Governor Lamont Nominates 20 Jurists To Function Judges of the Connecticut Superior Courtroom

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03/29/2023

Governor Lamont Nominates 20 Jurists To Function Judges of the Connecticut Superior Courtroom

Governor Additionally Proclaims Two Nominees To Function Household Help Magistrates

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont immediately introduced that he’s nominating 20 jurists to function judges of the Connecticut Superior Courtroom. The courtroom at the moment has 40 judicial vacancies. Moreover, Governor Lamont is nominating two jurists to turn into household help magistrates.

“Deciding on nominees to turn into judges is likely one of the most vital duties that I’ve as governor as a result of these people will turn into chargeable for making certain that justice is run pretty and with out prejudice, and that everybody who comes earlier than the courtroom is handled equally and with respect,” Governor Lamont mentioned. “Our courtroom system works finest when it displays the variety, expertise, and understanding of the individuals it serves. These people I’m nominating have the {qualifications} that meet the excessive requirements the residents of Connecticut deserve on the bench. Justice delayed is justice denied, and these new judges will assist make sure the judicial department is ready to resolve instances promptly and effectively.”

The Superior Courtroom nominees embrace:

• Mark Altermatt, 62, of Bolton: Altermatt graduated from Washington and Lee College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Syracuse College School Faculty of Legislation. He at the moment serves as a accomplice at David G. Hill and Associates. Previous to this, he was accomplice at Halloran Sage, LLP, the place he spent most of his authorized provider litigating civil issues, together with the conduct of trials, mediations, and arbitrations. He has been practising legislation for 34 years.

• Moira Buckley, 53, of Glastonbury: Buckley graduated from St. Anselm School and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from the Quinnipiac College Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment an Assistant Federal Defender within the Workplace of the Federal Defender for the District of Connecticut. For greater than 25 years, she has practiced prison protection work in state and federal courts on the trial and appellate ranges. She has additionally practiced within the non-public and public sectors.

• Patrick Caruso, 55, of Madison: Caruso graduated from the College of Connecticut and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from the Quinnipiac School Faculty of Legislation. He’s at the moment serving as an Assistant United States Lawyer. For practically 20 years, he has supervised investigations and prosecutions of drug trafficking organizations. He additionally at the moment serves because the workplace’s opioid coordinator and, on this capability, leads drug consciousness displays at excessive faculties, center faculties, {and professional} organizations all through Connecticut.

• Vikki Cooper, 52, of Fairfield: Cooper graduated from John Jay School of Prison Justice and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from the Quinnipiac College Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment Deputy Company Counsel for the Metropolis of Stamford. Previous to this, she was Deputy Company Counsel for the Metropolis of New Haven and directed all litigation introduced towards the town. She additionally labored as a litigation affiliate at Carmody and Torrance, LLP and different non-public companies, and practiced in numerous areas, reminiscent of asbestos litigation, employment legislation, and business litigation.

• Gregory C. Davis, 60, of Bloomfield: Davis graduated from Tufts College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Georgetown College Legislation Heart. He at the moment works at The Vacationers Firms, Inc. since 1997, the place he serves as Senior Counsel within the Strategic Decision Group and his duties embrace, however aren’t restricted to, managing and resolving advanced cumulative damage litigation associated to asbestos, hazardous waste, and different poisonous torts. Previous to this, he labored on the legislation agency of Murtha Cullina and the authorized division of Northeast Utilities (at the moment generally known as Eversource). He at the moment additionally serves as Deputy Mayor for the City of Bloomfield.

• Lynn Alvey Dawson, 64, of Cheshire: Dawson graduated from Boston College and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from Suffolk College Faculty. She at the moment is a solo practitioner on the Legislation Workplace of Lynn Alvey Dawson, the place she represents a various clientele that features youngsters and adults in household, juvenile, prison, and probate issues. She has practiced legislation for 34 years.

• Karen L. DeMeola, 53, of Tolland: DeMeola graduated from the College of Connecticut and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from the College of Connecticut Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment Assistant Dean for Variety, Belonging, and Neighborhood Engagement at UConn Legislation. Previous to her present function, she started her authorized profession as a civil litigator. She additionally held a number of administrative positions at UConn Legislation, and at the moment function an adjunct professor. She was the president of the Connecticut Bar Affiliation through the 2017-2018 bar 12 months.

• Paul R. Doyle, 59, of Wethersfield: Doyle graduated from Colby School and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from the College of Connecticut Faculty of Legislation. He’s at the moment a member and accomplice of Kennedy Doyle LLC, a normal apply legislation agency. He additionally concurrently served in public workplace for 27 years, together with three years as a member of the Wethersfield City Council, 12 years as a member of the Connecticut Home of Representatives, and 12 years as a member of the Connecticut State Senate.

• Daniel J. Fox, 46, of Stamford: Fox graduated from Loyola College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from New England Legislation Faculty. He’s at the moment a accomplice at Curtis, Brinckerhoff and Barrett, P.C., the place he focuses on municipal legislation, civil litigation, estates and trusts, company legislation, and actual property. For 12 years he served as a member of the Connecticut Home of Representatives for the 148^th Meeting District.

• Matthew Larock, 47, of Weatogue: Larock graduated from Dickinson School and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from the College of Miami Faculty of Legislation. He at the moment works within the Connecticut Lawyer Normal’s Workplace, the place he’s a Deputy Affiliate Lawyer Normal and Chief of the Employment, Labor, and Employees’ Compensation Part. From 2004 by way of 2013, he served as an lawyer with the Connecticut Division of Kids and Households. He started his authorized profession in non-public apply the place he represented dad and mom and kids in youngster safety proceedings and served as a particular public defender in juvenile issues.

• Ann F. Lawlor, 55, of North Haven: Lawlor graduated from Windfall School and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from New England Legislation Faculty. She is at the moment a Supervisory Assistant State’s Lawyer, Fairfield JD at geographical space #2 in Bridgeport. She labored in non-public apply for just a few years earlier than becoming a member of the Division of Prison Justice in 1999. Since then, she has labored as an Assistant State’s Lawyer, the final 9 years of which have been in Bridgeport, serving for seven years in Half A and Supervisory Assistant State’s Lawyer at GA #2 since 2021.

• Walter A. Menjivar, 35, of West Hartford: Menjivar graduated from Vanderbilt College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from the College of Connecticut Faculty of Legislation. He’s at the moment an Assistant Lawyer Normal within the Connecticut Lawyer Normal’s Workplace. He serves within the particular litigation part and beforehand labored within the well being and schooling part, representing state companies in state and federal courts. He was previously the Affiliate Normal Counsel within the Workplace of the Governor, the place he supplied authorized counsel to the Governor and government state companies. Previous to his public service, he was a litigation affiliate at Day Pitney LLP.

• Yamini Menon, 46, of Westport: Menon graduated from John Hopkins College and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from American College Washington School of Legislation. She at the moment works as an Assistant State’s Lawyer within the Civil Litigation Bureau of the Workplace of the Chief State’s Lawyer. Previous to this, she was with the Division of Prison Justice for 18 years. She has dealt with prison trials, habeas corpus trials, habeas corpus appeals, and juvenile delinquency issues on behalf of the Division of Prison Justice. Moreover, she served as a authorized assist lawyer with Connecticut Authorized Providers representing purchasers in housing courtroom.

• Thomas J. O’Neill, 57, of Fairfield: O’Neill graduated from Stonehill School and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Suffolk College Legislation Faculty. He’s at the moment a accomplice at Day Pitney LLP and a member of the agency’s Finance Probate and Industrial Litigation Enterprise Unit and Professional Bono Committee. His apply focuses on a variety of economic and civil litigation issues in each state and federal courts, together with landlord tenant disputes, foreclosures, lender legal responsibility, company possession disputes, tort claims, and alleged unfair commerce practices. Previous to this, he was a Sufferer Compensation Commissioner presiding over appeals from denials of purposes for sufferer compensation.

• Richard J. Rubino, 54, of West Hartford: Rubino graduated from Southern Connecticut State College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Ohio Northern College School of Legislation. He’s at the moment a Supervisory Assistant State’s Lawyer within the Hartford Judicial District and has served as a prosecutor with that workplace since 2000. Throughout his tenure with the Connecticut Division of Prison Justice, he has been predominantly centered on the prosecution of great felony issues.

• Thomas J. Saadi, 53, of Danbury: Saadi graduated from Western Connecticut State College and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Quinnipiac College. He’s at the moment the Commissioner of the Connecticut State Division of Veterans Affairs and a Lieutenant Colonel within the U.S. Military Reserve. Previous to turning into Commissioner for the division, he served for nearly six years as its Chief of Workers and two years as its Normal Counsel. He additionally spent 15 years as a Connecticut Assistant Lawyer Normal and Particular Prosecutor. He has 18 years of steady service within the Military Reserve as a Choose Advocate offering authorized help from the corporate to division ranges.

• Sharon A. Skyers, 54, of New Haven: Skyers graduated from Duke College and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from North Carolina Central College Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment a managing accomplice at Skyers, Skyers and Harrell, LLC, which she co-founded. Her apply has a major focus on private damage instances and business and residential actual property transactions. She additionally focusses on enterprise issues, serving as exterior counsel to firms and small companies. She has been practising legislation for 30 years.

• Jennifer J. Tunnard, 57, of Ridgefield: Tunnard graduated from Fordham College and obtained her Juris Physician diploma from Touro School, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Legislation Heart. She is at the moment a sole practitioner on the Legislation Workplace of Jennifer DeCastro Tunnard, the place she primarily works as a litigator/trial lawyer dealing with an enormous array of issues from prison legislation, private damage, household, and actual property legislation as a plaintiff and protection lawyer. Previous to coming into non-public apply, Tunnard was a former Assistant District Lawyer for the Bronx County District Lawyer’s Workplace for six years the place she labored within the Appeals Unit and Home/Intercourse Crimes Unit. She has been practising legislation for 30 years.

• Emily Wagner, 47, of West Hartford: Wagner graduated from Skidmore School and obtained her Juris Physician from the College of Connecticut Faculty of Legislation. She at the moment serves as an Appellate Public Defender on the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Providers, the place she has spent the previous twelve years. She started her authorized profession clerking for the Honorable Christine S. Vertefeuille, former Affiliate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Courtroom. She then spent 4 years as an affiliate at Shipman and Goodwin LLP. She additionally teaches the Appellate Protection Clinic at Quinnipiac College Faculty of Legislation.

• Jason Welch, 50, of Bristol: Welch graduated from Hamilton School and obtained his Juris Physician diploma from Quinnipiac College Faculty of Legislation. He at the moment works for the Connecticut Normal Meeting because the Chief Authorized Counsel to the Senate Republican Workplace. Beforehand, his apply centered on skilled legal responsibility, insurance coverage protection, and building and enterprise disputes working for the companies of Cummings and Lockwood, LLC and McCarter and English, LLP, in addition to the insurance coverage firm Beazley Group. He has served within the Connecticut Military Nationwide Guard and the US Coast Guard Reserves. He additionally served two phrases as a member of the Connecticut State Senate for the 31^st Senatorial District.

The household help Justice of the Peace nominees embrace:

• Jacquelyn B. Kercelius, 35, of Hamden: Kercelius graduated from Fordham School Lincoln Heart and earned her Juris Physician from Quinnipiac College Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment employed by the Connecticut Judicial Department as an Assistant Clerk in Household Issues for the Judicial District of New Haven at Meriden. Previous to this, Kercelius labored in civil litigation, participating in each plaintiff and protection work and representing authorities entities, such because the New Haven Housing Authority and New Haven Board of Schooling. Thereafter, she served as a director for a nonprofit specializing in people with power and chronic psychological sickness. She additionally served as a member of the board of administrators for the Junior League of Higher New Haven neighborhood service group and as a mediator for the Connecticut Bar Affiliation’s Decision of Authorized Charge Disputes Program.

• Charlene W. Spencer, 58, of Vernon: Spencer graduated from the College of Connecticut and earned her Juris Physician from the Western New England College Faculty of Legislation. She is at the moment an Assistant Lawyer Normal within the Employment Rights Part, the place she defends the State of Connecticut in employment discrimination issues filed in federal courtroom and state courtroom, in addition to administrative issues introduced earlier than the Fee of Human Rights and Alternatives. She has been with the Workplace of the Lawyer Normal for the final 32 years in numerous roles, together with the Baby Help Division.

The Workplace of the Governor is forwarding the names of those nominees to the Normal Meeting for its recommendation and consent.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Fb: Workplace of Governor Ned Lamont