Roraback, Goodrow Head List Of Judicial Nominees

The Connecticut Law Tribune

01-24-2013

A number of well-known members of Connecticut's legal community were nominated by Governor Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday to be Superior Court judges.

Those chosen include Republican state Sen. Andrew Roraback, whose family runs a Litchfield County law firm and who ran unsuccessfully Congress last fall. Roraback, widely considered a fiscal conservative with moderate social views, has been a frequent critic of Malloy.

Also nominated were three women with statewide name recognition in legal circles.

Karen Goodrow is head of the Connecticut Innocence Project, which has helped overturn the conviction of several men convicted of serious crimes. Hope Seeley, a partner with Santos & Seeley P.C. in Hartford, is a past president of the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and has served as co-chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's Trial Advocacy Institute.

Sheila A. Huddleston, a Shipman & Goodwin partner, is a former co-chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's Appellate Advocacy Committee.

"I have loved the private practice of law, and I'm grateful to my partners at Shipman & Goodwin, who have allowed me to spend a substantial portion of my time over nearly 20 years in pro bono work," Huddleston said in a prepared statement. "I am even more grateful to have the opportunity now to enter into public service so that I can spend all of my time working to ensure equal justice for everyone."

Malloy also announced that he is nominating Superior Court Judge Christine E. Keller to the Connecticut Appellate Court. "Since 1993, Judge Keller has served in the Superior Court with distinction, particularly with her work on family and juvenile issues," Malloy said. "She will bring with her a great amount of experience and competence to the Appellate Court."

Keller would fill the vacancy left by Appellate Judge Carmen Espinosa, who has been nominated to the Supreme Court. Keller's nomination is conditioned on the General Assembly confirming Espinosa.

"I promise to continue to serve the people of this state as diligently, compassionately and fairly as I can," Keller said in a prepared statement. "In so doing, I will draw on my 24 years of experience presiding over cases in all divisions of the court – family, civil, criminal and especially, juvenile – as well the knowledge I have acquired serving in administrative positions within the Judicial Branch."

In all 15 people were nominated to Superior Court posts. In addition to Roraback, Goodrow, Seeley and Huddleston, they are:

• Michael A. Albis of East Haven: Albis serves as a principal in the firm of Hilcoff & Albis in East Haven, is the former Judge of Probate for the District of East Haven, and is a member of the adjunct faculty of Quinnipiac University in the Legal Studies Department.

• Thomas D. Colin of Ridgefield: Colin is a partner with Schoonmaker, George, Colin & Blomberg in Greenwich. Previously, he was an associate with Cummings & Lockwood in Stamford.

• Melanie L. Cradle of Middlefield: Cradle is a senior assistant state's attorney for the Ansonia-Milford Judicial District, where she has served since 2002. Previously, she served as an associate with Lyle Hume and Associates and as an adjunct professor at Housatonic Community College.

• Michael P. Kamp of Hamden: Kamp is a principal in the litigation department of Loughlin Fitzgerald in Wallingford. Previously, he was a principal with McNerney, Fitzgerald & Tiernan in New Haven, and an assistant corporation counsel with the Town of Hamden.

• Charles T. Lee of Greenwich: Lee is a partner with Anderson, Kill & Olick in Stamford. Previously, he was a partner with McCarter & English as well as Paul Hastings Janofsky & Walker LLP.

• Jason M. Lobo of Suffield: Lobo is a supervising assistant attorney general for the State of Connecticut. Previously, he was an attorney with Spruance & Associates.

• Shelley A. Marcus of Branford: Marcus is an attorney with the Marcus Law Firm, having experience in private practice for over twenty years. She has also served in various governmental positions including chief screening counsel to the House Democrats.

• Maurice B. Mosley of Waterbury: Mosley is counsel to the City of Waterbury's school department, and is president and CEO of Granville Academy of Waterbury. Previously, he was the owner and managing partner of the law firm Mosley & Sinclair, served five terms as a state representative and taught elementary school in Waterbury.

• Thomas G. Moukawsher of Groton: Moukawsher is a founding member of Moukawsher & Walsh, with offices in West Hartford and Groton. Previously, he served as a state representative.

• Robyn Stewart Johnson of Glastonbury: Stewart Johnson is a senior assistant state's attorney for the State of Connecticut. Previously, she was an instructor with the Southern Connecticut State University's Sociology Department and was an Assistant District Attorney for the Hampden County District Attorney Office in Massachusetts.

• Anthony D. Truglia Jr. of Stamford: Truglia is a Stamford-based attorney with diverse experience in commercial law, specializing in real estate, litigation and corporate matters.