Sampling of Noteworthy Cases

Civil

• Multiple recent successes in Divorce, Child Custody, Real Estate, and Financial cases.
• King v Verdone et al. - $2.1 million Civil rights verdict for prisoner beaten after a failed escape attempt
• Peterson et al. v City of Hartford - $3.2 million verdict for nine white and Hispanic firefighters claiming reverse discrimination
• Broadnax v City of New Haven - $1.5 million dollar verdict for highest ranking black female firefighter alleging gender discrimination
• Successful defense of senior Connecticut prosecutor accused of intimidating a witness before Bar regulators
• Confidential settlement in case involving the contract shooting of a weightlifter by a hit man financed by a disgruntled business partner
• Numerous verdicts ranging from $700,000 for claims alleging unreasonable force, false arrest, malicious prosecution, violation of 1st Amendment rights and employment discrimination
• Representation of parents in high-conflict post-judgment custody battle (Zilkha case)
• Frequent representation of public officials including police officers and firefighters involved in labor disputes
• Represented Occupy New Haven in federal litigation to extend their stay on Town Green
• Frequent representation of inmates in claims for post conviction release

Appeals/Habeas Corpus:

• The firm is currently awaiting rulings from the Connecticut Supreme Court on the scope of fighting words and true threat exceptions to First Amendment free speech rights in the cases of State v. Sarnoff, a case involving hostile speech directed at utility company workers on the private property of a homeowner, and State v. Taupier, a case involving alleged threats against a family court judge.
• In United States v. Bello, the firm sought to overturn the conviction of a white-collar defendant in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on grounds that her sentence amounted to an unlawful trial tax imposed in violation of the Sixth Amendment.
• In J. Michael Farren v. Commissioner, the firm is seeking habeas corpus relief for a former Deputy White House counsel convicted of attempted murder of his wife on grounds that he had been deprived of the right to conflict free counsel at the time of his trial.
• In Reyes v. State of Connecticut, the firm is seeking a new trial for a man convicted of arson after newly discovered evidence emerged that the arsonists with whom he was convicted of conspiring were actually working for someone else at the time the fires in question were set. 
• The firm appeared in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the Federal Court of Claims in Washington, D.C., to advance the takings claims of a broadband license holder in Apline, PCS v. FCC.
• Connecticut State Supreme Court reinstated Bridgeport school board after ouster by state administrators.
• Appeared before United States Supreme Court in Porter v Nussle, a case arising under the Prison Litigation Reform Act
• Lawyer associated with the firm appeared before the United States Supreme Court in Ricci et al. v DeSefano et al., a case involving employment discrimination of a firefighter
• Reversed State Board of Education disbanding of local municipal school board in CT Supreme Court
• Reversed judgment of conviction in sexual assault case by challenging scope of uncharged misconduct evidence before the Connecticut Supreme Court
• Argued scores of appeals of civil rights cases involving police misconduct and employment discrimination in the U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit
• Argued scores of appeals in criminal cases in Connecticut Appellate and Supreme Court including death penalty conviction of Daniel Webb and Richard La Pointe
• Argument set for case challenging prosecutorial immunity in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, May 29, 2012

Acquittals/Dismissals:

• State v. Saifullah Khan, acquittal of a Yale student accused of sexually assaulting a classmate.
• State v. Jonathan Gibbs, acquittal of murder charges after the defendant told police he shot at the victim in a case involving the theft of a pair of sneakers.
• State v. Larry Johnson, acquittal of murder charges in a case involving the point blank shooting of a man who had hours before the shooting stabbed the defendant.
• People v. Anna Gristina, after a handful of lawyers managed to land, and keep, the “Manhattan Madam” behind bars on a huge bond, the firm successfully fought to reduce her bond, and get her released from prison; she cut a deal with the state that kept her client’s secrets secure and kept her out of prison.
• State v. Lucian Wintrich, dismissal of charges against speaker at University of Connecticut who used force to retrieve notes stolen from him by a campus activist upset that he was asserting politically incorrect views.

Criminal

• State v. John Gibbs: Acquittal of murder after confessing to the shooting.
• State v. Larry Johnson: Acquittal of murder involving allegation defendant shot and killed victim in retaliation for a stabbing earlier the same evening.
• Hung jury in case alleging gang-related shooting in Hartford’s North End.
• Hung jury in federal narcotics and firearms case after federal officers discovered kilos of cocaine and guns in defendant’s car and apartment.
• Dismissal of murder charges against two brothers in New Haven
• Dismissal of child sex charges against man accused of "Romeo-Juliet" sex crime
• Not guilty verdict in cases charging murder, felony murder of a police officer, and attempted murder of police officers
• Not guilty verdicts in manslaughter case against mother arising from auto accident in which two of her three children were killed
• Acquittal of Clarence Willoughby, a former homicide detective accused of stealing funds intended for a confidential informant
• Acquittal in "Spanking Minister" case, accused of risk of injuries to a minor for engaging in corporal punishment
• Acquittal in point blank shooting on claim of misidentification
• Acquittal in larceny case involving co-investors in real estate deal gone sour
• Acquittal in federal Workers Compensation fraud case
• Appearances before federal "Death Panel" to persuade prosecutors not to seek the death penalty

Of course, most cases are resolved by way of plea negotiations, a record of trial success yields better offers.

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome