Malloy nominates six for CT judgeships

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday nominated three women, including utility regulator Anna M. Ficeto, and three men to fill a quarter of the vacancies on the Connecticut Superior Court.

The openings are due to retirements or elevations to higher courts, his office says.

The nominees are:

• Leeland J. Cole-Chu of Salem.  He is a partner with Cole-Chu & Cipparone in New London.  Cole-Chu received a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, a Master of Arts in urban studies from Occidental College in California and a law degree from the University of San Francisco in 1978.  He formerly worked as Special Counsel to the City of Norwich, General Counsel to the Norwich Housing Authority, and as a State of Connecticut Mediator and Arbitrator representing the interests of the public in public school teacher and administrator contract disputes.

• Ficeto of Wolcott.  She is Director of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority for the State of Connecticut.  Ficeto received a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1990.  She has held various leadership positions in state government, including within the Departments of Consumer Protection, Public Works and Administrative Services.  She also served as Chief Legal Counsel to Governor M. Jodi Rell.  Prior to her state service, Ficeto was an attorney with Jackson, O’Keefe & Phelan in Harford.

• Donna Nelson Heller of Riverside.  She is the senior partner in the Commercial Litigation Department of Finn Dixon & Herling in Stamford.  Heller received a Bachelor of Arts from Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business and a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1980.  She formerly was associated with Winthrop Stimson Putnam & Roberts in New York and Stamford.

• Raheem L. Mullins of Cromwell.  He is an Assistant State’s Attorney in the appellate division of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office.  Mullins received a Bachelor of Arts from Clark University and a law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in 2004.  He formerly was an Assistant Attorney General with the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.

• Maureen McCabe Murphy of Middletown.  She is a partner with Murphy, Murphy & Nugent in New Haven.  Murphy received a Bachelor of Arts from St. Mary’s College in Indiana, a Master of Science from Southern Connecticut State University, a law degree from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 1986 and a Master of Laws from New York University School of Law in 1990.  She formerly was an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law and an associate with Greenfield & Murphy.

• Kenneth B. Povodator of Fairfield.  He is an Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City of Stamford.  Povodator received a Bachelor of Science from Syracuse University in New York, a Master of Philosophy in chemistry from Yale University in New Haven, a law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1977 and a Master of Laws from the University of Bridgeport School of Law in 1985.  He formerly was an associate with Friedman, Mellitz & Newman in Fairfield and an associate with Zeldes, Needle & Cooper in Bridgeport.