Appointed By: Judges of the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
The Hon. William I. Garfinkel (Ret.) is a recalled magistrate on the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Garfinkel was appointed to the bench by the judges of the District of Connecticut on November 22, 1996. He retired on February 26, 2021.
Prior to his appointment, Garfinkel was a partner at Carmody & Torrance in Waterbury, a law firm he joined in 1987. Before that, he spent four years as an associate at Wiggin & Dana (1983 to 1987).
Garfinkel earned a B.A. in history from Yale College in 1977. He then completed a J.D. at Yale Law School in 1981. He is licensed to practice in New York (1982) and Connecticut (1984).
After graduating from law school, Garfinkel began his legal career as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Frederick B. Lacey of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. He subsequently joined the New York County District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney.
His memberships have included the Society for the Evolutionary Analysis of Law and the Connecticut Humanities Council. He has also served on the editorial board of the Federal Courts Law Review, and he has taught “Crime and Criminal Justice in America” and “Child, Family, and State” at Yale Law School.
He is a recipient of the Judicial Award from the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the Distinguished Service Award from the American Board of Trial Advocates, and the Honorable Robert C. Zampano Award for Excellence in Mediation from Community Mediation, Inc.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Garfinkel holds a black belt in Tang Soo Do. He is a married father with two children. When not presiding over legal proceedings, he is an avid fan of the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. He also enjoys watching football at the University of Georgia and women’s basketball and the University of Connecticut.
| Current Appointment U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut | U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut |
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Education
J.D., Yale Law School - 1981 B.A., Yale College - 1977 |
J.D., Yale Law School - 1981 B.A., Yale College - 1977 |
| Official Website www.ctd.uscourts.gov | www.ctd.uscourts.gov |
| Current Court: | CT - U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut |
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| Clerk phone: | +1 (203) 579-5861 |
| Role | Employer | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant District Attorney | Office of the New York County District Attorney | New York County, New York |
| Judicial Law Clerk | United States District Court for the District of New Jersey | Essex County, New Jersey |
| Associate | Wiggin & Dana | New Haven County, Connecticut |
| Associate | Carmody & Torrance | New Haven County, Connecticut |
| Partner | Carmody & Torrance | New Haven County, Connecticut |
| Magistrate | United States District Court for the District of Connecticut | Fairfield County, Connecticut |
| Recalled Magistrate | United States District Court for the District of Connecticut | Fairfield County, Connecticut |
Martindale: Judge Profile: William Irving Garfinkel
Yale College: William I. Garfinkel
Ballotpedia: William Garfinkel
Connecticut Law Tribune: Plans for Judge Garfinkel to Become a History Teacher Faded and His Legal Career Took Off
United States Courts: William I. Garfinkel
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