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4 ¦ JANUARY 4, 2021 NEWS

¦ From MOVED UP on PAGE 1 The 66-year-old Hartford resident left on sabbati-
which judges write decisions, and seeing that cases cal and will return to the law school faculty in 2021.
are moved along through the process. His successor is Eboni Nelson, formerly associate
dean of academic affairs and professor of law at the
University of South Carolina School of Law.
Richard Colangelo Jr.
Richard Colangelo Jr., the prosecutor in the well- In a June interview, Fisher said one of his greatest
publicized Fotis Dulos case, became Connecticut’s accomplishments during his seven-year tenure was
chief state’s attorney in January. pushing for the incubator program that began at the
Colangelo, who served as the state’s attorney for law school in 2016.
the Judicial District of Stamford/Norwalk for four In the interview, Fisher said: “There are more than
and a half years, replaced Kevin Kane as chief state’s 50 incubators in the country, almost all associated
attorney. with law schools. It provides an office for recent law
Colangelo is known for his work in the case school graduates who set up solo practices repre-
against Dulos, who was charged with killing his wife senting the low-income and working-poor commu-
Jennifer Dulos. Fotis Dulos killed nities. We provide them with an
himself in January 2020. office on campus and office equip-
Colangelo was a longtime pros- ment and an intake system.”
ecutor who specialized in child-
exploitation cases involving the
internet. He graduated from Quin- Chief State’s Attorney Richard Palmer
nipiac University School of Law in Richard Colangelo Richard Palmer, often consid-
1992, and has taught criminal jus- ered the deciding vote on contro-
tice programs in the state’s com- previously served as a versial and consequential cases
munity college system since 1995. longtime prosecutor of over 27 years, retired from the
child-exploitation cases Connecticut Supreme Court on
Melanie Dykas involving the internet. He his 70th birthday in May.
graduated from Quinnipiac Palmer, who was required un-

Melanie Dykas, who worked at University School of Law in der state law to step down once
three large law firms over the past 1992. he turned 70, said he planned on
decade, was hired in September as
the chief state’s attorneys legisla- being a judge trial referee on both
the Connecticut Superior Court
tive liaison. and the Connecticut Appellate
In that role, Dykas will be tasked Court. There are no age limits for
with lobbying legislators in 2021 judge trial referees.
to sign off on proposals important to the office. In A West Hartford resident, Palmer was the third-
an October interview, Dykas said the top priorities longest-serving justice on the state Supreme Court.
will be related to internet stalking, bail reform and Pivotal cases Palmer ruled on include the case
stronger measures to prosecute hate crimes. that made same-sex marriage legal under the state
Dykas worked for Robinson & Cole, Locke Lord constitution and the ruling granting Michael Skakel,
and Halloran & Sage. She was also a lobbyist at the the nephew of the late Ethel Kennedy, who was mar-
Capitol during the 2011-14 legislative sessions while ried to the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, a new trial
with Halloran & Sage’s government affairs arms. based on ineffective legal assistance.
¦

Timothy Fisher Robert Storace covers legal trends, lawsuits and
Timothy Fisher, the 17th dean of the University of analysis for the Connecticut Law Tribune. Follow
Connecticut School of Law, stepped down from that him on Twitter @RobertSCTLaw or reach him at
post in July. 203-437-5950.

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