Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys
General Defense
75 Broad Street, Milford, Connecticut 06460
Established: 1933
Practice Areas
- Insurance Defense
- Automobile
- Bad Faith
- Common Carrier
- Construction Liability
- Environmental Liability
- Governmental Liability
- Hospitals
- Legal Malpractice
- Municipal Liability
- Medical Malpractice
- Professional Malpractice
- Trial Practice
- Workers' Compensation
- Premises Liability
- Liquor Liability
- Civil Rights
- Employment Practices Liability
- Police Liability Defense
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About Us
The Litigation Department is chaired by Richard J. Buturla with eleven other attorneys who litigate in all State and Federal Courts in Connecticut as well as the Workers' Compensation Commission. The firm also practices in the areas of Land Use, Environmental, Real Estate, Commercial and Corporate Law, the Commission of Human Rights and Opportunity, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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Additional Locations
- Westport, Connecticut
- 1221 Post Road East
- Westport, Connecticut 06880
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Insurance Clients
Non-Insurance Clients
- Allied Van Lines
- Charlotte Adjusting, Inc.
- CorVel Corporation
- Crawford & Company
- GAB Robins North America, Inc.
- Gallagher Bassett Services, Inc.
- Kellogg Company
- The MacDonald Companies, Inc.
- Safety Marking Inc.
- Sedgwick Group
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Personnel Information
Senior Partners
Richard J. Buturla, Chair
Milford, CT
Practice Areas
- Trial Practice
- Municipal Law
- Insurance Defense
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1982
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1982
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 1982
Additional Biographical Details:
Town Council Chairman, Stratford, Connecticut, 1987-1989; Corporate Counsel, Derby, Connecticut, 1997-2005; Town Attorney, Cheshire, Connecticut, 2002-2003; Assistant Town Attorney, Stratford, Connecticut, 2000-2004; Town Attorney, Stratford, Connecticut, 2005-2009; Town Counsel, Seymour, Connecticut, 2011-present
Memberships:
- American and Connecticut Bar Associations
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
- Association of Trial Lawyers of America
Education:
- Southern Connecticut State College, B.S. (magna cum laude), 1979
- Villanova University, J.D., 1982
Law Review:
Associate Editor, Villanova Law Review, 1981-1982
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Jonathan D. Berchem
Milford, CT
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1995
- Pennsylvania, 1995
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1999
Additional Biographical Details:
Town Attorney, Milford, Connecticut (2013-Present)
Memberships:
- American, Connecticut and Milford Bar Associations
Education:
- Fairfield University, B.A., 1992
- Syracuse University, J.D., 1995
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Christopher M. Hodgson
Milford, CT
Practice Areas
- Labor and Employment
- Litigation
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1985
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1985
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2011
Memberships:
- Connecticut Bar Association
Education:
- University of Vermont, B.A., 1982
- University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law, J.D., 1985
Law Review:
University of Richmond Law Review
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Gregory S. Kimmel
Westport, CT
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Workers' Compensation
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Wills
- Trusts
- Labor
- Business Law
Admitted
Education:
- University of Rhode Island, B.A. Political Science, 1991
- Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D., 1997
- Sacred Heart University, M.B.A., 1998
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Partners
Mario F. Coppola
Milford, CT
Practice Areas
- Municipal Law
- Land Use
- Zoning
- Real Estate Transactions
- General Civil Litigation
- Property Tax Assessment Appeals
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2004
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 2005
Memberships:
- American, Connecticut and Fairfield County Bar Associations
Education:
- Boston College, B.A. Political Science (Golden Key Honor Society), 2001
- University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., 2004
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Warren L. Holcomb
Milford, CT
Admitted
- California, 1977
- Connecticut, 1993
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1994
Memberships:
- American and Connecticut Bar Associations
- State Bar of California
Education:
- Butler University
- University of Connecticut at Storrs, B.A., 1972
- Southwestern University School of Law, J.D., 1977
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Bryan L. LeClerc
Milford, CT
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1987
- New York, 1988
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1987
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1993
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1996
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, 2014
Additional Biographical Details:
Fairfield Town Plan & Zoning Commission, 2007-2013, Chairman; Member, Town of Fairfield Representative Town Meeting, 1989-2007; Connecticut Yankee Council BSA, Vice President- Legal and General Counsel- 2013-Present
Memberships:
- American, Connecticut, Bridgeport and Milford Bar Associations
- Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association
Education:
- Fairfield University, B.A., 1984
- University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D. (with honors), 1987
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Brian W. Smith
Milford, CT
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1981
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1982
Additional Biographical Details:
Seminar Faculty: Trial Practice Seminar, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, 1996-Present
Memberships:
- American, Connecticut, Milford and Bridgeport Bar Associations
- American Trial Lawyers Association
- Connecticut Defense Lawyers Association
Education:
- University at Buffalo, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1978
- Duke University, J.D., 1981
Fraternity Information:
Phi Alpha Delta
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Ryan P. Driscoll
Milford, CT
Admitted
- New Jersey, 2003
- Connecticut, 2004
- New York, 2006
Memberships:
- Connecticut Bar Association
Education:
- University of Connecticut at Storrs, B.A., 2000
- Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 2003
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Associates
Richard C. Buturla
Milford, CT
Admitted
Education:
- Quinnipiac University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2007
- Western New England College School of Law, J.D., 2010
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Justin J. Stanko
Milford, CT
Practice Areas
- Insurance Defense
- Land Use
- Zoning
- Litigation
- Appeals
- Workers' Compensation
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2005
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 2006
Additional Biographical Details:
Derby Police Department, 1998-Present (Lt. Detective Division Commander, 2007-Present)
Memberships:
- Connecticut Bar Association
Education:
- University of Connecticut, B.S., 1996
- Quinnipiac College School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2005
Law Review:
Quinnipiac Law Review, 2003-2005
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Senior Counsel
Alfred P. Bruno
Milford, CT
Practice Areas
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1998
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1999
Memberships:
- Connecticut Bar Association
Education:
- Bates College, B.A., 1992
- Quinnipiac College School of Law, J.D., 1997
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Service Areas
Danbury, Connecticut, USA 28 miles
Hartford, Connecticut, USA 51 miles
Litchfield, Connecticut, USA 46 miles
Meriden, Connecticut, USA 32 miles
Middletown, Connecticut, USA 38 miles
New Britain, Connecticut, USA 43 miles
New Haven, Connecticut, USA 12 miles
New London, Connecticut, USA 57 miles
Norwalk, Connecticut, USA 23 miles
Rockville, Connecticut, USA 63 miles
Stamford, Connecticut, USA 21 miles
Waterbury, Connecticut, USA 29 miles
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