Hugh F. Keefe, the storied criminal defense attorney who became synonymous with courtroom grit, razor-sharp wit, and unflinching advocacy for the underdog, has died at the age of 82.
A titan of the New Haven legal community, Keefe passed away Friday from complications related to a fall he suffered two weeks earlier, his wife and fellow attorney Tara Knight confirmed. Keefe’s legacy is etched not only into Connecticut’s legal landscape, but into the very character of New Haven.
Known for his charm, verbal dexterity, and hard-edged intelligence, Keefe rose from humble beginnings as the son of a Boston meatpacker to become arguably the most recognized and quoted criminal defense lawyer in the state.
He made his mark as a relentless advocate for those facing the most serious accusations, often against long odds and public opinion. After graduating from the University of Connecticut School of Law, Keefe began his legal career at a New Haven firm that would eventually be known as Lynch, Traub, Keefe & Errante.
It would be his professional home for the rest of his life. While many attorneys moved between firms or courted the spotlight, Keefe stayed rooted—both in his legal practice and in his ideals.
Fiercely loyal to his working-class identity and proud of his Irish-American heritage, Keefe brought a fighter’s spirit to every case. He saw his job not just as defending clients, but as challenging institutions he believed had grown too powerful or self-righteous.
His advocacy cut across ideological lines: one of his earliest and proudest accomplishments was his defense of Black Panthers Landon Williams and Rory Hithe, charged in the infamous 1969 murder of Alex Rackley.
Keefe developed a deep rapport with the jailed Panthers, mastering the Black Power handshake and even joining the masses during the May Day 1970 rally that brought New Haven to a standstill.
That night, after a day on the Green, Keefe received a call from his National Guard sergeant ordering him to report for duty. He spent the next day driving a colonel’s jeep around New Haven, later recalling he feared the Guard more than the demonstrators.
His legal career included both defending and suing police departments. He secured justice for Anthony Golino, one of several men falsely arrested in connection to the 1973 murder of Penny Serra.
Yet he also represented police officers, including those involved in the controversial East Haven case surrounding the killing of Malik Jones. In both roles, Keefe’s guiding principle was the pursuit of fairness, and his disdain for what he viewed as elite hypocrisy was never far from his arguments.
Beyond the courtroom, Keefe served the state in powerful capacities, including as a longtime member and occasional chair of the Connecticut Judicial Selection Commission and Judicial Review Council. His insights into the judiciary were shaped by decades of legal experience and an unwavering belief that even the powerful must be held accountable.
For over 30 years, Keefe taught trial advocacy at Yale Law School, mentoring generations of young attorneys. He brought to the classroom the same candor, humor, and battle-tested wisdom that defined his career.
Despite his accolades, Keefe remained grounded in the simple pleasures of life. Tara Knight remembers her husband as “a man of character and decency who cared not a whit about material gain or wealth.”
He cherished time with his family—watching Red Sox games, enjoying a beer on the front porch of their East Rock home, or simply laughing at life’s absurdities. Even as he faced numerous health challenges in later years, Keefe met them with resilience and optimism, never complaining.
He was “so old school,” Knight recalled, that he once wore a full suit on a ten-and-a-half-hour flight to Hungary. Hugh Keefe is survived by his wife, Tara Knight; sons Patrick, Brendan, and Dr. William Keefe; and five grandchildren.
He will be remembered not only as a master of the courtroom, but as a man whose moral compass never wavered, whose humor never dulled, and whose dedication to justice left an indelible mark on his city and beyond.
