In many, if not most, similarly situated circumstances, the offending employer “sends the check” at this juncture. The employer does not want to incur additional interest and/or penalties by delaying payment after a determination has been made it violated the state wage payment law.
On a related note, what did the state department of labor representatives calculate was the amount owed to you? Did these representatives factor in the overtime?
With respect to your law school friend’s advice, he or she is probably off base. Without researching it, I would suspect the NJ wage collection statute provides for double or treble damages, interest, statutory penalties and/or attorney’s fees. In contrast, the statute likely does not provide for punitive damages. While an intrepid local employment law attorney may be able to plead a parallel tort cause of action on your behalf, it is far from clear that such a claim could be advanced here.
If the state representatives have calculated your lost wages correctly (e.g., factored in overtime) and they have sought the maximum amount due you under the state wage collection law, it may be best for you to allow the administrative process to play itself out. In contrast, if they have not done so, it may behoove you to contact a local employment lawyer who has handled wage collection claims in the past.

