BRODY WILKINSON - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Member of the American Bar Association
ALYSSA V. SHERRIFF is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Ms. Sherriff practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, and elder law.
In her estate planning practice, she advises individuals and families with varying estate planning needs and goals. Her clients range from high net worth individuals implementing sophisticated estate plans to younger individuals looking to put together a simple estate plan for the first time. She assists clients with implementing tax-efficient estate and gift tax planning. When working with clients, her goal is to make the process approachable and to work directly with them to ensure they understand the plan is being put in place and that the documents truly reflect their wishes. Ms. Sherriff also guides clients through all phases of estate administration including probate and preparation of estate tax returns.
As part of her elder law practice, Ms. Sherriff works with those dealing with long-term care issues for loved ones by helping with Medicaid applications, reviewing nursing home contracts, and planning for potential incapacity.
She received her B.S. from Georgetown University and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Quinnipiac University School of Law. While in law school, Ms. Sherriff held various legal intern positions at institutions such as the Quinnipiac University School of Law Tax Clinic; Day Pitney LLP; the United States District Court, Bridgeport; and UBS. She served as managing editor of the Quinnipiac Law Review.
She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Florida. Ms. Sherriff is a member of the American Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association (CBA), Greater Bridgeport Bar Association and Fairfield County Bar Association. Within the CBA, she is a member of the Estates & Probate, Women in the Law, and Young Lawyers Sections. Ms. Sherriff is member of the CBA Young Lawyers Section Executive Committee and serves as co-chair of the Women in the Law Section. She is also a member of the Fairfield County's Community Foundation Rising Professional Advisors Council and is a member of the Georgetown University Alumni Admissions Program. She volunteers her time to support the United Way and the Connecticut Audubon Society.
Ms. Sherriff resides in Weston, Connecticut.
BRIAN T. SILVESTRO is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Real Estate Group. Mr. Silvestro practices in the areas of residential and commercial real estate, land use and zoning. He represents builders, business owners and private clients in real estate purchases, sales, refinancing and third-party relocation transactions. In addition, Mr. Silvestro handles subdivision applications, special permits and variances for clients before the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning and Zoning Commission and the Conservation Commission. He lectures at real estate relocation conferences and represents select New York banks in real estate finance transactions for private clients residing in Connecticut. Mr. Silvestro is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Silvestro practiced for nearly 30 years at the Southport-based law firm of Kleban & Samor, P.C., where he headed the Residential Real Estate Group. He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Silvestro is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations and their Real Property and Environmental Sections. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Real Property Section. Mr. Silvestro is also a member of the American Land Title Association. He received his B.A. from Wesleyan University in 1970 and his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1974.
Mr. Silvestro was a member of the Town of Fairfield Economic Development Commission and a former member and chairman of the Town of Fairfield Board of Parks and Recreation. He has been involved at the Board level with the Wakeman Boys' and Girls' Club in Southport for over 40 years and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Club's Board of Trustees.
Mr. Silvestro volunteers in numerous youth sports programs throughout Fairfield and was honored by the Fairfield High School Scholarship Committee in 2005 for his many outstanding community contributions and achievements. Mr. Silvestro also received the Connecticut Secretary of State Youth Sport Leadership Public Service Award in 2005. He also served as the Varsity coach of the boys' basketball team at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.
Mr. Silvestro is currently a resident of the Black Rock section of Bridgeport where he lives with his wife Jane. Since moving to Black Rock, Mr. Silvestro serves as a member of the Black Rock Neighborhood Revitalization Zone Committee and is chair of the Leadership Greater Bridgeport, an affiliate program of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council.
Brian T. Silvestro serves on the Board of Directors of Leadership Greater Bridgeport, a program operated by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council to expose future business leaders to the greater Bridgeport region.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Principal of Brody Wilkinson PC
DANIEL B. FITZGERALD is a principal of Brody Wilkinson PC and a member of the firm's Business and Dispute Resolution Groups. His practice is focused in the areas of employment law, general business law and commercial disputes. In his practice, Mr. Fitzgerald counsels employers and executive-level employees in a wide range of employment matters including non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements, severance agreements, employment handbooks, compliance with state and federal law, hiring and discharge issues, and sexual harassment prevention and investigations. In addition, he frequently negotiates employment-related agreements and represents clients in employment litigation matters.
Mr. Fitzgerald also provides outside general counsel services to various business clients, including those in the sports, health and fitness, and manufacturing industries. In this role, he handles contract issues, corporate governance and compliance and often assists clients with risk and litigation management. An experienced litigator, Mr. Fitzgerald has represented clients before the Connecticut Commission on Human Resources and Opportunity (CHRO), Connecticut Department of Labor, Connecticut Superior Courts, Connecticut Appellate Court, U.S. District Court, U.S. Bankruptcy Court and Statewide Grievance Committee in various matters. In both his employment and business practices, Mr. Fitzgerald applies his litigation experience to assess risk and proactively resolve problems.
Mr. Fitzgerald is an avid writer, having created and published Connecticut Sports Law, Connecticut's first blog covering the intersection of sports and the law. He most recently published an article in Primerus Paradigm entitled "Today's Use of Social Media Blurs Lines with Non-Solicitation Covenants." Mr. Fitzgerald is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney. He was recognized by "Connecticut Super Lawyers" as a "Rising Star" in the areas of Employment and Labor, Business/Corporate and Entertainment and Sports from 2009 to 2017. Mr. Fitzgerald is admitted to practice in Connecticut and the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut. He is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and is the former chair of its Sports and Entertainment Law Section. Prior to joining Brody Wilkinson, he practiced for five years at the Connecticut-based law firm of Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, P.C.
Mr. Fitzgerald received his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2005, where he was an associate editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. He received his B.A., cum laude, from Fairfield University in 1999, where he is regularly involved in assisting the University's St. Robert Bellarmine Pre-Law Society.
Mr. Fitzgerald resides in Fairfield, Connecticut.
DAVID R. HERMENZE is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Mr. Hermenze practices in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration. Mr. Hermenze is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and has practiced in Fairfield County since 1986. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hermenze was a partner and co-founder of the former law firm of Hermenze & Marcantonio LLC in Westport, Connecticut. He is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations and a member of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Estates and Probate Section, having served over the past twenty years on the Steering Committee, the Nominating Committee, as co-chair of the CLE Committee, and a Notes & Commentary editor. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, where he serves on the Connecticut Nominating Committee. Mr. Hermenze is a member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a global professional organization. In addition, he is a member and past president of the Estate Planning Council of Lower Fairfield County, and a member of the Western Connecticut Estate and Tax Planning Council.
Mr. Hermenze has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of trusts and estates since 2013. He has been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the areas of estate planning and probate tax since 2006. In addition, Mr. Hermenze is listed in the Chambers High Net Worth Guide in the category of Private Wealth Law in 2020.
He has written numerous articles on estate planning and administration, most recently a chapter entitled "Attorney and Fiduciary Fees" in MCLE's A Practical Guide to Probate in Connecticut and a chapter entitled "Practical Steps in Handling an Estate Planning Matter" in MCLE's A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Connecticut.
Mr. Hermenze received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Beloit College in 1982 and his J.D., cum laude, from the Cornell University Law School in 1986.
Mr. Hermenze resides in Redding, Connecticut, and has three grown children. He is an elected commissioner of Redding Fire District No. 1 and an active member of Redding Fire & EMS Co. No.1, having served as company treasurer and a Lieutenant (Engine 2).
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Chairman of the Board of Managers of Brooklawn Park Association
DOUGLAS R. BROWN is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates and Dispute Resolution Groups. Mr. Brown practices in the areas of estate planning, estate settlement, and probate, trust and fiduciary litigation. He represents individual clients in all aspects of estate planning and estate settlement to maximize the transfer of wealth, minimize the effect of estate and gift taxes, plan for incapacity, and plan effectively for disabled family members through the use of special needs trusts. Mr. Brown is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
Mr. Brown has significant experience in guiding fiduciaries and beneficiaries through complicated estate settlement and trust administration matters. He represents clients in Will contests and trust disputes, contested accounting proceedings, and contested conservatorship and guardianship matters. He also counsels clients in connection with Will and trust construction cases, addressing personal injury claims in estates, estate disputes with creditors, and insolvent estates. Mr. Brown litigates claims either for or against fiduciaries and represents clients in proceedings to remove fiduciaries. He also represents fiduciaries in complex estate and trust matters involving control of business entities and real estate with environmental problems. As a result of his experience, Mr. Brown has been appointed to serve as the fiduciary in several complex estates.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Brown is a member of the American (Probate and Fiduciary Litigation Committee), Connecticut, Fairfield County, and Greater Bridgeport Bar Associations. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Estates and Probate Section, and is past chair of the subcommittee on Probate and Trust Controversies. Mr. Brown has lectured at numerous seminars on estate planning, estate settlement, and fiduciary litigation, including presentations on Will and trust construction, litigation over joint accounts, insolvent estate administration, and the probate court rules of procedure before the Connecticut Probate Assembly (the organization of probate judges and court staff). In 2011, he was appointed to serve on the Connecticut Probate Court Rules Advisory Committee, the committee charged with writing the new Connecticut Probate Court Rules of Procedure which became effective in 2013.
Mr. Brown has been recognized multiple times since 2007 as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" and "New England Super Lawyer" in the areas of (1) estate planning and probate and (2) estate and trust litigation and has been selected for inclusion in "The Best Lawyers in America©" in the fields of Trusts and Estates and Litigation - Trusts and Estates. He received his B.A. from Duke University in 1987 and his J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis in 1994, where he served as articles editor of the law review.
Mr. Brown currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Managers of Brooklawn Park Association, a neighborhood association located in Fairfield. He is also active in a variety of other civic organizations, including The Kennedy Center, where he served as chairman of the Board of Directors; the Western Connecticut Council of the Navy League; and Congregation B'nai Israel, where he has served on the Board of Trustees, the Budget Committee and the Investment Committee.
Mr. Brown served as an officer on a combat ship in the United States Navy from 1987 to 1991, rising to the rank of lieutenant. During his military service, he received a letter of commendation for superior communication with foreign military aircraft in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq War.
Mr. Brown currently resides in Fairfield, Connecticut with his wife, Kathryn Selig Brown, Ph.D., and their two sons.
Douglas R. Brown serves on the Connecticut Probate Court Rules Advisory Committee and was appointed to this position in 2011 by Probate Court Administrator Judge Paul Knierim.
EDWARD MARCANTONIO is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Ed practices in the areas of trusts and estates planning and administration. He assists individuals with tax and asset protection planning, estate settlement, and trust administration. Ed is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York. Prior to joining the firm, Ed practiced at the former law firm of Hermenze & Marcantonio LLC in Westport, Connecticut, where he was a partner and co-founder. He is a member of the Estates and Probate Sections of the Connecticut, Fairfield County and New York State Bar Associations. Ed is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Lower Fairfield County. He is past president of the Westport Bar Association and past chair of the Estates and Probate section of the Fairfield County Bar Association.
Ed has been included in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of trusts and estates since 2019. He has also been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the areas of estate planning and probate since 2019. In addition, Ed was selected for inclusion by Moffly Media in "The 200 Outstanding Lawyers of Fairfield County List" in 2016, 2017 and 2018 in the area of trusts and estates published in Greenwich, Westport, Fairfield Living and Stamford Magazines. In 2022, Ed was named to the "Top Attorneys in Connecticut" list in the area of trusts and estates published by Connecticut Magazine.
Active in his community, Ed is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Westport Democratic Town Committee and chairman of the Board of Assessment Appeals. Ed also served on the Board of Directors of the Westport-Weston United Way and the Connecticut Food Bank. He serves as a corporator of First County Bank.
Ed received his B.A., cum laude, from Columbia College in 1987 and his J.D. from Fordham Law School in 1991, where he was named to the Dean's List. He resides in Westport, Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Chairman of the Estates & Probate
- Fellows of the American College of Trust
HEATHER J. LANGE is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and is a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates and Dispute Resolution Groups. Ms. Lange practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, estate settlement, and probate, trust and fiduciary litigation. She represents high net worth individuals and family groups with the preparation of sophisticated wills, revocable trusts, private foundations and charitable trusts and when necessary, litigates probate proceedings. In addition, Ms. Lange has developed a niche practice in equine law where she bridges her legal capabilities and equestrian interests.
Prior to joining the firm, she most recently practiced at the Stamford-based law firm of Cummings & Lockwood. Ms. Lange also worked at the law firms of Taylor Ganson & Perrin, LLP and Bingham McCutchen LLP in Boston, and Dechert LLP in Philadelphia.
Ms. Lange is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American, Connecticut and Fairfield County Bar Associations. Ms. Lange serves as chair of the Estates and Probate section of the Connecticut Bar Association. She is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
Ms. Lange was recognized by "Connecticut Super Lawyers" as a "Rising Star" in the areas of estate planning and probate; non-profit organizations; and tax from 2005 through 2008. She received her B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1988, J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law in 1997, and LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 1999.
Ms. Lange serves on the Board of Directors of the Bridgeport YMCA, where she chairs the Strong Kids Campaign. She previously served as a volunteer at Pegasus Therapeutic Riding, a non-profit organization that provides equine-assisted activities and therapies to children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.
Ms. Lange resides in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Heather J. Lange serves as chair of the Estates & Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association.
JAMES D. FUNNELL, JR. is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. His practice is limited to trusts and estates planning, special needs planning for family members with disabilities, and trusts and estates administration. Mr. Funnell is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
Mr. Funnell is admitted to practice in Connecticut and has practiced in Fairfield County for over thirty years. He is also admitted to practice in Texas. Prior to joining the firm, he was a partner at the former law firm of Hermenze & Marcantonio LLC in Westport, Connecticut. Mr. Funnell is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Estates and Probate Section, and for over twenty years served as the editor in chief of the Estates and Probate Section Notes & Commentary, a continuing legal education publication for Connecticut attorneys.
Mr. Funnell has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of trusts and estates since 2018. He has also been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the areas of estate planning and probate tax since 2006.
Mr. Funnell has written widely on special needs trust planning, including the "Special Needs Trusts" chapter in Irrevocable Trusts 4th published by Thompson Reuters. He has also spoken on special needs planning to audiences that include Connecticut Probate Court judges and clerks, Connecticut Bar Association, Fairfield County Bar Association, National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, PLAN of CT, Giant Steps, Knights of Columbus, and the Fairfield School District.
Mr. Funnell received his B.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1983; J.D. from Oklahoma City University School of Law in 1986; and LL.M. in Business and Taxation from McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, California, in 1987.
Mr. Funnell serves on the Board of Directors of PLAN of Connecticut, a charitable organization that acts as trustee of special needs trusts for individuals with disabilities.
Mr. Funnell is originally from Oklahoma. Mr. Funnell and his wife Sally reside in Redding, Connecticut. They have two grown children.
James D. Funnell, Jr. serves on the Board of Directors of PLAN of Connecticut, a charitable organization that acts as trustee of special needs trusts for individuals with disabilities.
JAMES E. RICE is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and is a member of the firm's Business Group. Mr. Rice practices in the areas of utilities and energy, business and finance, and commercial real estate. He represents energy companies and other clients before the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and the Connecticut Siting Council. Mr. Rice has acted as Connecticut counsel in connection with the acquisition of major power plants and of regulated public service companies. He also serves as outside general counsel to several small- and medium-sized businesses in the Fairfield County area. Prior to joining Brody Wilkinson, Mr. Rice was a partner at the former Southport law firm of Marsh, Day & Calhoun.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Michigan, the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Mr. Rice is a member of the American, Connecticut and Greater Bridgeport Bar Associations. He serves as a member of the Standards of Title Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Public Utility Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association, for which he also served as chairman. Mr. Rice has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of energy law since 2006. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney. Mr. Rice received his B.S. from Fordham University in 1965 and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1968.
Active in civic and charitable activities in the greater Bridgeport area, he served as an assistant town attorney for the Town of Fairfield from 1993 to 1997 and as a member of its Historic District Commission until 1993. Mr. Rice is a member and past president of the Bridgeport Kiwanis Club, and served as president of the Fairfield Beach Club.
He serves as a Board member of Fondazione Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice, a Vatican-based organization of lay business and professional leaders, and is also an officer and director of the U.S. chapter of this organization. Mr. Rice previously served as president of Catholic Charities of Fairfield County. In recognition of his work for Catholic Charities, he was named a Knight of St. Gregory the Great by Pope John Paul II. Mr. Rice has also served on the Advisory Board of the Gallery of Contemporary Art at Sacred Heart University, the Board of Directors of the Fairfield County Children's Choir, the Board of Directors of the Fairfield County Chorale, and the Institutional Review Board and Clinical Ethics Committee of St. Vincent's Medical Center.
He resides in Fairfield, Connecticut, with his wife, Candy.
Job Titles:
- Principal of Brody Wilkinson PC
JAMES M. POWERS is a principal of Brody Wilkinson PC and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates and Business Groups. His trusts and estates practice includes all aspects of estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate and trust litigation, and charitable giving. In addition, he spends a significant amount of time advising clients who are relocating to Florida permanently or splitting their time between Connecticut and Florida on domicile requirements and other related tax issues. Drawing upon his prior legal practice in Florida, Mr. Powers brings value, insight and years of first-hand experience to this area of probate and tax law. He represents a diverse base of individuals, private foundations and not-for-profit organizations in Connecticut and Florida.
His business practice includes the areas of commercial transactions, financing, and commercial and residential real estate transactions. Mr. Powers advises lending institutions and private lenders in commercial loan transactions, and other corporate clients in mergers and acquisitions. He represents both businesses and individuals in commercial and residential real estate transactions.
Prior to joining Brody Wilkinson, Mr. Powers was a principal of the New Milford-based law firm of Powers, Attorneys At Law, the successor firm to Powers & Powers in Bethel, Connecticut. After working at two Florida-based law firms earlier in his career, he joined Powers & Powers in 2003 and maintained his practice there until 2015.
Mr. Powers is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Florida. He is a member of the Connecticut and Florida Bar Associations. Mr. Powers is also a member and former president of the New Milford Bar Association.
Active in the community, he is a member of both the Danbury Hospital Fundraising and Danbury Hospital/Praxair Cancer Center Golf Tournament Committees. Mr. Powers is a member of the Board of Directors of Wheels Program of New Milford, and a former chairman and member of the Board of Directors of The Children's Center of New Milford.
He received his B.A. from Rollins College in 1995, his J.D. from Nova Southeastern University School of Law in 1999, and his LL.M. in estate planning from University of Miami School of Law in 2001.
Mr. Powers resides in Weston, Connecticut, with his wife, Kirstin, and their children.
JENNIFER A. BASCIANO is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Ms. Basciano practices in the areas of estate planning and trust and estate administration.
Ms. Basciano is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York. She is a member of the American, Connecticut, New York and Fairfield County Bar Associations. She is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.
Ms. Basciano received her B.A. from Lehigh University in 1997 and her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2000, where she was a member of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal.
Ms. Basciano currently resides in Norwalk, Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Member of the American
JUSTIN L. GALLETTI is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Business and Real Estate Groups. He represents a diverse base of clients, ranging from individuals and privately held businesses to public companies, in connection with their general business and commercial real estate transactions. Mr. Galletti advises clients in a variety of industries and his clients include manufacturers, property owners and developers, service providers, financial institutions, software developers, entrepreneurs, family offices, and food service businesses. He is a practical, detail-oriented, wordsmith and dealmaker.
Mr. Galletti functions as an outside general counsel, advising such clients on entity formation, merger and acquisition activities and assisting with the preparation and review of supply, service and other contracts. Mr. Galletti regularly advises clients in the acquisition, sale and financing of commercial real estate and negotiates leases of retail, office and industrial properties on behalf of commercial landlords and tenants. He also represents institutional and private lenders in connection with real estate and asset-based financing. Mr. Galletti has significant experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating sophisticated endorsement, sponsorship and intellectual property licensing agreements.
In collaboration with the firm's Trusts & Estates Group, he also facilitates the transition of ownership of family-owned businesses from one generation to the next. Relatedly, he helps the firm's high net worth clients in connection with a variety of investment activities and the negotiation and documentation of confidentiality agreements for household and office staff.
Admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York, Mr. Galletti is a member of the American, Connecticut and New York Bar Associations. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney who was also recognized by "Connecticut Super Lawyers" as a "Rising Star" in the area of business/corporate in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In addition, he was selected for inclusion in Fairfield Living Magazine's "The 200 Outstanding Lawyers of Fairfield County List" in 2016 in the area of business law and was named to the Fairfield County Business Journal's "40 under 40 List" in 2010.
Mr. Galletti received his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2005, where he was an executive editor of the Connecticut Journal of International Law. During his time in law school, he served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Alfred Covello of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. He received his B.A. in History, cum laude, from Boston College in 2002 and is a proud graduate of Fairfield College Preparatory School.
Justin and his wife, Alanna, reside in Stamford, Connecticut, with their daughter Lola.
KIMBERLY T. SMITH is an associate of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Ms. Smith practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration and taxation.
Prior to joining the firm, she worked at a New York City-based law firm where she gained extensive experience drafting complex tax and estate planning documents for high net worth individuals and owners of closely held businesses.
Ms. Smith received her B.A. from State University of New York at Albany in 2013. She received her J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 2016 where she was a member of the Suffolk Law Transnational Law Review and founded the Suffolk Law Real Estate/Trusts and Estates Group. While at Suffolk, she also held several positions and internships with organizations such as the New England Innocence Project; Massachusetts State Senate; Massachusetts District Court, Land Court Department; and Margolis and Bloom, LLP. Ms. Smith received her LL.M. in taxation and a certificate in estate planning from Georgetown University Law Center in 2017. While at Georgetown, she completed an externship with the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging.
Ms. Smith is admitted to practice in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. She is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the Greater Bridgeport Bar Association. Within both Bar Associations, she is a member of the Young Lawyers Sections and the Estates & Probate Sections. Ms. Smith serves as an appointed member to the Legislative Policy and Review Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association and is an active member of the Westport Young Woman's League.
Ms. Smith resides in Fairfield, Connecticut.
LAUREN R. CIMBOL is an associate of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Ms. Cimbol practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration and taxation.
She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York and is a member of the New York Women's Bar Association. Ms. Cimbol received her LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law in 2021. She received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2020, where she served as associate editor of the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal and was awarded a Course Prize for Outstanding Performance in State and Local Tax. Ms. Cimbol received her B.A., cum laude, from Brandeis University in 2014.
While in law school, she worked as a legal intern at Legal Services NYC, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, where she assisted low income individuals with their IRS tax audits. Prior to law school, Ms. Cimbol was employed at the UJA-Federation of New York in the Planned Giving & Endowments Department.
She resides in New York, New York.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network
LISA F. METZ is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. She practices in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration and estate settlement in Connecticut and New York.
Ms. Metz represents a range of clients, including high net worth individuals who are providing for multiple generations, recently divorced women, and couples with young children. For all clients, she takes the time to ensure that their questions are answered and they fully understand their options. She has significant experience drafting sophisticated and flexible estate planning documents to accomplish goals such as asset protection (including working with counsel in states such as Delaware) and estate and income tax minimization. She also advises clients with existing family trusts regarding how the trusts may be administered to address changing needs. She closely follows federal and state laws to keep her clients informed about changes and best practices. Ms. Metz has published several articles including co-authoring a chapter entitled, "Lifetime Asset Transfers" in A Practical Guide to Estate Planning in Connecticut published by MCLE New England.
Prior to joining the firm, she practiced at other firms in Connecticut and Illinois, including eight years in the Greenwich office of Cummings & Lockwood. Ms. Metz is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York and Illinois. Ms. Metz is a member of the American, Connecticut, New York, Greater Bridgeport and Stamford/Norwalk Bar Associations. She is also a member of the Estate Planning Council of Lower Fairfield County. Ms. Metz received her B.S. from Cornell University with honors in 1984 and her J.D. from the National Law Center at George Washington University in 1988, where she was an associate editor of the Journal of International Law and Economics. She interned for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee during Judge Robert Bork's Supreme Court confirmation hearing.
She has been involved with numerous school and community organizations. Ms. Metz is a member of the Cornell Alumni Admissions Ambassador Network and interviews applicants. She volunteers her time to support Food Rescue US.
Ms. Metz resides in Westport, Connecticut.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Principal of Brody Wilkinson PC
MARK W. KLEIN is a principal of Brody Wilkinson PC and a member of the firm's Business and Real Estate Groups. His primary practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, business transactions, securities law, general contract matters, commercial real estate transactions, franchise law and entertainment law.
Mark W. Klein is an appointed member of the Connecticut Department of Banking's Securities Advisory Council.
PETER T. MOTT is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Mr. Mott practices in the areas of estate planning and trusts and estate administration. He assists individuals with tax and charitable gift planning, business owners with succession planning, and families planning for aging or incapacitated family members. Mr. Mott is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and has practiced in the Greater Bridgeport area since 1983. Mr. Mott is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations and is past-chair of the Connecticut Bar Association's Estates and Probate Section. He is a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, where he is a member of the Board of Regents and a former state chair of Connecticut. He is past-chair of the Professional Responsibility Committee. Mr. Mott was named Best Lawyers® Trusts and Estates "Lawyer of the Year" for the Stamford metropolitan region in 2023, 2021, 2017 and 2013, and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of trusts and estates since 2005. He has also been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the areas of estate planning and probate; and tax since 2006. In addition, Mr. Mott has been recognized by Chambers High Net Worth Guide since 2016 with a "Band 1" ranking in the category of Private Wealth Law. He regularly publishes articles on estate planning and speaks at numerous seminars on the subject.
Mr. Mott received his B.A. from Trinity College (Hartford) in 1978 and his J.D., with high honors, from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1983, where he was an editor of the Connecticut Law Review.
Mr. Mott is a lifelong resident of Fairfield, Connecticut, where he currently resides with his wife, Janet.
ROBERT L. TEICHER is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates, Business and Dispute Resolutions Groups. Mr. Teicher practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, taxation and business law. Mr. Teicher is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
His trusts and estates practice includes assisting individuals and families with tax-efficient estate, gift and charitable planning, advising business owners on succession planning, and counseling executives and business owners on asset protection planning. He also provides international estate and tax planning guidance to individuals and families with foreign property interests or foreign citizenship.
Mr. Teicher's business law practice includes representing closely-held businesses, partnerships, limited liability companies and non-profit organizations in entity formation and general business matters. In addition, Mr. Teicher provides tax counsel in connection with structuring complex business transactions, mergers and acquisitions, restructuring private companies, executive compensation arrangements, and real estate matters, including partnership and limited liability company agreements and "like-kind" exchanges. He also handles tax controversies from audit through litigation, and has successfully represented taxpayers in state and federal courts, including the United States Tax Court and the United States Court of Appeals.
Mr. Teicher is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York and is a member of the American, Connecticut and New York State Bar Associations. He is past vice chair of the Tax Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He is past chair of the Tax Committee of the Fairfield County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, a leading international organization of practitioners in trusts, estates and tax law. He is a member of the Estate Planning Council of New York City. He regularly publishes articles and speaks at seminars on tax law. He is an adjunct professor at the Quinnipiac University School of Law, where he has taught partnership tax, estate and gift tax, income taxation of trusts and estates, and tax procedure.
Mr. Teicher received his B.A. from Yale College in 1972 and his J.D. from the Vanderbilt University Law School in 1976, where he was research editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. He received his LL.M. in tax law from the Quinnipiac University Law School in 1990.
Mr. Teicher is active in numerous charitable and community organizations. He is a past President of Congregation Beth El, Fairfield, Connecticut, and of West End Synagogue in New York City. He previously served on the Boards of Jewish Family Service in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the Connecticut Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, the Connecticut chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, and the Fairfield County Chorale.
Mr. Teicher resides in Bethel, Connecticut and New York City, with his wife, Denise.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Member of the Board of Trustees of Bridgeport Hospital
RONALD B. NOREN is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. Mr. Noren practices in the area of trusts and estates, including estate planning, transmission of wealth, estate settlement, and trust administration. He represents individual clients and family groups, often on a multi-generational basis, to preserve and transmit earned and inherited wealth incorporating personal and family goals with efficient tax planning. Mr. Noren often works with clients in structuring and implementing living trusts, charitable and non-charitable gift planning, life insurance trusts, various tax advantaged irrevocable trusts, family limited partnerships and LLCs, and private foundations. He also has extensive experience working with individuals and corporate fiduciaries in the settlement of large estates and providing advice to trustees and beneficiaries on the administration of trusts. Mr. Noren is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and has practiced in the Greater Bridgeport area since 1978. Mr. Noren is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations and the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He has been selected for inclusion in "The Best Lawyers in America©" in the field of trusts and estates since 2013. In addition, Mr. Noren was recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the area of estate planning and probate from since 2009. He received his B.A., cum laude, from Tufts University in 1975. Mr. Noren received his J.D., cum laude, from Suffolk University Law School in 1978, where he served for two years on the Suffolk University Law Review.
He has been active in a variety of civic and community organizations. Mr. Noren is a member of the Board of Trustees of Bridgeport Hospital where he serves as vice chairman. He also serves on the Management Affairs and Professional and Quality Committees and serves as chairman of the Director Affairs Committee. He has served a four-year term as chairman of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Noren holds positions on the boards of The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, The Preston Mountain Club, and The Mary C. Fitch Charitable Trust. In addition, Mr. Noren has been active in leadership positions as chairman of the Easton Board of Ethics, as treasurer of Fairfield County's Community Foundation, on the boards of the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Yale New Haven Health System, The Kennedy Center, and in various fund raising positions for the United Way and Easton Public Library.
He resides in Fairfield, Connecticut with his wife, Renee.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Chairman of the Board of the Samuel Staples Free School Fund
- Member of Fairfield Theatre Company 's Board of Directors
SETH L. COOPER is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Business and Real Estate Groups. His areas of practice span a variety of transactional practice areas which include commercial real estate, mergers and acquisitions, lending, loan workouts, leasing, hospitality service contracts, business entity organizational matters, art law, general contract law and debtor-creditor rights.
Mr. Cooper frequently plays an active role in assisting with the structure of the business relationship among an entity's principals in addition to negotiating and documenting the business relationship. Mr. Cooper's early career focused on handling commercial bankruptcy and insolvency matters. Consequently, Mr. Cooper is able to bring an insightful asset protection perspective to a deal structure. As tax considerations often play an important role in structuring a business sale, investment, or start-up venture, Mr. Cooper works closely with the Brody Wilkinson tax attorneys to make sure the most tax efficient business structure is achieved. His clients include both individuals and entities, including high net worth individuals with family offices, whom he assists with an array of transactional and general corporate matters. In addition to regularly advising businesses and handling real estate matters, Mr. Cooper leads the firm's Art, Antiques & Collectibles practice where he regularly represents collectors, dealers, artist estates, museums, auction houses, and galleries. Mr. Cooper is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney and has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers of America© in real estate law.
Mr. Cooper is admitted to practice in Connecticut and the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. He is a member of the Connecticut, American and Greater Bridgeport Bar Associations. He received his B.A. from the University of Richmond in 1985. He received his J.D., cum laude, from New England School of Law in 1991, where he served as managing literary editor of the law journal.
Mr. Cooper is currently Chairman of the board of the Samuel Staples Free School Fund and volunteers as a rare book researcher for The Pequot Library. Mr. Cooper also previously served as chairman of the Board of Directors of The Barnum Museum, and of Alpha Community Services, the largest provider of emergency shelters and transitional housing to homeless families in Connecticut. He is also a former member of the Board of Directors of The Fairfield Theatre Company and the Silvermine Arts Center, where he played an integral role in the expansion of its arts campus. Mr. Cooper was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Connecticut Business Educators Association in recognition of his volunteer work at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut, and is a graduate of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council's leadership program.
Mr. Cooper is a lifelong resident of Easton, Connecticut, where he currently resides with his wife, Larisa, and their two children.
Job Titles:
- of COUNSEL
- Chairman of the Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division of the American Bar Association Which Includes over 20, 000 Members.
- Principal of the Law Offices of Stephen J. Curley
STEPHEN J. CURLEY is the principal of the Law Offices of Stephen J. Curley, LLC, and serves as of counsel to Brody Wilkinson, practicing within the firm's Dispute Resolution Group. Mr. Curley represents a full spectrum of commercial clients including banks, securities firms, hospitals and corporations in complex construction, shareholder derivative defense, insurance defense, lender liability, employment and contract actions. He handles all phases of litigation, arbitration and mediation from preliminary investigation through trial and appeal for clients ranging from large national corporations and mid-sized regional companies to small businesses and individuals. Mr. Curley also has extensive experience in negotiating and drafting settlement agreements, leases, employment agreements, options and other contracts particularly in connection with securities transactions. Mr. Curley is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
He has maintained his own law practice in Stamford for the last eight years. Mr. Curley was previously associated with the Stamford offices of Pillsbury Winthrop and Cummings and Lockwood.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut; New York; District of Columbia; U.S. District Courts for the District of Connecticut, District of Columbia and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Fourth and Seventh Circuits; and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Curley is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations. He serves on the Connecticut Bar Association's Board of Governors and House of Delegates. He is also chair of the Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division of the American Bar Association for the 2021-2022 term. Mr. Curley served as both Secretary and Treasurer of the Connecticut Bar Association. He also served as a Connecticut Bar Association delegate to the American Bar Association's House of Delegates for over ten years.
Mr. Curley has been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the area of business litigation since 2009. He received his A.B., with honors, from Bowdoin College in 1988 and his J.D., cum laude, from Boston College Law School in 1991, where he was executive editor of the Uniform Commercial Code Reporter-Digest.
Mr. Curley resides in Kent, Connecticut, with his wife Megan.
THOMAS B. NOONAN serves as counsel to Brody Wilkinson and is a member of the firm's Business, Real Estate and Dispute Resolution Groups. Mr. Noonan is a resourceful and versatile attorney with a wide array of experience. He helps clients manage risk and navigate legal issues, emphasizing sound and cost-effective strategies.
Mr. Noonan practices in the areas of general corporate matters, commercial transactions and commercial real estate, including zoning and land use. He provides general outside counsel services advising a diverse base of clients on all kinds of corporate and business matters and disputes, including entity formation and organizational issues, governance and financing.
Mr. Noonan advises clients on commercial transactions and general contract matters, including drafting and negotiating asset purchase agreements, nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements, shareholder agreements, employment or consulting agreements, security agreements, construction agreements and business associate agreements. He also advises businesses and individuals with commercial real estate leases, acquisitions and sales as well as construction, zoning and land use matters.
In addition, Mr. Noonan is an experienced litigator. He has an extensive business, commercial, construction, appellate and civil litigation practice with significant litigation experience in the areas of healthcare and managed care litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, he was a partner at the Connecticut law firm of Butler Tibbetts, LLC. Mr. Noonan is admitted to practice in Connecticut; New York; Pennsylvania; the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut; the U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; the U.S. District Court, Southern Districts of Pennsylvania; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
He was recognized by "Connecticut Super Lawyers" as a "Rising Star" in the area of business litigation in 2021 and 2022. In addition, Mr. Noonan was selected for inclusion by Lawyers Of Distinction in the area of appellate law in 2022. He is chairman of the Fairfield Town Plan & Zoning Commission and is a board member of the Stratfield Village Association. Mr. Noonan received his J.D. from Boston College Law School in 2009 and his B.S., summa cum laude, from the University of Scranton in 2006.
Job Titles:
- PRINCIPAL
- Member of the Alumni Board of Directors of Fairfield University
WILLIAM J. BRITT is a principal of Brody Wilkinson and a member of the firm's Trusts & Estates and Business Groups. Mr. Britt practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and business law. His estate practice includes all aspects of estate planning, estate settlement, trust administration and probate law. He assists clients in transmitting wealth and business interests to younger generations through sophisticated estate planning tools, including grantor retained annuity trusts, charitable lead trusts, family limited partnerships and asset protection trusts. He creates and implements special needs trusts and structured settlement trusts for personal injury victims. Mr. Britt has authored articles dealing with probate and tax considerations for estates where a wrongful death action exists and trustee powers of amendment. He is a Martindale-Hubbell AV-rated attorney.
Mr. Britt's business practice includes succession planning for owners of closely held businesses and serving as outside general counsel for such businesses. His business clients range from sole proprietorships and single member limited liability companies to multinational corporations. Mr. Britt serves as lead counsel on many corporate transactions, including acquisitions, mergers, and stock and asset sales.
He is admitted to practice in Connecticut and is a member of the American and Connecticut Bar Associations. Mr. Britt is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Estates and Probate Section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He has been recognized as a "Connecticut Super Lawyer" in the areas of estate planning and probate; and business/corporate since 2011. Mr. Britt received his B.A. from Fairfield University in 1970 and his J.D. from the Columbus School of Law of the Catholic University of America in 1973, where he was a member of the Law Review. He served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army Reserve and achieved the rank of Captain.
Mr. Britt is a member of the Alumni Board of Directors of Fairfield University and a member of Brooklawn Country Club. He resides in Easton, Connecticut.