Hon. Douglas S. Lavine (Ret.) is a judge trial referee for the Connecticut Appellate Court. He was appointed to serve as a judge for the Appellate Court by former Governor Mary Jodi Rell in 2006. Lavine retired in 2020 after reaching the mandatory age of retirement.
He began his judicial career as a judge for the Superior Court, a position to which former Governor Lowell Weicker appointed him in 1993.
Prior to his appointment, Lavine served as an Assistant United States Attorney (1986 to 1993) and was in the litigation department at Shipman & Goodwin (1981 to 1986). He has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law and Quinnipiac University School of Law.
Lavine received a bachelor’s degree in history from Colgate University (1972) and a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He went on to complete a J.D. at the University of Connecticut School of Law (1977) and an LL.M. from Columbia Law School (1981). Lavine was admitted to practice in Connecticut (1977), the District of Columbia (1980), and New York (1981).
Prior to beginning his legal career, he was a newspaper reporter and editor. Lavine has authored two books on the subject of advocacy. He and his wife, Lucretia, have one daughter, Julia, who also works as an attorney.