2010-07 (March 17, 2010)
Recommendations; Canon 2; C.G.S. § 51-39a

Issue: May a Judicial Official provide a letter of recommendation to his/her former private practice secretary to attend a graduate program at a college?

Recommendation: This Committee has previously advised that a Judicial Official who has personal knowledge of an applicant, who was not a relative, could serve as a reference or provide a letter of recommendation in the following circumstances: an existing court employee applying for another position within the Judicial Branch (JE 2008-01); a former legal research/law clerk applying for a position with the Attorney General’s Office (JE 2008-03); a current Judicial Branch employee applying for a position in the Judicial Official’s judicial district, where the judicial official was neither an administrative, assistant administrative or presiding judge (JE 2008-26); an employee of a former business client applying to law school (JE 2009-22) and a student seeking admission to a preparatory school (JE 2009-37). Based upon the information provided, including that the Judicial Official has personal knowledge of the individual seeking admission to the graduate program and the person is not a relative of the Judicial Official within the meaning of the Code or C.G.S. § 51-39a, the Committee unanimously determined that the Judicial Official may provide a letter of recommendation, either on Judicial Branch or personal stationery, but must indicate that the recommendation represents the personal opinion of the Judicial Official.