Governor McKee Nominates Kas DeCarvalho to the Rhode Island District Court Bench

PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, Governor Dan McKee announced his nomination of Kas R. DeCarvalho, Esq., to the Rhode Island District Court. DeCarvalho will fill a vacancy left by Judge Christopher K. Smith, who was appointed to the Rhode Island Superior Court by Governor McKee in February 2023.

“Throughout the course of his career, Kas has shown a deep commitment to the law and to our community,” said Governor Dan McKee. “I know that his more than two decades of legal experience and the time he has spent volunteering and giving back to our state will make him a strong addition to the court. I thank the Judicial Nominating Committee for sending us a strong selection of qualified candidates to consider.”

DeCarvalho is a partner at Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC and a member of the firm’s Corporate & Business Team, representing a wide range of clients, including for-profit and nonprofit organizations, municipalities and governments, and private individuals with business and enterprise needs, and various regulatory, licensing and other governmental needs. With more than 20 years of experience as an attorney and business leader in Rhode Island, DeCarvalho’s core areas of expertise are general corporate and business advising, domestic and international transactions, financing/mergers and acquisitions, commercial real estate, intellectual property matters, business ethics and compliance, arts, and entertainment law and education law.

DeCarvalho is also an active community volunteer and has served on the boards of multiple organizations such as the Rhode Island Judicial Tenure and Discipline Commission, Quonset Development Corporation, the Providence Economic Development Partnership, the Providence Retirement Board, Thurgood Marshall Law Society, United Way of Rhode Island, the Greater Providence YMCA, the Providence Public Library, Community Works RI, Oasis International, and Progresso Latino.

He earned both a B.A. and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I can’t express my gratitude to Governor McKee, Senate President Ruggerio and House Speaker Shekarchi for this nomination to the District Court,” said DeCarvalho. “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to devote the rest of my career in service to the citizens of Rhode Island.”

DeCarvalho, his wife Kate, and their children Nico and Nadia reside in Barrington.

DeCarvalho’s name will be submitted to the Rhode Island Senate for advice and consent.