Some people say, “I always knew I wanted to become a lawyer.”

I’m not one of those people. I am the son of first generation immigrants, and am part of the first generation in my family to attend college, let alone law school. I grew up in Waterbury, and still have deep ties there since my parents and other family members still live there. But despite my ties and some people considering Waterbury “the center of the universe”, I knew that there was more out there that I wanted to explore.

In addition, I developed a strong work ethic from my parents, who came to this country with little more than the clothes on their backs. After several years of working in the real world, I decided to go back to school.

I went to law school because I was looking for a greater personal challenge and new career opportunities. I didn’t really think I could get into law school, but I decided to challenge myself, and I just went for it! I was thrilled to be accepted at UConn Law and attended evening classes while continuing to work full time as a consultant. Between working and attending law school, I didn’t think things could get much busier, but my daughter was born halfway through my law school career. Despite the challenges of juggling being a new dad, working, and going to school, I managed to finish law school a semester early in January of 2012.

During law school I had the privilege of interning at the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Litchfield. After graduation, I clerked for the Honorable Judge Jon Blue in the Judicial District of New Haven where I clerked for several high profile Part A criminal cases. In April of 2013, I had the distinct honor and privilege of working as a prosecutor for the state of Connecticut. During my time as a prosecutor I worked in New Britain, New Haven, and Danbury Superior Courts. As a prosecutor I learned the ins-and-outs of criminal procedure in the State of Connecticut.

I’m one of a small handful of former prosecutors who now practices criminal defense. I decided to make the switch so that I could use the knowledge I gained about the inner workings of the criminal justice system to help individuals who have nowhere else to turn. As a prosecutor or as a defense attorney, I feel my priority was (and is) ensuring that the criminal justice system is working and defendants are being treated fairly. Now it’s my job to evaluate cases and demonstrate deficiencies to the state and the court. This transition has helped me take the next step in my career, and I am excited to work with the staff at Ruane Attorneys and our clients.