Occupation: I am a patent attorney, dealing with trademarks, copyrights, and business issues around intellectual property. I’m a solo practitioner since 2011, at Hawley Legal Resources in Hawleyville.

Family: I’m married to Eric Dolce, who is also an attorney. We have a young son. Michael is 6 months old, and already climbing the furniture. He’s a bundle of energy and enthusiasm.

Pets: Ricky, the puppy. Ricky is a rescue terrier mix. Fearless the cat lives with us, too, and he has persisted through all the wildlife here in Newtown.

How long have you lived in Newtown? I grew up here and went to Hawley Elementary School. I graduated in 2000 from Newtown High School. I moved back to Newtown after I graduated in 2004 from Mount Holyoke and have been here since. I worked at Boehringer-Ingelheim for several years before I went to law school.

What do you like to do in your free time? Who has free time when running a business, with a 6-month-old? I  do serve on the Economic Development Committee here in Newtown, and I’m pretty active with the Connecticut Law Association. Other than that, I try to take a walk once a day, and there’s one television show I watch, The Agents of Shield, when I get some time.

Do you have a favorite book? My very favorite book, ever, is Jurassic Park. I’ve read it 17 times.

Do you have a favorite vacation destination? Our honeymoon in Bermuda was a high point. We’re planning to go back next year. The water there was the perfect temperature, the waves were not too big, and it was perfect for just floating around and enjoying it.

What is the best thing about Newtown? It’s home! As a town, we’ve gone through a lot since 12/14. The EDC helped with the loss of business to Sandy Hook Center, and I felt I had a responsibility to my town. There was that sense of neighborliness, and everyone came together. That was a very positive outcome of a negative event. I don’t know of other cities that could have stepped up like this.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? Both of my parents were always hardworking, and that brought me to be around other hardworking people. Different people have been there for me along the way, at different times. I still remember Mrs Quayley from Hawley School. She was always a shining, happy influence on me when I was little. There have been so many.

Do you have a personal philosophy? Take care of yourself, so you can take care of others.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? Pedicures. Mother’s Day was probably the first time I’d been in about a year, so that was a real treat.