Honoring the Legacy of Morton Katz
Alum and well-known attorney Morton Katz (UConn Law Class of 1951) passed away this month at the age of 105. An active alumnus, Katz attended alumni events as recently as 2019. In 2018 he participated in 100 for 100, an oral history project for the Law School’s 100th Anniversary.
Raised in Hartford, Katz graduated from Weaver High School in 1935. He earned his BS from University of Connecticut in 1939, when it was called Connecticut State College. He was doing graduate work at Iowa State University when Pearl Harbor was attacked and he was called up to active duty. He had been commissioned into the Army reserves since 1940. Katz joined the Army as a 1st Lieutenant serving overseas from 1942-1943 during World War II. He was part of the 82nd Airborne Division and made numerous parachute jumps in Germany, France, North Africa and Italy.
After his discharge from the Army at the end of WWII, Katz remained in the reserves, earning his JD from UConn Law on the GI Bill. As a student, he excelled and graduated with honors. He was editor of the Bar Journal, a precursor to the Connecticut Law Review. In his oral history with the Law School, Katz recalls he found his calling in law during his first class with Professor William F. Starr who he described as a standout educator. While in school, he balanced his studies with a job at the Hartford Courant along with military training, which provided him with financial stability.
Legal Career
Katz began his legal career as an unpaid intern at his uncle’s firm, where he gained experience in title searches and commercial real estate. He later worked at another law firm, before establishing his practice in the basement of his home. Katz focused on criminal law, probate work, and served as a public defender, handling a variety of cases, including drug offenses.
Katz was also active in pro bono work, spurred by his commitment to giving back, inspired by his uncle’s support during his education. In 2010, he received the Hartford Bar’s Pro Bono Award.
Katz received many military honors, among them, the coveted Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and Legion of Merit. In 2012, the president of France appointed him a chevalier of the Legion of Honor. He served in the reserves for 32 years retiring with the rank of Colonel in 1979. Katz participated in Memorial Day Observances every year right up through 2024 at the age of 105. In 2023, he published “From Paratrooper to Public Defender: Reflections of a 103-Year-Old World War II Veteran” with Aaron Elson, who transcribed hours of oral histories he conducted with Katz.
A full obituary can be found here. The Hartford Courant also ran a story on February 4, 2025. In addition, Katz did an oral history for the Veterans History Project at Central Connecticut State University. His story and those of others can be found on their website.
Love and the Law
Love…..it plays a driving force in many aspects of our lives….it also comes with its own set of rules and regulations. This Valentine’s Day, we are featuring HeinOnline’s blog post titled: The Fine Print of Love: Uncovering the Not-So Unwritten Rules, which explores some unusual and little-known love laws.
All of the facts uncovered are available on HeinOnline including The U.S. Supreme Court Library, Session Laws Library, National Survey of State Laws, and Law Journal Library, all available through the UConn Law Library’s website.
Read on…and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Law Library Event! “Honor Bound” Coming Out in the Military – Feb. 13
Join us for “Honor Bound: Coming Out in the Military” featuring Law School alum Joseph Steffan, hosted by UConn Law Library, Law Library Archives, in collaboration with LAMBDA and VALOR.
Joseph Steffan, a 1994 graduate of the Law School, has a remarkable and inspiring story. Before attending law school, Steffan was a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, where he was considered a rising star. However, just weeks before his graduation, Steffan was outed and forced to resign. Determined to fight back, he sued the Department of Defense for reinstatement. While Steffan initially won his case, the decision was later overturned on appeal.
In 2000, Steffan generously donated his personal papers, which document his legal battle, to the Law School. Archivist Rebecca Altermatt curated these documents detailing his journey and created the exhibit on display.
On February 13 at 12:30 PM, Steffan will join us for a discussion of his case and its lasting impact. The event will be moderated by Paul Chill, Clinical Professor of Law Emeritus, and Darcy Kirk, Distinguished Professor of Law Emerita, and former Dean of the Library, who was instrumental in accepting Steffan’s materials. The session will include a discussion followed by a Q&A. The event will be hybrid.
Don’t miss this powerful conversation! We look forward to having you join us for this event.
Event page link and registration form:
https://events.uconn.edu/law-school/event/603860-honor-bound-coming-out-in-the-military
Saturday 2/1- Take Your Child to the Library Day
On Saturday, February 1st, the Law Library will host a morning of fun from 9:00am-Noon. Join us and explore the law library! We’ll have an obstacle course, coloring, reading nook, crafts, scavenger hunts and games. It’s a morning filled with laughter, creativity, and adventure—right here in the library! We hope kids and the young heart will join us and enjoy the library space.
We hope you’ll join us!
Honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be observed Monday, January 20th. The Law Library will be open. As we pause to reflect on the incredible contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this January, it’s an important moment to remember the enduring impact of his advocacy on our legal landscape. His work helped lay the foundation for landmark legislation that reshaped American legal frameworks, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
In a recent post, we explored the path towards recognition of Martin Luther King Jr. day as a federal holiday and of King’s summers working in Simsbury Ct. His later writings speak of his experiences in Connecticut and how it increased his awareness of segregation.
To continue your understanding of how MLK Jr.’s work was influenced by his experiences in Connecticut and the ultimate road to federal recognition, we invite you to revisit our previous blog post: “Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Connecticut’s Connection”.
Read the full post here: https://library.law.uconn.edu/2025/01/13/honoring-martin-luther-king-jr/
As we reflect on his legacy, we encourage those in the legal profession and beyond to consider how King’s philosophy of justice, equality, and nonviolence can continue to inform and inspire the law today. Let’s continue to honor Dr. King’s vision by advancing justice in the legal field and beyond.
Student Blogger Dominic Bellido: “Reflections from 1L First Semester”
Returning 1L Dominic Bellido reflects on some of the key lessons he learned as a returning 1L:
After finishing my first semester at law school, I am grateful for the support I’ve found. I’ve learned a lot from the resourcefulness of my friends, and talking about our lives outside the classroom has given me a new perspective to look at my own experience here. Each new person I meet comes from a different background, and their unique skills contribute to the culture and diversity of our campus.
Dominic noted the importance of mentors throughout his journey and how he intends to pay tribute to them:
The best way to honor my mentors is by ensuring more students will have the same access to support networks as we did, and more. This way, we can build upon the connections between grades and share our knowledge. I hope that, as a student body, we can continue to give back to the people who make this school what it is….What it could be.
UConn Law 1L’s….and all of UHere’s to the journey ahead!!!!
UConn Law Library January Hours
Happy New Year from UConn Law library! The library is open for January Interterm (we reopen on weekends starting Saturday, January 18th):
January Interterm Hours
Monday, January 13th – Friday, January 17th
| Monday – Thursday | 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Spring Semester
Saturday, January 18th – Monday, May 5th
| Building Hours | Reference Services | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.* | 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.* | Closed |
*UConn Law ID required for access after 7PM on weekdays, and all-day Sunday.
Looking forward to seeing you all in 2025!!
See you in ’25! Happy Holidays from UConn Law Library!
Happy Holidays from UConn Law library!
The library will be closed from Saturday, December 22, 2024 through Monday, January 1st, 2025, reopening January 2, 2025.
Hours
Winter Break
Thursday, January 2nd – Sunday, January 12th
| Monday – Friday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday & Sunday | Closed |
January Interterm
Monday, January 13th – Friday, January 17th
| Monday – Thursday | 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Spring Semester
Saturday, January 18th – Monday, May 5th
| Building Hours | Reference Services | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.* | 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
| Friday | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.* | Closed |
*UConn Law ID required for access after 7PM on weekdays, and all-day Sunday.
Looking forward to seeing you all in 2025!!
Extended Library Hours for Finals!
UConn Law Library will be open extended hours during the exam period, December 6th – December 19th.
Exams can be stressful, check out some of our Wellness Resources at the Law Library, and do not hesitate to stop by with any questions about Study Aids, scheduling research consultations or just to chat! We are pulling for you all!
Stitching Stress Away: “Crafternoon” Workshop On Reading Day!
Back by popular demand! Join us for “Crafternoon”!
UConn Law’s Office of Student Affairs and UConn Law Library are partnering up to offer a mindfulness activity where you can learn to crochet, create and relax!
Come join us on Friday, December 6th (“Reading Day”) @ 12:30 p.m. in Library 413 (4th Floor Student Lounge)
Did you know that in addition to being fun, that crocheting promotes mindfulness and wellbeing? Crocheting promotes a sense of calm and relaxation, mindfulness, encourages creativity and self-expression and is a form of self-care.
Don’t want to crochet? Grab a cup of tea, meditate, stretch, color or just chat with others. Anything goes, come experience the therapeutic effects of crafting to start your finals studying! Hope to see you all there!