Connecticut Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane announced late Tuesday that he will step down in November from the post he's held since 2006.

Gov. Ned Lamont made the announcement in a press release.

"Chief State's Attorney Kevin Kane has dedicated nearly five decades to serving the people of Connecticut," the statement read. "Beginning his career as a prosecutor nearly 47 years ago in the former Ninth Circuit in Middletown, Attorney Kane rose through the ranks and eventually became our state's seventh and longest-serving Chief State's Attorney."

Lamont said Kane worked on Connecticut's "most challenging, important and complex cases. He has worked tirelessly and dedicated his career to pursuing justice and ensuring fairness in our criminal justice system. I thank Attorney Kane and wish him well in his much deserved retirement."

Kane serves as an ex-officio member of the state's seven-member Criminal Justice Commission. Attorneys who have worked with Kane called him "a steady hand" who is fair and compassionate.

"This is a big change for the state of Connecticut. He's been at the helm as a steady prosecutor for many years. He has been fair, devoted and hard-working," said Cohen & Wolf's of-counsel Susan Filan, who knew Kane when they were both prosecutors working out of Rocky Hill. Filan, who was a prosecutor from 1998 to 2005 and left the year before Kane was elevated to the top job, said Tuesday that Kane "did not play favorites. His decisions were not personal and they were always decided on justice, fairness and the principles of law."

Filan said she often sought advice from Kane, who was quick to give it. "I always trusted Kevin Kane and always appreciated his opinions, whenever I'd ask a question," Filan said. "I'd learn something from his answers. He was always thoughtful and measured in his response." A career prosecutor, Kane has tried numerous criminal cases to verdict, as well as having argued numerous appeals before the Connecticut Supreme Court and Connecticut Appellate Court.

Among the notable cases Kane prosecuted were the conviction and eventual execution of serial killer Michael Ross and the murder-for-hire trial of Old Saybrook attorney Beth Ann Carpenter. Kane is a graduate of Marquette University and the University of Connecticut School of Law.