irish heritage, Dunican serves on the Board of Advisors of the Irish American Bar Association of New Jersey. The Irish Voice has named him one of the “Irish Legal 100,” a nationwide network of the most distinguished and accomplished lawyers of Irish heritage.

Dunican was elected unanimously at a meeting of the Parade Committee held in July 2012 at Riverfront Stadium where he was then introduced to the crowd and threw out the first pitch of the game.

Dunican is well known in the Newark community where he has been an active supporter of Seton Hall Law School, a board member of the Irish American Bar Association, and a board member of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, (NJPAC).

Dunican serves alongside of Eileen P. Gilleece, the 2013 Deputy Grand Marshal who is a Detective Sergeant First Class with the New Jersey State Police.

As Grand Marshal, Dunican has named a Chief of Staff, two Assistant chiefs of staff, and 18 personal aides who will march with him on Parade Day.

As Grand Marshal, Dunican has designated 15 charitable-beneficiaries in the Newark area to receive donations from his fundraising efforts.

Dunican is a nationally recognized law firm innovator who was highlighted by Law360 in 2010 as one of the nation’s most innovative law firm managing partners. He was recently named to NJBIZ Magazine’s first-ever “Power 100” list of the 100 most powerful people in New Jersey business, and has also been named an “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young in the category of Professional Services, an award which recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who are building and leading dynamic and growing businesses.

Dunican will be officially be sworn in as Grand Marshal of the Parade at an Investiture Mass held on the morning of the parade at St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral.

His law firm, Gibbons P.C. will host a breakfast following the Investiture Mass.

Gibbons P.C. will also sponsor an post-Parade party at NJPAC for Gibbons employees and clients featuring Celtic Cross.

Dunican lives in Ridgewood, NJ, with his wife Christina and their children Morgan, age 10, and Michael, age 8.