Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense
- Telephone: 203-783-1200
- Fax: 203-878-4912
- Mobile: 203-530-8724
- E-Mail: rbuturla@berchemmoses.com
- Website: www.berchemmoses.com
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
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 Labor & Employment, Land Use, Environmental, Real Estate, Commercial and Corporate Law, the Commission of Human Rights and Opportunity, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Awards
- AV Peer Review Preeminent Rating
- The Best Law Firms® in America: Litigation - Labor & Employment
- Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers® - Civil Litigation
Additional Locations
- Westport, Connecticut
- 1221 Post Road East
- Westport, Connecticut 06880
Client Information
Insurance Clients
- American Family Mutual Insurance Company
- Amerisure Insurance Company
- CIGNA Property and Casualty Insurance Company
- Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency (CIRMA)
- Erie Insurance Company
- Liberty International Underwriters
- Markel Corporation
- Penn-America Group, Inc.
- Safeco Insurance Companies
- Zurich North America
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
Personnel Information
Senior Partners
Richard J. Buturla
Chair
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: rbuturla@berchemmoses.com
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; Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory AV® Preeminent™; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers® - Civil Litigation, Since 2020; The Best Lawyers in America® - Litigation/Labor & Employment Since 2019 and Litigation/Municipal 2023 Edition
Memberships:
- American and Connecticut Bar Associations
- Connecticut Bar Foundation (Sustaining Life Fellow, James W. Cooper Fellows Program)
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation
- 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
Jonathan D. Berchem
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: jberchem@berchemmoses.com
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1995
- Pennsylvania, 1995
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1999
Additional Biographical Details:
Town Attorney, Milford, Connecticut, 2013-Present; Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory AV® Preeminent™; Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation - Insurance and Municipal, 2023
Memberships:
- American, Connecticut and Milford Bar Associations
- James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation
Education:
- Fairfield University, B.A., 1992
- Syracuse University, J.D., 1995
Christopher M. Hodgson
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: chodgson@berchemmoses.com
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
Additional Biographical Details:
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory AV® Preeminent™; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers® - Employment & Labor, Since 2007; Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management, and Litigation - Labor and Employment, Since 2010; Named “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers for Labor Law - Management, Stamford, 2014
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
Gregory S. Kimmel
Westport, CT
- E-Mail: gkimmel@berchemmoses.com
Practice Areas
- Personal Injury
- Workers' Compensation
- Criminal Law
- Family Law
- Wills
- Trusts
- Labor
- Business Law
Admitted
- Connecticut, 1997
Additional Biographical Details:
Martindale Hubbell Law Directory Distinguished Rating; Best Lawyers in America - Family Law, 2025
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
Mario F. Coppola
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: mcoppola@berchemmoses.com
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
Additional Biographical Details:
Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory AV® Preeminent™; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers® - State, Local & Municipal Attorney; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers® Rising Stars - Land Use & Zoning; "New Leaders in The Law," The Connecticut Law Tribune, November 2012 Edition; Best Lawyers in America® Since 2024 for Land Use & Zoning and Real Estate Law
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
Partners
Warren L. Holcomb
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: wholcomb@berchemmoses.com
Admitted
- California, 1977
- Connecticut, 1993
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 1994
Additional Biographical Details:
Best Lawyers in America® - Labor & Employment, Since 2019; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers®, Since 2013
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
Bryan L. LeClerc
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: bleclerc@berchemmoses.com
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 Counse, 2013-Present; Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers®, 2018-2020
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
Ryan P. Driscoll
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: rdriscoll@berchemmoses.com
Admitted
- New Jersey, 2003
- Connecticut, 2004
- New York, 2006
Additional Biographical Details:
Super Lawyers - Civil Litigation, Since 2024
Memberships:
- Connecticut Bar Association
Education:
- University of Connecticut at Storrs, B.A., 2000
- Seton Hall University School of Law, J.D., 2003
Richard C. Buturla
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: rcbuturla@berchemmoses.com
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2010
Education:
- Quinnipiac University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2007
- Western New England College School of Law, J.D., 2010
Senior Counsel
Paul A. Testa
Milford, CT
- E-Mail: ptesta@berchemmoses.com
Practice Areas
- Labor and Employment
- Litigation
Admitted
- Connecticut, 2007
- Florida
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Education:
- Quinnipiac University, B.S. (magna cum laude), 2004
- Quinnipiac University School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2007
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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