Luis M. Matos ’90 has been nominated by Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee to serve on the Rhode Island Supreme Court. Matos has served as an associate justice of the Rhode Island Superior Court since 2012. Before joining the bench, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney and held a variety of roles in public service and private practice.
Author: Katlyn
Julia Nye ’87 Joins Laconia City Council
Julia Nye ’87 has been appointed to the Laconia (N.H.) City Council, representing Ward 5 through January 2028. After earning her J.D. from UConn Law, Nye clerked for Judge William Batchelder on the New Hampshire Supreme Court and later worked as a public defender for more than 30 years.
Carrie Brodzinski ’88 Named Chief Underwriting Officer of MSIG USA
Carrie Brodzinski ’88 has been appointed chief underwriting officer of MSIG USA. Brodzinski brings nearly 30 years of underwriting and insurance leadership experience to the role. She will lead the company’s underwriting strategy, working across its specialty businesses to govern and drive underwriting performance, portfolio management, and execution.
She joins MSIG USA from The Hartford, where she served as chief underwriting officer for Global Specialty.
In Memoriam: James Joyce ’77
James Joyce ’77 passed away on July 28, surrounded by his family. He had a fulfilling career as a CPA and attorney, accomplishing his primary dream of providing an education for his five children. Read more about his life.
Eboni S. Nelson Discusses UConn Law’s Preparation for the NextGen Bar Exam
Dean Eboni S. Nelson was featured in Law.com discussing the launch of the new NextGen Uniform Bar Exam. Nelson said UConn Law appreciated the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ efforts to make the exam more accessible and better aligned with modern legal practice, noting that the first day of testing in Connecticut ran smoothly.
Nelson highlighted UConn Law’s extensive preparation for the transition, citing its strong experiential education program, innovative first-year Legal Practice curriculum, and rigorous academic offerings. She also noted that faculty have incorporated the lawyering perspectives and problem-solving approaches emphasized by the new exam into their courses, while research librarians have developed resources and instruction focused on the research competencies assessed by the NextGen exam.
Richard Pomp Quoted in Tax Notes
Professor Richard Pomp was quoted in Tax Notes regarding a lawsuit challenging Utah’s new tax on digital advertising. Commenting on the policy rationale behind the tax, Pomp expressed skepticism that taxing digital advertising would meaningfully address concerns about the impact of algorithms and social media on youth. “It may be good politics,” he said, “but it is no substitute for dealing with the very hard work of figuring out how to regulate social media.” The article examines legal challenges to Utah’s tax under the Internet Tax Freedom Act and the U.S. Constitution.
Alex A. Toribio ’05 Elected to Board of Urban League of Greater Hartford
Alex A. Toribio ’05, head of Global Litigation and Government Investigations at Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., was elected as a new member of the Board of the Urban League of Greater Hartford in June. The local affiliate of the National Urban League is entering its 62nd year of continuous service providing education, employment, housing, and health programs while fighting for social justice.
Eileen O’Shaughnessy ’93 Joins CATIC
Eileen O’Shaughnessy ’93 has joined title insurance underwriter CATIC as vice president, managing counsel, in its Rhode Island office. In this role, she will lead CATIC’s Rhode Island team and provide underwriting and educational support for the firm’s Rhode Island agents.
Prior to joining CATIC, O’Shaughnessy was state underwriting counsel for a national title insurance company in Rhode Island. In that role, she advised and educated title insurance agents on real estate transactions and title insurance processes, determined insurability of titles, and reviewed titles for preparation of title commitments and policies for residential and commercial transactions.
Leslie Levin Contributes to Amicus Brief in Federal Case
Leslie Levin, Hugh Macgill Professor of Law Emerita, helped coordinate an amicus brief in United States v. Fox, a federal case concerning efforts to halt disciplinary proceedings against former DOJ official Jeffrey Clark. Levin drafted portions of the brief and encouraged legal ethics scholars and experts to join as signatories. The brief was a joint effort by Lawyers Defending American Democracy and the Democracy Defenders Fund. Additional information is available online.
In Memoriam: John Francis, Jr. Droney ’73
John Francis, Jr. Droney ’73 passed away at his home in West Hartford on July 19, at the age of 79. He practiced as a distinguished member of the Connecticut bar from 1973 to 2022. Read more about his life.