Senior Associate

Christopher DeMatteo

Christopher DeMatteo is a distinguished attorney who represents clients in New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford and other Connecticut courts. Recognized by his peers for his exceptional legal skills, Chris was selected to Super Lawyers from 2019 through 2024. This prestigious selection is based on an evaluation of 12 indicators, including peer recognition and professional achievement in legal practice, highlighting his outstanding contributions to the field.

Hailing from New Haven, Chris went to Boston College, where he majored in history, and earned his juris doctor at Marquette Law School in Milwaukee in 2010. He returned home, passed the bar and was admitted to practice in Connecticut that same year. After working for a personal injury firm for two years, he opened and ran his own solo law practice for nearly ten years, focusing on criminal defense, child protection (DCF) and civil litigation. He joined Atty. Pattis’s firm in 2022. 

In his career, Chris has tried more than forty cases and argued more than ten appeals. He has also obtained favorable settlements for clients in civil lawsuits and helped reunite numerous families who were subject to DCF proceedings. 

Chris is active in the Connecticut Bar Association and is currently the vice-chair of its Criminal Law Section. He has planned and presented Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs on ethics, criminal law and legal entrepreneurship. 

A free speech advocate and civil libertarian, Chris has written opinion pieces on legal topics for local newspapers and websites. When he is not working or writing, Chris likes to play softball, cook and learn trivia. He lives with his wife and daughter in Fairfield County.

Notable Results

State v. L.G.: across the board not guilty verdict on charges of Inciting Injury (C felonies) in Meriden.

Tichenor v. Warden: habeas petition granted on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel.

In re Domonic S. / Rylee S.: denial of termination of parental rights (TPR) petitions following a trial in juvenile court. Chris’s client, a father, was subsequently reunited with his two children.

In re Immanuel R.: dismissal of neglect petition and order of temporary custody. Chris’s client, a mother, was reunited with her son after they won the trial. 

Michel v. City of Hartford, 226 Conn. App. 98 (2024): reversal of a trial court decision in an employee free speech case, which further defined Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 31-51q. 

Lafferty v. Jones, 225 Conn. App. 552 (2024): vacatur of an attorney’s disciplinary suspension by a trial court following a writ of error granted by the Appellate Court. 

Danielle D. v. DCF, reversal of a DCF substantiation and registry placement concerning the unexplained injuries to an infant child. 

Publications

Challenging Books Also Challenges Democracy

The Thinning Wall Between Church and State