Longtime attorney William M. Rubenstein was nominated Monday by new Gov. Dannel P. Malloy as the state's next consumer protection commissioner.
Rubenstein, 59, worked directly on consumer protection issues from 1986 through 1997 when he worked for Attorney General Richard Blumenthal in the office's antitrust and consumer protection unit.
Along with Blumenthal and others, Rubenstein worked on the case of Connecticut v. Philip Morris, in which the state won and eventually collected billions of dollars in a tobacco settlement.
Before his work in Connecticut for Blumenthal, Rubenstein served as counsel for the Federal Trade Commission, specializing in cases on unfair trade and antitrust.
Today, he serves as a partner in the Hartford law firm of Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP.
"Returning to public service is a great opportunity, and I am excited to take on this new role on behalf of the citizens of Connecticut,'' said Rubenstein, a registered Democrat who lives in West Hartford.