With about six months remaining of his second and final term, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is appointing a naval officer to replace Karen Buffkin as his general counsel.
Doug Dalena, who has been serving as Malloy’s deputy general counsel since 2015 and is a current commander in the naval reserve, will assume the role of the governor’s chief lawyer effective August 3.
“Doug has served in our office for several years now and has extensive knowledge of the needs and business of our state government,” Malloy said in a press release. “From serving in our nation’s military, to working as a journalist and then embarking on a legal career, he has an impressive work ethic and skill set that will serve our office very well as General Counsel. I look forward to having him with us in this new capacity.”
Before joining the governor’s staff, Dalena practiced energy and environmental law at Brown Rudnick LLP in Hartford. Preceding that, he clerked at the Connecticut Appellate Court for William J. Lavery, former chief judge of the Appellate Court, and William J. Sullivan, former chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court.
Dalena also worked as a naval office and newspaper reporter prior to embarking on his legal career, serving more than eight years on active duty in the U.S. Navy. He continues to serve as a Commander in the Navy Reserve and has recently traveled to Japan and Korea as a member of the staff of Commander, 7th fleet.
Following his active duty service, Dalena earned a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and reported on politics and government in Connecticut.
He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston University and his juris doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
“I am honored to continue to serve Governor Malloy in this new role and I appreciate his confidence in me,” Dalena said. “I am especially grateful for the opportunity to serve the State of Connecticut alongside dedicated and talented fellow staff members and a governor who has consistently shown leadership and integrity in making the hard choices required to make Connecticut a better place for all of its people.”
Malloy’s announcement follows the departure of current General Counsel Karen Buffkin, who was appointed in 2014 and is leaving the office to pursue another job opportunity. Buffkin’s predecessor, Luke Bronin, left the governor’s office to work for a Hartford law firm. He is now the mayor of Hartford.