J. Paul Vance Jr.
- Partner
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Practice Areas:
- Personal Injury
- Workers’ Compensation
- Medical Malpractice
Biography
After graduating from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1999, Attorney Vance began his career as a clerk at the Connecticut Appellate Court. Following his experience working for the court, he practiced in Hartford, Glastonbury, Waterbury.
In 2011, he was appointed by Governor Dannell Malloy as the Claims Commissioner and he headed the State of Connecticut, Office of the Claims Commissioner. As the Claims Commissioner, he decided countless claims filed against the State of Connecticut by people who sought money damages from the State of Connecticut, including claims for catastrophic injuries and wrongful incarceration.
Attorney Vance is active in the community and is a volunteer for several professional and civic organizations. He has served in leadership for the Connecticut Bar Association as a member of the Board of Governors and House of Delegates and for the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association as a member of their Board of Governors. Vance has been involved as a volunteer with Our Lady of Mount Carmel School (Waterbury) and with many local charities and he is active in the Town of Watertown, where he lives with his wife and two sons. Attorney Vance was elected and served four terms as the President of the Board of Alderman in the City of Waterbury.
An avid basketball fan, he served as a high school head coach for more than 15 years and has coached several youth teams.
Education
- Seton Hall University School of Law, Newark, New Jersey
- J.D.
- Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania
- B.A.
- Major: English
- Major: Political Science
- Columbia University, New York
- M.P.A.
Bar Admission
- Connecticut, 1999
- U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 2000
- Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Court
- United States Supreme Court, 2023
Past Positions
- State of Connecticut Appellate Law Clerk for the Honorable Socrates H. Mihalakos, the Honorable Christine S. Vertefeuille, and the Honorable Peter T. Zarella
- Claims Commissioner, State of Connecticut
Fraternities or Sororities
- Sigma Phi Epsilon
- Phi Alpha Delta
Professional Associations
- Waterbury Bar Association
- Litchfield County Bar Association, Treasurer
- Connecticut Bar Association, Member - House of Delegates
- Connecticut Bar Association, Member - Board of Governors
- Connecticut Bar Association, Secretary
- Connecticut Bar Association, Rule of Law Committee
- Connecticut Bar Association, Unauthorized Practice of Law Committee
- Connecticut Bar Association, Litigation Committee
- Connecticut Bar Association, Workers Compensation Committee
- City of Waterbury, President, Board of Aldermen
- City of Waterbury, Commissioner - Retirement Board
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Governors
- Connecticut Democratic Party, State Central Committee
- Watertown Democratic Town Committee, Former Chairman
- Town of Watertown Charter Revision Commission