Ritter attended Amherst College and later the University of Connecticut School of Law.
[5] Ritter served on the Hartford Democratic Town Committee from 1975 to 1980 and was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1980 to 1998.
[1] Ritter and Moira K. Lyons are the only three term Speakers in history of the Connecticut House of Representatives.
[7] Kruger has named West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor as his preferred permanent successor over Ritter, writing that "it’s time for the University board to be led by a woman.”[8] Some have cited emoluments as a potential risk of his chairmanship.
[10] Prior to joining the firm, he worked as an attorney for the Hartford Corporation Counsel and was in private practice for many years.