FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Rocky Hill, CT) – Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin announced that the Division of Criminal Justice’s first apprentice prosecutor under Public Act No. 23-55, “An Act Concerning the Recruitment of Law School Students for Apprentice Prosecutor Positions,” was sworn in today as a Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney.
Olivia Hally was sworn in by Chief State’s Attorney Griffin during a ceremony today at the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney in Rocky Hill. The afternoon ceremony followed Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Hally’s admittance to the Connecticut Bar earlier in the day in Hartford.
Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Hally is the first law school student apprentice hired to work as a prosecutor for the State of Connecticut as part of the Division’s new apprenticeship program. The program was made possible by passage earlier this year of legislation that permits the Division to interview and recommend candidates to the Criminal Justice Commission who are within five months of graduating and are certified as legal interns. The legislation was signed by Governor Ned Lamont on June 26, 2023.
Apprentices chosen by the Commission are hired within one year of passing the bar exam. Deputy Assistant State’s Attorney Hally was hired as a certified legal intern on October 20, 2023 and had passed the most recent 2023 Connecticut Bar Exam. She is a graduate of Quinnipiac University and Quinnipiac University School of Law.
Under previous state law, persons interested in becoming prosecutors could not apply and be considered for vacant positions with the Division of Criminal Justice until after they were admitted to the bar. Unable to extend offers prior to graduation, the Division maintained it was at a distinct recruiting disadvantage when competing against private firms which operate under no such restriction.
“Today’s swearing-in of Attorney Hally was an historic moment for the Division and a welcome boost to the Division’s aggressive efforts toward recruiting the best and the brightest legal minds to serve as prosecutors for the State of Connecticut,” Chief State’s Attorney Griffin said. “With this apprenticeship program, the Division is committed to providing law students with an opportunity to receive hands-on training, instruction and mentorship in Connecticut’s 13 judicial districts while demonstrating to young lawyers the value of public service and what it means to represent the citizens in their communities.”
On behalf of the Division of Criminal Justice, particularly Connecticut’s 13 State’s Attorneys, Chief State’s Attorney Griffin wishes to express his gratitude to Governor Lamont and Rep. Steven J. Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, and Sen. Gary A. Winfield, D-New Haven, the co-chairs of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee, and the entire Judiciary Committee, for their work on passage of the bill in the legislature.
Chief State’s Attorney Griffin also extends his sincere appreciation to Justice Andrew J. McDonald, chairman of the Criminal Justice Commission, for testifying before the Judiciary Committee in support of the legislation.
