Jessica M. Walker

Partner

Direct: (860) 452-6864
Email: jessica@kgb-law.com

Jessica Walker is a partner at Koch, Garg & Brown, focusing on criminal defense in both state and federal courts, habeas litigation, appellate practice, and civil litigation. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, summa cum laude, having earned her B.A. in Political Science and Spanish. Jessica received her J.D., with honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2006. Jessica is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and is admitted to the practice of law in Connecticut, the United States District Court, District of Connecticut, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States. She was voted a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2016.

Prior to joining Koch, Garg & Brown, Jessica was associated with four Hartford-area litigation firms, including Santos & Seeley, PC, where she tried federal criminal matters involving conspiracy to commit wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering. She also successfully tried the habeas matter and wrote the appellate briefs in Michael Skakel v. Warden, 325 Conn. 426 (2016), opinion superseded on reconsideration sub nom, Skakel v. Warden, 329 Conn. 1 (2018), cert. denied sub nom., Connecticut v. Skakel, 139 S. Ct. 788, (2019), where her work helped set an innocent man free from prison after over 11 years. Jessica also wrote the prevailing Supreme Court brief in State of Connecticut v. Eddie Perez, 322 Conn. 188 (2016), which resulted in the granting of a new trial for the former Hartford mayor.

The key to Jessica’s success is her ability to empathize with and listen to her clients, garnering unparalleled loyalty and trust, and zealously applying her knowledge of the law to each individual client’s circumstances. Jessica believes that a lawyer must truly understand her client’s plight and be able to relate to that grief as a necessary first step in creating a successful attorney-client relationship.

Recently, Jessica was invited to become a member of the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Women’s Consortium, a nonprofit organization. The mission of the CWC is to ensure that the behavioral health system responds to the needs of women and the people and organizations that affect them. She is also the founder and first President of the Connecticut Women’s Criminal Defense Lawyers, Inc., a non-profit organization designed to help women defense attorneys network, support and mentor one another.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her son, hiking and kayaking, and gardening at her home in Ellington. She also recently became a Cub Scout den leader.

Published Decisions:

  • State v. Priscilla Dickman, 119 Conn. App. 581 (2010)
  • State v. Peter Sebben, 145 Conn. App. 528, cert. denied, 310 Conn. 958 (2013), certiorari
    denied, 134 S. Ct. 1950 (2014)
  • State v. Barry A., 145 Conn. App. 582, cert. denied, 310 Conn. 936 (2013)
  • State v. Zachary Elson, 311 Conn. 726 (2014)
  • State v. Eddie Perez, 147 Conn. App. 53 (2013), aff’d, 322 Conn. 118 (2016)
  • Michael Skakel v. Warden, 325 Conn. 426 (2016), opinion superseded on reconsideration sub
    nom, Skakel v. Warden, 329 Conn. 1 (2018), cert. denied sub nom., Connecticut v. Skakel,
    139 S. Ct. 788, (2019)
  • Donald v. Warden, No. CV164008038S, 2020 Conn. Super. LEXIS 672 (Super. Ct. June 3, 2020)
  • Smith v. Warden, No. CV154007338S, 2021 Conn. Super. LEXIS 178 (Super. Ct. Feb. 11, 2021)

Presentations:

  • The Journey to Becoming a Criminal Defense Attorney – Criminal Justice Class at Sacred Heart University, April, 2021
  • How to Avoid a Habeas – If it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen – Tolland County Bar Association, October, 2021

Articles:

“Federal judge’s ruling on use of cellphone evidence could reverberate through the country”, Republican-American, authored by Bruno Matarazzo

Licensed to practice in:
Connecticut
District of Connecticut
Second Circuit Court of Appeals
United States Supreme Court