Biographical Information of
The Honorable Vanessa L. Bryant
United States District Judge

         

 

 

 

 

The Honorable Vanessa L, Bryant

United States District Judge
District of Connecticut

Chambers:
Abraham Ribicoff Courthouse
450 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103-9998
Telephone (860) 240-3123

Vanessa L. Bryant was appointed a United States District Judge for the District of Connecticut by President George W, Bush on April 2, 2007 and entered on duty April 3, 2007. She received the B.A. cum laude from Howard University in 1975 and her J. D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1978. Judge Bryant is a member of the Connecticut Bar and the Connecticut District Court Bar.

Prior to her appointment as a District Judge she was Judge of the Connecticut Superior Court, she served as a Superior Court Judge from 1998 to her appointment in 2007. During that period she was a criminal trial judge, a civil trial judge, Presiding Judge of the civil Division for the New Britain and Hartford Judicial Districts and the Administrative Judge for the Litchfield Judicial District.

Prior to her appointment as a Superior Court Judge, she was a Partner in the law firm of Hawkins, Delafield and Wood, member of the Connecticut Board of Pardons, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut, Bridgeport Division, Connecticut Board of Pardons, Vice President and General Counsel of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Counsel to Shawmut Bank and Aetna Life and Casualty Company and an associate of the law firm of Day Pitney, formerly Day, Berry and Howard, While in practice, Judge Bryant represented issuers, underwriters and insurers in connection with complex financing transactions and programs.

Judge Bryant has been associated with numerous professional, philanthropic and community organizations including the Oliver Ellsworth Inn of Court, the George W. Crawford Law Association, the New England Law Foundation, the United Way of the Capitol Area, the Avon United Way, the Rehabilitation Center, the N.A.A.C.P. State conference and Hartford Branch, the Amistad Center at the Wadsworth Atheneum, The Greater Hartford Arts Council, The Capitol Region Conference of Governments Regional Planning commission and the Hartford Human Relations Commission.

She is the recipient of awards, including the N.A.A.C.P. - Hartford Branch Freedom Award and the George W. Crawford Law Association Award.