Rosendo Garza will receive the Citizen of the Law Award at the CBA’s annual awards ceremony, Celebrate with the Stars, on Wednesday, April 9.
Attorney Garza is a senior associate at Day Pitney LLP’s Hartford office specializing in energy law. He represents clients in regulatory, compliance, and transactional matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and federal courts. As part of the legal team serving as general counsel to the New England Power Pool, he advises on the design and operation of the region’s wholesale electric markets, helping to navigate complex regulatory challenges and support a reliable, competitive energy framework.
Attorney Garza’s passion for pro bono work has seen him provide legal assistance to military veterans in housing disputes and discharge upgrades, secure appellate victories in constitutional rights cases, and reunite families through international child custody litigation.
While earning his law degree at the University of Connecticut School of Law, Attorney Garza represented a transgender woman seeking asylum, successfully helping her escape persecution through the Asylum & Human Rights Clinic. His efforts reflect a lifelong dedication to advocating for marginalized and underserved communities, underscored by the graduate certificate in human rights that he earned.
Currently, Attorney Garza serves as Vice President of the Connecticut Hispanic Bar Association and Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Chrysalis Center, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering individuals facing poverty, homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges, and reintegration after incarceration. He is a member of the CBA Veterans and Military Affairs Section and also participates in the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Civics Academy, educating elementary-aged students on civic engagement and the importance of democracy.
Beyond his legal career, Attorney Garza is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, serving as an infantry officer. His multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan are a testament to his leadership, resilience, and unwavering commitment to service.
The Citizen of the Law Award is presented to a judge, attorney, or paralegal who has made a significant contribution to a charitable or public service cause that does not involve professional legal skills, but provides inspiration and contributes to the needy, the good of society, the environment, or our way of life. These activities have been undertaken on a non-professional, charitable basis with little or no personal economic reward, and some personal sacrifice.
View the full list of this year’s awardees
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