Judge Vanessa L. Bryant '78 has retired as of Dec. 31, 2023 from the U.S. District Court in the District of Connecticut, where she served for more than 16 years. The first Black woman appointed to the federal court in New England, she issued many notable decisions, including a ruling in 2012 that the Defense of Marriage Act violated the Constitution. Before her appointment to the federal bench, Bryant served as a judge of the Connecticut Superior Court. She previously was a partner at Hawkins, Delafield & Wood LLP; a member of the Board of Pardons; Chapter 13 trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court of the District of Connecticut; vice president and general counsel of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority; in-house counsel at Aetna Life & Casualty Co. and Shawmut Bank; and an associate at Day Pitney LLP, formerly Day, Berry & Howard LLP. Bryant, who took senior status in 2021,is legally blind and a role model for those with visual impairments.