ZNC LAW - Key Persons
Alison J. Toumekian is an associate within the Litigation practice group at the firm's Bridgeport office. She currently...
Attorney Fiano is an accomplished trial lawyer with an established track record of successfully trying both straight-forward and complex, high-value cases on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants before the Connecticut and New York State, Federal and Bankruptcy Courts, and successfully arguing appeals before the Connecticut and New York Appellate Courts. He is recognized as a Connecticut Super Lawyer in the area of Business Litigation, a highly respected distinction received by only 5% of the attorneys in Connecticut based on peer recognition and professional achievement. Additionally, Attorney Fiano is a James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation. The Fellows is a collection of the State's most outstanding lawyers, judges and teachers who devote their time and talent to sponsoring programs that address matters concerning the legal profession, the administration of justice, and the rule of law in society.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Connecticut Bar Foundation
Attorney Steinmetz is an active member of the Connecticut Bar Foundation and supports activities that further the rule of law and improve the administration of justice within the State as a James W. Cooper Fellow. He has an "AV Preeminent Rating" from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings, signifying that he is considered by judges and fellow attorneys as having the highest possible rating of legal abilities and ethical standards. This rating is awarded to less than five percent of all attorneys in the country.
Job Titles:
- Founding Member
- Partner
- Attorney Form
- President of the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association
Mr. Needle has served as President of the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association and a member of its Executive Committee. He has actively participated in both the Connecticut and Greater Bridgeport Bar Associations' Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Sections. Mr. Needle was elected a member of the Connecticut Bar Association's House of Delegates and was a candidate for the Senate of the State of Connecticut. He is a former President of the Harvard Club of Southern Connecticut, has been on its Board of Directors and has served as its Schools Committee Chairman for many years, and is Secretary of his Yale Law School Class. Mr. Needle is also a former Member of the Board of Directors of the National Conference of Christians and Jews and a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council and has taught commercial law at various local colleges.
Mr. Needle, a founding member of the firm and the former Chairman of our Management Committee (1988-1994), practices principally in the areas of commercial and real estate law, business development, business organization, and commercial transactions. Throughout his career, Mr. Needle has provided counsel to individuals and business organizations of all types and sizes, helping his clients make tough legal decisions during both good and bad times.
Mr. Reynolds specializes his practice in the areas of estate planning, federal and Connecticut estate and gift taxation,...
For over thirty years, Attorney Steinmetz has represented businesses, individuals, and financial and healthcare institutions in state and...
Mr. Scofield joined the firm in 1986 and has established a successful practice concentrating primarily in commercial litigation...
Jan M. Alafriz is an associate within the real estate and transactional law practice group at Zeldes, Needle...
Jeremy C. Virgil concentrates his practice in the areas of plaintiff's personal injury, malpractice and workers' compensation. He also handles employment and commercial litigation.
Mr. Virgil's personal injury practice involves wrongful death, serious and significant personal injuries, general negligence cases, such as car accidents, truck crashes, construction injuries, railroad accidents, defective and dangerous products, slip and falls, assaults, sexual assaults, toxic torts, hit and run collisions, uninsured drivers, underinsured drivers. He has pursued class action lawsuits on behalf of the victims of defective products and unscrupulous retailers. Mr. Virgil has also sued multiple insurance companies directly for their misconduct and bad faith behavior in the handling and processing of personal injury lawsuits and claims.
Mr. Virgil represents the victims of medical malpractice and professional negligence. He has obtained favorable verdicts or settlements for clients who were the victims of medical negligence involving reproductive and fertility medicine, tissue banking and cryopreservation, gastroenterology, neurosurgery, internal medicine, physical therapy and nursing care amongst others.
Mr. Virgil's workers' compensation practice involves the representation of seriously injured workers and complex claims. He has represented union and non-union workers, police officers, paid and volunteer fire fighters, correction officers, truck drivers, delivery drivers, factor workers, administrative assistants, laboratory technicians, medical record keepers, teachers and professional athletes amongst others. Mr. Virgil has obtained workers' compensation benefits for clients suffering back injuries, neck injuries, paralysis, heart attacks and heart conditions (myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (afib), hypertension, aortic dissection), concussions, comas, ringing in the ears, shoulder injuries, knee injuries, foot and ankle injuries, elbow injuries, hernias, carpal tunnel, burns, PTSD, exposure to MRSA, exposure to HIV, infections, and death.
Mr. Virgil's labor and employment practice involves representing individuals and companies before federal and state courts, administrative agencies, industry regulatory bodies, and private arbitrators. Mr. Virgil handles sexual harassment, age discrimination, sex discrimination, race discrimination, employment contracts, whistleblower claims, FMLA violations, and wrongful discharge.
Mr. Virgil earned his B.A. and M.A. from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 2001 and 2002, and his J.D. from The University of Connecticut School of Law in 2005. While at the University of Connecticut, Mr. Virgil received the CALI award for excellence in trial practice.
From 2014 through the present, Mr. Virgil has been selected as one of the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers" for his representation of plaintiff in their personal injury claims. For information on the "Top 100 Trial Lawyers," click here.
From 2012 through the present, Mr. Virgil has been selected every year by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" for his representation of plaintiffs in their personal injury claims. For information on the "Top 40 Under 40" process, click here.
Mr. Virgil has been named a Connecticut Rising Star in the area of General Plaintiff's Personal Injury Law, Medical Malpractice and Workers' Compensation every year from 2009 through the present. For information on the Connecticut Rising Star process, click here.
Mr. Virgil also has been given a 10.0 "Superb" rating by Avvo. For information on the Avvo process, click here.
Many of Mr. Virgil's results are confidential settlements, but a few examples of recent results include:
$2,841,914.84 verdict for a man who suffered burns to nearly his entire body from a defective stove in a rooming house where he was renting in New Haven, Connecticut.
$2,000,000 verdict for wrongful death from a motor vehicle collision in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
$835,000 settlement of head-on motor vehicle collision in Wilton, Connecticut.
$625,000 settlement during trial of ankle injury suffered by a student while the gymnastics floor was being set-up in Milford, Connecticut.
$485,000 settlement of intersection collision requiring back surgery in Waterbury, Connecticut
$400,000 settlement for negligent destruction of cryopreserved sperm by a tissue bank in Manhattan, New York.
$350,000 settlement for neck, back and emotional injuries sustained by a client who was rear-ended by a truck at the intersection of Route 91 South and Route 95 South in New Haven, Connecticut.
$325,000 settlement for employee whose arm was pulled into and broken by a film winder due to a defective design;
$147,275.31 verdict for pedestrian injured in a fall on snow and ice in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
$95,000 verdict for pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle in Southport, Connecticut.
$65,141.02 verdict for patron assaulted by another patron at a bar in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
$63,468.07 verdict for pedestrian injured in fall due to defective sidewalk in Stratford, Connecticut.
$45,244.16 verdict for consumers who were sold defective cars by a dealership in Vernon, Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Within the Personal Injury
- Attorney Form
Kyle D. Souza is an associate within the Personal Injury practice group at the firm's Bridgeport office.
Kyle assists in the representation of individuals suffering injuries from medical malpractice, wrongful death, civil assaults, and other personal injury cases such as car accidents and slip & falls.
Kyle Earned his B.A. from Dominican College of Blauvelt (now: Dominican University of New York). At Dominican, Kyle graduated #1 in his class with a 3.98 GPA and played on the NCAA Div. II Men's Lacrosse team leading the team as a 4-year starter and as a captain his Junior and Senior year. He was the first men's lacrosse player from Dominican to achieve first-team all-conference recognition and was the first athlete in school history to make the Google Cloud Academic All-America Men's At-Large Team back-to-back years.
While pursuing his Juris Doctorate at Quinnipiac University School of Law, Kyle was the recipient of a Dean's Fellow Merit Scholarship (full-tuition scholarship). Kyle graduated Quinnipiac Law Summa Cum Laude (highest honors) with a concentration in Civil Advocacy & Dispute Resolution with additional honors. Kyle was student-president of his class, on Law Review, on the Mock Trial trial-advocacy team that won the Georgetown White Collar Crime Invitational, on the Moot Court appellate-advocacy team, on the alternative-dispute-resolution team, and was a captain of the Quinnipiac Men's Club Lacrosse Team.
Outside of ZNC, Kyle coaches high school boys' lacrosse at St. Joseph High School (Trumbull, CT) and the Oilers Lacrosse Club.
Practice Areas
Personal Injury
Lisa C. Dumond has spent her entire professional career trying to make a difference for the people she serves. As a paralegal for more than 20 years prior to earning her law degree, Lisa realized that she could do more to help families, and most importantly, the children who had no voice in the courts, by continuing her education and becoming a lawyer. Also, during her tenure as a paralegal, Lisa also developed a keen interest in estate administration and general probate practice, having also worked as a paralegal for a then sitting probate judge. She also established hands on experience in residential and commercial real estate transactions. Since acquiring her law degree, with honors, Lisa started her own firm, The Law Office of Lisa C. Dumond, LLC, in Waterbury, CT then relocated to Prospect, CT where it remained for many years, devoting her practice to the areas of family law, real estate and estate/probate. Currently, as Lisa has partnered with Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, P.C., that location proudly serves as a satellite office for ZNC.
Lisa has also received the esteemed recognition as a Connecticut Rising Star from 2014-2020 and is currently a Connecticut Super Lawyer. She is an active member of the American Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association (Section of Real Estate, Estates and Family law) and the Waterbury Bar Association.
Lisa also has a history of service to her community by having volunteered for many years in several capacities, such as coach and/or manager of the town's girls' soccer teams, by serving on the Executive Board of the Prospect Youth Soccer League, and as Co-President of the Woodland Regional High School's Soccer Booster Club.
As a family's well-being is paramount to Lisa in her family law practice, her own family is extremely important to her, as such, she tries to spend as much free time as possible with her husband Tom, and their two daughters, Kelsey and Stephanie, and their families.
Ms. Casper has practiced in the area of commercial litigation since 1990, representing clients in a variety of...
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Within the Litigation
- Attorney Form
Marisa R. Pulla is an associate within the Litigation practice group of Zeldes Needle & Cooper, P.C., and is resident in the firm's Bridgeport office.
Marisa assists in the representation of both individuals and businesses in a variety of commercial and civil litigation matters, including business and corporate disputes, contract issues, shareholder and partnership disputes, and employment issues.
Marisa earned her B.A. in Business Management from the University of Connecticut in 2016. She earned her J.D. from Pace University School of Law in 2019 with a concentration in Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution. Marisa served as Vice President of the Italian American Law Students' Association and Managing Director of the Advocacy Board.
During Marisa's law school career, she focused her efforts on developing her skills as a trial lawyer and litigation advocate. She competed in the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition, and placed among the top 10 best advocates in the Northeast Regional competition. Marisa also competed on numerous mock trial competition teams, including qualifying to represent Pace at the Golden Gate University's In Vino Veritas Mock Trial Competition in San Francisco, California.
Marisa is a lifelong resident of Fairfield County. When Marisa is not at work, you can find her running, baking or watching the cooking channel.
Practice Areas
Litigation
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate Within the Litigation and Employment
- Attorney Form
Meaghan C. Kirby is an associate within the Litigation and Employment & Employee Benefits practice groups of Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, P.C., and is a resident in the firm's Bridgeport office. Meaghan assists in the representation of individuals and businesses in a variety of commercial and civil litigation matters, including business, corporate, and contract disputes, as well as employment matters, including workplace discrimination and worker's compensation claims.
Meaghan earned her B.A. in Literature from American University in 2018 and her J.D. (summa cum laude) from Quinnipiac University School of Law in 2021 with a dual concentration in Civil Advocacy & Dispute Resolution and Workplace Law, each with honors. During her law school career, Meaghan was a Publication Editor of, and was published in, the Quinnipiac Law Review. She served as President of her law school's Mock Trial Society, for which she serves as a coach today. Meaghan was named the best advocate of the final round of the Northeast Regional Championship of the 2021 National Trial Competition and went on to be a quarterfinalist in the national championship. She also worked in Quinnipiac's Defense Appellate Clinic, in which she drafted an appellate brief on behalf of an incarcerated criminal defendant.
After graduating from law school and before becoming an associate at Zeldes, Needle & Cooper, P.C., Meaghan served as a law clerk to the Hon. Eliot D. Prescott of the Connecticut Appellate Court.
Aside from her time in Washington, D.C. for college, Meaghan has lived in New Haven County her entire life. When she is not at work, you can find Meaghan hiking, watching documentaries, or cheering on the New England Patriots.
Rick Sarner practices in the areas of Estate Planning, Elder Law, Asset Protection Planning, Family Wealth Transfer and Charitable Planning. With offices in New York and Stamford, Connecticut, Rick speaks frequently on Estate Planning topics to financial planners and insurance advisors. He practiced with several large New York law firms prior to entering private practice in 1991 and joining Zeldes, Needle and Cooper in January 2018.
Attorney Sarner has received the highest professional rating (AV) from Martindale-Hubbell, has been listed in the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers™ since 2004, Connecticut and New England Super Lawyer 2013, Top Estate Planning Lawyers 2011-2018: Greenwich Magazine, Stamford Magazine, New Canaan Darien & Rowayton Magazine, Westport Fairfield Weston Wilton Magazine. Westchester Magazine FIVE STAR Wealth Manager Award 2010; Avenue Magazine: AVENUE'S 2011-2013 Legal Elite - Top Estate Attorneys, Top Tax Attorneys. Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law; His AVVO rating is 9.9 Superb.
Attorney Sarner is active in the American Bar Association (Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section), the Connecticut Bar Association (Section of Estates and Probate) and the New York State Bar Association (Trusts and Estates Law Section). He served as co-chair of the Fairfield County Bar Association Probate and Estates Committee 2008-12. He is a member of WealthCounsel, a nationwide alliance of estate planning attorneys, who collectively combine their expertise, designing and administering asset protection and wealth preservation plans.
Rick has served on numerous nonprofit boards and professional advisory committees. A fourth generation Stamford native, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two adult children. Other passions include skiing, running, music, guitar and travel. For more information on Richard A. Sarner visit his site; here.
Practice Areas
Trust and Estate Planning
Richard is a cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Connecticut School of...
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Partner
- Attorney Form
Robert A. Pacelli, Jr., chair of the firm's Condominium and Community Association practice group, is well known for his responsiveness as well as his cost effective and creative approach to obtaining results for his clients. In representing his association clients, Mr. Pacelli focuses on addressing issues such as rules enforcement matters, document amendments and updates, collection of common charges, developer turnover issues, contract negotiations, loan closings, FHA approval and recertification applications, defending discrimination claims and many other matters unique to associations.
His practice also includes structuring, negotiating and documenting commercial and residential real estate transactions including purchases, sales and refinances and also representing landlords and tenants in various matters, including land use matters. Additionally, Mr. Pacelli represents numerous closely held and family businesses, handling matters such as sales, acquisitions, restructures and acting as general counsel.
Practice Areas
Condominium & Community Associations
Mr. Cooper concentrates his practice in commercial law, with special emphasis on business transactions and the legal and...
Mr. Cooper has been instrumental in the negotiation, legal planning for, and purchase or sale by clients of various companies, including a health care company, a dental supply company, radio stations, a major distributor of spirits, an insurance and a reinsurance company, an automobile dealership and many others. He also has represented many foreign companies (principally in Europe and Scandinavia) who purchase and distribute American products, including distributors of medical products. Finally, he has represented banks and financial institutions, usually in highly difficult and/or sensitive situations.
Sabato ("Sam") Fiano represents individuals, closely-held businesses and large corporations in a wide variety of complex commercial, securities,...