http://www.ctlawtribune.com The CT Law Tribune delivers news of the most important state and federal court rulings that affect the practice of law in Connecticut. We also provides up to date reports and features on developments in law firms, the courts, government and administrative agencies, law schools, the Legislature and other topics of interest to Connecticut lawyers. en-us Copyright 2013. ALM Media Properties, LLC. All rights reserved. http://www.law.com/jsp/law/terms.jsp http://www.ctlawtribune.com/img/ct/ct_masthead-rss.jpg http://www.ctlawtribune.com Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:59:45 EDT Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that said former Governor John G. Rowland violated the constitutional rights of unionized state employees when he laid off 2,800 of them in 2003. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202606961918&rss=rss_ct Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:59:45 EDT 1202606961918 Although she remains the only woman to ever serve as Connecticut's attorney general, Clarine Nardi Riddle is perhaps better known these days as a Washington insider. She's been a longtime chief of staff for former U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman and the leader of efforts to create a more bipartisan approach in the nation's capital. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202606691978&rss=rss_ct Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:02:20 EDT 1202606691978 If you or your firm has been involved in an interesting lawsuit, we would like to hear about it. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202598460092&rss=rss_ct Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:59:06 EDT 1202598460092 Connecticut Chief Court Administrator Barbara Quinn, who has helped guide the state court system through difficult financial times related to state budgetary challenges, is retiring effective October 1. Her successor, according to Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, will be Judge Patrick Carroll, the current deputy chief court administrator. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202605889058&rss=rss_ct Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:53:08 EDT 1202605889058 The massive Metro-North train accident in Bridgeport last month became a nightmare for commuters and caused $18 million worth of damage. Of interest to lawyers, 73 passengers, two engineers and a conductor were taken to the hospital for injuries. One passenger was critically injured. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202605587156&rss=rss_ct Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:24:01 EDT 1202605587156 The federal government and the City of New Haven have entered into a settlement that addresses allegations that city officials, including members of the police department, were not communicating effectively with the hearing impaired. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604388581&rss=rss_ct Sun, 16 Jun 2013 18:44:50 EDT 1202604388581 In what is believed to be the largest unfair trade practices award of its kind ever issued in Connecticut, a Stamford complex litigation judge has awarded $20 million in punitive damages to a class of auto body repair shops. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604404022&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:30:09 EDT 1202604404022 In 2003, a fire at a Hartford nursing home killed 16 elderly and disabled people. In the aftermath, 13 lawsuits were filed, but plaintiffs have still not received any money. In fact, they haven't even gone to trial. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604392614&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:58:30 EDT 1202604392614 In the just-completed General Assembly session, lawmakers approved a measure aimed at low-income, self-represented parties who do not have to pay court filing fees. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604392574&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:56:47 EDT 1202604392574 Stacey Violante Cote helps the homeless. Not by running a shelter or dishing up meals in a soup kitchen, but by serving up a healthy portion of legal advice and representation. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604391075&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:47:47 EDT 1202604391075 A Connecticut woman disfigured by a friend's pet chimpanzee in 2009 was denied permission Friday to sue the state for $150 million on her claim that officials knew the animal was dangerous but didn't do anything about it. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604391033&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:45:05 EDT 1202604391033 Penny Hoyt v. James Kennedy, et al.: A woman who tried to help an injured dog, but was bitten in the process, lost her bid to receive compensation for her injuries, as jurors decided that she had been inadvertantly "tormenting" the animal. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604355277&rss=rss_ct Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:15:03 EDT 1202604355277 In terms of technology, we've come a long way in the past decade. That can be a good thing if you're a big fan of Kindles or iPads, make use of the latest e-discovery software, or your life was saved by cutting-edge surgery performed by robots. But to those worried about privacy issues, the technological advances can be problematic. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604105392&rss=rss_ct Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:02:12 EDT 1202604105392 Stacey Violante Cote helps the homeless. Not by running a shelter or dishing up meals in a soup kitchen, but by serving up a healthy portion of legal advice and representation. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202604098036&rss=rss_ct Thu, 13 Jun 2013 12:22:21 EDT 1202604098036 For the second time in less than two weeks, a former Connecticut attorney general is joining a major, New York-based law firm. Clarine Nardi Riddle served as state AG from 1989 to 1991 and is the only woman to have held the job. She's now joining Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman, which ranks in the top 125 on the AmLaw 200 list. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603929601&rss=rss_ct Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:43:23 EDT 1202603929601 Chief Justice Chase Rogers has put the issue squarely and succinctly: pro se litigants "clog up the court system. Cases are delayed and lengthened, creating frustration for everybody... Litigants with lawyers are better represented in court, which makes this a significant access issue. Access to justice and to our courts simply should not be a privilege offered to some, but a basic right available to all." http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603921219&rss=rss_ct Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:05:58 EDT 1202603921219 Connecticut should be commended for enacting legislation that requires custodial interrogations for suspects of capital or Class A or B felonies to be recorded, beginning January of 2014. Max Soffar's case highlights the problems that may arise when confessions are not recorded. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603921394&rss=rss_ct Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:05:49 EDT 1202603921394 Does Einstein's theory of mass-energy equivalence have any significance to the structured settlement secondary market? One company that purchases, or arranges for the purchase of structured settlement payment rights, thinks it does and suggests that E=Cash. Does E=Cash? http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603416035&rss=rss_ct Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:32:25 EDT 1202603416035 The rise of Brad Saxton's prominence in the Connecticut legal community has mirrored the rise in stature of Quinnipiac University School of Law. For his success in raising Quinnipiac's profile, Saxton is one of two people being honored with this year's Connecticut Law Tribune Service to the Profession Award. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603418269&rss=rss_ct Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:43:47 EDT 1202603418269 In what is believed to be the largest unfair trade practices award ever issued in Connecticut, a Stamford complex litigation judge has awarded $20 million in punitive damages to a class of auto body repair shops. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603635851&rss=rss_ct Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:47:50 EDT 1202603635851 When a band of Connecticut newspaper publishers prevailed on then-Governor Ella Grasso to pass Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act in 1975, they had two things going for them. One was the recent Watergate scandal. It not only forced President Richard M. Nixon to resign, it also created a backlash against official deception, and a new thirst for truth in government. The other asset was a young lawyer named Mitchell W. Pearlman. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603418110&rss=rss_ct Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:35:06 EDT 1202603418110 The Law Tribune is seeking articles for this summer's special practice sections. Articles should be about 1,200 words long, contain no footnotes and be written in such a manner that lawyers who practice any type of law can understand them. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603579842&rss=rss_ct Mon, 10 Jun 2013 12:38:21 EDT 1202603579842 You'd be hard-pressed to find any member of the University of Connecticut School of Law faculty that would have a single bad thing to say about former dean Jeremy Paul. In honor of Paul's accomplishments, particularly during his 23 years as a faculty member at UConn Law, he will be presented with one of two Service to the Profession Awards at the Law Tribune's Honor's Night ceremony. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603567402&rss=rss_ct Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:50:08 EDT 1202603567402 When Edward Heath graduated from law school in 1999, he wanted to join a law firm with an engrained culture of pro bono efforts. For his contributions to veterans and abused women in need, among others, Heath is being recognized as the winner of the 2013 Connecticut Law Tribune Pro Bono Award. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603418331&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:44:11 EDT 1202603418331 When a Catholic church in Norwich announced plans to find a bigger space for its food pantry and soup kitchen, residents responded with concerns about crowds of homeless people and crime. In what is being called a cruel case of musical chairs in a not-in-my-backyard dispute, the St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen is at the moment without a permanent home. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603418070&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:43:35 EDT 1202603418070 Jeffrey A. Meyer, a former federal prosecutor who teaches constitutional and environmental law, has been nominated to the U.S. District Court for Connecticut. Meyer, on the faculty of Quinnipiac University School of Law, will fill the vacancy created by the death of Judge Mark R. Kravitz, upon confirmation. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603403282&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:36:44 EDT 1202603403282 An 82-year-old English teacher at Stamford High School was unable to convince a jury that a fall that caused a broken hip was caused by a custodian who drove close to her in a snowy parking lot. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603403183&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 17:36:12 EDT 1202603403183 Jamey Bell's career has come full circle. She spent 26 years as a staff attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid before moving on to leadership roles elsewhere. Now she's leaving her job as state Child Advocate after less than a year to lead the legal aid agency where her career started. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603387638&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:53:21 EDT 1202603387638 I am fearful that science and the Supreme Court will do away with the ability to remain anonymous. Last week, in Maryland v. King, the Court held that the warrantless collection and analysis of DNA samples from individuals arrested "for a serious offense" does not violate the Fourth Amendment. It is a ruling sure to make law enforcement cheer, but liberty cringe. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603350004&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:11:07 EDT 1202603350004 Editor's Note: The writer, a Greenwich financier and former professional football player, is a party in the divorce case of Simms v. Simms. A related case, Simms v. Seaman, recently upheld lawyers' litigation immunity from civil fraud. He claims fraud was committed when his ex-wife and her lawyers failed to divulge that she was receiving a sizable inheritance at the time they requested an increase in the ex-wife's alimony payments. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603318370&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:57:43 EDT 1202603318370 For those privacy advocates who have been questioning the expanded use of security cameras throughout our country, it is time to face the new reality. There is an acceptance of the ubiquity of cameras in today's world. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603317500&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:54:50 EDT 1202603317500 When former U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman decided to return to private legal practice, he wanted a job that would allow him and his wife to spend time with their seven grandchildren, who all live in New York City. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603354370&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:51:21 EDT 1202603354370 Structured settlements in divorce are a tricky business. They require a high level of planning and significant forethought in order to be successful. At their best, structured settlements can provide a continuous source of income, address liquidity issues of the moneyed spouse, and provide financial security over time. At their worst, they can extend conflicts into the future with disastrous consequences for the spouse who is relying on the settlement in order to meet basic needs. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603333505&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:05:09 EDT 1202603333505 The Law Tribune is seeking articles for this summer's special practice sections. Articles should be about 1,200 words long, contain no footnotes and be written in such a manner that lawyers who practice any type of law can understand them http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603331182&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:02:27 EDT 1202603331182 Like many college students, Randa Hojaiban had a minimum wage job on the side. Other than that, she wasn't much like most college students. She was earning two degrees at once: a master's in social work and a JD at the University of Connecticut School of Law. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603329773&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:59:20 EDT 1202603329773 A former Yale University employee who was implicated by police, but never charged, in the highly publicized murder investigation of student Suzanne Jovin in 1998 has settled lawsuits with the university and the City of New Haven. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603329731&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:58:20 EDT 1202603329731 To The Editor: I am writing in response to your article entitled "Pro Bono Program Provides DCF Children with Lawyers" (Law Tribune, May 27). http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603318294&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:56:13 EDT 1202603318294 http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603317466&rss=rss_ct Fri, 07 Jun 2013 10:54:46 EDT 1202603317466 Connecticut judges will be getting their first pay raise in six years under the new state budget, which increases judicial salaries by about 10.6 percent over two years. The raises were included in a budget bill of more than 500 pages that was approved by the legislature Wednesday. Judges will see a 5.3 percent raise July 1 and another 5.3 percent increase next year. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603219630&rss=rss_ct Thu, 06 Jun 2013 16:57:19 EDT 1202603219630 With an impressive history of great economic and societal benefits to the U.S. through the lawful employment of foreign employees, is the U.S. finally ready to more deeply tap into this source of economic vitality? http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601657920&rss=rss_ct Thu, 06 Jun 2013 13:15:15 EDT 1202601657920 Former U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman is returning to private legal practice. But it won't be in his home state. Lieberman, a Yale Law School graduate and former Connecticut attorney general, is joining Kasowitz Benson Torres & Friedman LLP in as a senior counsel in the firm's New York office. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202603165479&rss=rss_ct Thu, 06 Jun 2013 12:49:01 EDT 1202603165479 Did something we publish rub you the wrong way? Or do you just want to get something off your chest about one of the pressing legal issues of the day? http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601052208&rss=rss_ct Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:28:46 EDT 1202601052208 The Law Tribune is looking for lawyers with interesting hobbies, side jobs or passions. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202598478385&rss=rss_ct Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:22:58 EDT 1202598478385 We want your photos! We will feature them online, on FB and in print. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202598478314&rss=rss_ct Wed, 05 Jun 2013 13:18:22 EDT 1202598478314 The Law Tribune would like to highlight in news articles worthwhile pro bono endeavors of all types. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202598478415&rss=rss_ct Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:51:34 EDT 1202598478415 In an employment discrimination decision significant to employers seeking to avoid class actions in court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has ruled that an arbitration clause in an employment contract precluded one of the three plaintiffs in a gender discrimination class action from proceeding in federal court and required her to arbitrate her claim privately. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658024&rss=rss_ct Tue, 04 Jun 2013 12:29:27 EDT 1202601658024 Unionized government employees have won a dramatic reversal in the 2003 class action against former Republican Governor John G. Rowland and his budget director, Marc Ryan, with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concluding that limiting layoffs to unionized employees violates their constitutional right of association. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602797634&rss=rss_ct Tue, 04 Jun 2013 10:55:34 EDT 1202602797634 A 50-year-old Wilton lawyer who was involved in an extensive mortgage fraud scheme in Fairfield County will have to serve 30 months in prison. Joseph Kriz, who was a real estate lawyer and a licensed mortgage broker, will begin serving the sentence Aug. 7. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602717595&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:25:01 EDT 1202602717595 President Barack Obama is prepared to nominate James Comey, a former Bush administration official with bipartisan credentials, as the next FBI director. In a possible warning sign, the top Republican on the Senate committee that would review the nomination said Comey would face questions about his ties to Wall Street. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602687696&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:49:10 EDT 1202602687696 In his 44 years as a lawyer, David N. Rosen has been all about shaking up the legal system. From the peace generation to "Generation Me," Rosen and his legal posse have successfully represented the underdogs, confronting big corporations, public utilities and all kinds of government ? state, local, federal and international. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452729&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:13:14 EDT 1202602452729 The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities will be thrown into new phase of leadership in June, when its executive director retires. In preparing for that change, Governor Dannel P. Malloy last week announced a new chairman for the agency that investigates and judges claims of discrimination in the workplace, housing and other arenas. In his new role as commission chair, Gary Collins will lead the search for a replacement for Robert Brothers. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452394&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:14:04 EDT 1202602452394 Dear Senators Blumenthal and Murphy: Your recent email invitation for attorneys interested in becoming Connecticut's U.S. Attorney has crossed my digital desk. While, of course, flattered to be included among those privileged to receive the invitation, I'm afraid I'll pass for the moment. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452585&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:12:32 EDT 1202602452585 Rafael Medrano, convicted of manslaughter in the 2007 stabbing death of a teenager in Hartford, had his conviction upheld recently by the state Supreme Court and will continue serving his 23 year prison term. But the real news is that his appeal will be remembered for another reason -- a rule change made by the justices that will affect defendants who testify in future cases. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602472090&rss=rss_ct Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:04:19 EDT 1202602472090 During his three years in law school, David Norman knew he had to aggressively pursue any employment opportunity he could find when he graduated, even if it meant putting off his goal to be a criminal defense lawyer. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602472034&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 18:04:17 EDT 1202602472034 As clients demand a broader range of legal services, more law firms are adding practice groups, even if that means gobbling up another entire firm. In the latest example, Pullman & Comley has announced it is expanding its practices that represent school district and municipalities by hiring all but one member of the Hartford firm Sullivan Schoen Campane & Connon. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452354&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 17:14:30 EDT 1202602452354 A mother and daughter who were severely injured after the vehicle they were riding in was struck head-on by a pickup truck were awarded more than $8.1 million by a Hartford jury recently. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452474&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 17:13:51 EDT 1202602452474 Connecticut and 21 other states have reached a multi-million dollar settlement with the major tobacco companies stemming from a 2006 dispute over how much the cigarette-makers should pay as part of a pre-existing settlement. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452434&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 17:13:48 EDT 1202602452434 Connecticut lawmakers advanced legislation on Thursday, May 30 that supporters said would create some of the nation's toughest laws against human trafficking. The House of Representatives voted 146-0 for a bill that would give courts authority to seize from convicted pimps any assets derived from the sexual exploitation of a minor. The measure now moves to the Senate. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602452625&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 17:12:06 EDT 1202602452625 After years of fading public interest in Guantanamo Bay and its prisoners, recent events have refocused our attention on the situation the United States has created there. More than 100 Guantanamo detainees are engaging in life-threatening hunger strikes, widely acknowledged to be the result of despair over their uncertain fates. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602432704&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 16:01:15 EDT 1202602432704 Bridgeport environmental lawyer Christopher McCormack won the 2013 Distinguished Legal Writing Award, which is being bestowed upon 30 authors from entries submitted by the nation's thousand largest law firms. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602423491&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 15:14:25 EDT 1202602423491 It's springtime in New England. The birds are chirping, the bees are buzzing, and the alarm bells are ringing at your local courthouse. So far this year, nine bomb threats have been made against the Connecticut judicial facilities. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602402790&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 13:25:03 EDT 1202602402790 A bill signed by the governor will make unauthorized practice of law a felony. It becomes effective Oct. 1, and carries a criminal penalty of up to five years in prison. Previously, unauthorized practice was a misdemeanor with a $250 fine. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602401434&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 13:21:10 EDT 1202602401434 In a thoughtful article published in 2004 in the Connecticut Law Review, entitled "Connecticut Unauthorized Practice Laws and Some Options for Their Reform," Yale law Professor Quintin Johnstone proposed several options for expanding non-attorney exemptions to unauthorized practice of law rules. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602395562&rss=rss_ct Fri, 31 May 2013 12:50:44 EDT 1202602395562 The Connecticut House of Representatives approved a bill to increase the state's minimum wage. The House voted 89-53 on Wednesday, May 29, with eight lawmakers not voting, to pass the bill. The vote came nearly a week after the state Senate approved the legislation. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602239939&rss=rss_ct Thu, 30 May 2013 13:19:15 EDT 1202602239939 The Law Tribune is seeking articles for this summer's special practice sections. Articles should be about 1,200 words long, contain no footnotes and be written in such a manner that lawyers who practice any type of law can understand them. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202602049871&rss=rss_ct Wed, 29 May 2013 12:02:19 EDT 1202602049871 If Connecticut lawyers could bestow halos, New York-based Hudson Valley Bank would definitely get one. The financial institution, which has operated a half dozen Connecticut branches, pays an interest rate on lawyers trust accounts that is "way, way above other banks," according to Connecticut Bar Foundation executive director Sandra Klebanoff. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658106&rss=rss_ct Wed, 29 May 2013 11:54:34 EDT 1202601658106 The Connecticut Citizens Defense League says its membership has nearly tripled — to about 7,500 people — in the past few months, ever since state officials began discussing the possibility of gun control measures in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601643793&rss=rss_ct Wed, 29 May 2013 11:48:36 EDT 1202601643793 By now many attorneys have filed applications for deferred action for individuals who demonstrate they meet the following factors and who will be eligible for an exercise of discretion and will be granted deferred action on a case-by-case basis. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601657713&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 14:37:12 EDT 1202601657713 As of May 7, 2013, all U.S. employers should be using the new I-9 Employment Verification form to verify the employment eligibility of new hires. The federal government's recent shift in immigration enforcement away from workplace encounters with employees to rigorous review of employer paperwork turns a seemingly mundane form revision into rather significant news. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601657753&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 14:34:42 EDT 1202601657753 Storefront cameras and joggers' cell phones captured the horrific scenes of the Boston Marathon attack and helped the police identify suspects. Video surveillance is not just a tool for law enforcement officials, though. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601657815&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 14:29:17 EDT 1202601657815 In 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held in Davis v. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., 587 F.3d 529 (2d Cir. 2009), that a mortgage loan underwriter was not exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act because he did not fall into the law's exemption for "bona fide administrative employees." http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658364&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 13:44:08 EDT 1202601658364 On May 7, 2013, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit struck down the National Labor Relations Board's controversial August 2011 Notice Posting Rule, which would have required employers to conspicuously display a notice informing employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658188&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 13:43:56 EDT 1202601658188 Because the EEOC tends to focus on big cases and because our state's fair employment practices agency, the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) is the primary administrative forum for discrimination cases here, it is easy to lose sight of the federal agency's activity in the day-to-day life of a Connecticut labor and employment law practitioner. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658404&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 13:40:55 EDT 1202601658404 In August 2011, the National Labor Relations Board issued a rule requiring employers subject to Board jurisdiction to post a "Notification of Employee Rights under the National Labor Relations Act." The required poster provided employees with a comprehensive listing of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658444&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 13:37:40 EDT 1202601658444 Normally, a court will not question the reasonableness of a contract in determining its enforceability. If you enter into a contract to sell your Mercedes for a dollar, so be it. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658682&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 12:56:26 EDT 1202601658682 Senior Assistant State's Attorney Terence Mariani has been cited in the past for what appellate judges considered prosecutorial impropriety. Typically, the complaints have focused on Mariani's efforts to appeal to jurors' emotions. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601864887&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 12:47:48 EDT 1202601864887 Both the U.S. Supreme Court and the Connecticut Supreme Court have determined that speech made by public and private employees that occurs within the scope of their official job duties is not constitutionally protected under the U.S. Constitution. However, until recently, no Connecticut state court had decided whether the Connecticut Constitution provided greater speech rights to employees such that the same speech could be protected. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658750&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 12:43:44 EDT 1202601658750 Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), "applicable large employers" are required to offer affordable medical coverage to full-time employees and their dependent children, or pay a penalty for failure to do so. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658833&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 11:59:09 EDT 1202601658833 Congress is on the precipice of enacting comprehensive immigration reform, but a recent policy change by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is allowing a limited number of undocumented immigrants to access their own path to legal permanent residency and U.S. citizenship now. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658873&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 11:57:28 EDT 1202601658873 Children who need special educational services may have slipped through the cracks in the past.But a new program — called the Connecticut Child Justice Foundation — aims to help keep children who are under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families in the best possible learning environments. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601677607&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 11:51:24 EDT 1202601677607 Connecticut is hundreds of miles from Washington, D.C., and so it might not seem like a place where the current national debate over sexual assault in the armed forces resonates loudest. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601683862&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 11:47:23 EDT 1202601683862 p>The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission is the federal agency charged with addressing discrimination in the workplace. As documented in recent articles in the Law Tribune and other legal publications, the EEOC is no longer content just to investigate discrimination claims at the administrative level. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658793&rss=rss_ct Tue, 28 May 2013 11:43:54 EDT 1202601658793 More police officers would report information about the people they pull over under a bill that's headed to Governor Dannel P. Malloy. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658552&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 16:44:47 EDT 1202601658552 Connecticut lawmakers have responded to the Newtown school shootings with tough gun safety legislation, and the state Judicial Branch is responding with two new databases designed to stop people with mental health problems from gaining access to firearms. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601658148&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 16:44:43 EDT 1202601658148 Seven years ago, law Professor Tamar Frankel, in her book about the loss of trust and confidence in American business culture, wrote about the commodification of legal and medical services as one example of decline in trust in society generally. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601643947&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 15:49:07 EDT 1202601643947 With the tragic results of Hurricane Sandy, the Newtown shootings, and the Boston Marathon bombings, there should be guidelines as to how organizations and individuals, wishing to render help, should proceed. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601643871&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 15:49:04 EDT 1202601643871 cnolan@alm.com (CHRISTIAN NOLAN) A physical therapist who falsely billed Medicare for services that were not provided has settled a civil case with the federal government for nearly $330,000. He has also been sentenced on criminal charges. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601643983&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 15:46:31 EDT 1202601643983 New Haven attorney Howard Lawrence was sued recently for legal malpractice. He lost the case, and the judgment against him exceeded $550,000. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601597368&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 13:07:52 EDT 1202601597368 A Bridgeport federal court jury sided with the manufacturer of a tractor-trailer involved in a 2003 crash that killed four Yale students and injured five others in an Interstate 95 collision a decade ago. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601594724&rss=rss_ct Fri, 24 May 2013 12:56:13 EDT 1202601594724 Cantor Colburn partner Michael Cantor realized more than a decade ago that the way to bring his intellectual property law firm to the next level was to attract global business to bolster the rapidly growing domestic practice. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601440718&rss=rss_ct Thu, 23 May 2013 15:40:44 EDT 1202601440718 A coalition of groups and individuals have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of sweeping gun control and firearms safety measures recently approved by the Connecticut legislature. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601293152&rss=rss_ct Wed, 22 May 2013 18:23:51 EDT 1202601293152 A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a former aide to ex-Connecticut House Speaker Christopher Donovan in connection with illegal contributions to Donovan's failed congressional campaign last year. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601238156&rss=rss_ct Wed, 22 May 2013 13:03:37 EDT 1202601238156 Connecticut's second-highest court blasted a state prosecutor for repeated misconduct and ordered a new trial for a man serving life in prison for the killing of a Waterbury bar owner in 1998. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202601067532&rss=rss_ct Tue, 21 May 2013 16:42:54 EDT 1202601067532 The family of a young disabled boy who was not allowed to bring a service dog with him to school has been compensated $35,000 by the school as part of a settlement agreement for violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600658199&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 23:58:21 EDT 1202600658199 The Law Tribune is looking for articles written by attorneys or other professionals about health law, employment & immigration law, structured settlements, alternative dispute resolution, and law office management. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202598325907&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 15:50:15 EDT 1202598325907 New Haven law firm Wiggin and Dana has launched a new China Practice with the intent of bringing several of the firm's practice areas to the growing overseas market. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600627832&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 14:58:48 EDT 1202600627832 For many years, there have been raucous debates about the implications of medical device, pharmaceutical and other medical products companies providing payments or gifts to physicians and hospitals. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600643854&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 13:26:11 EDT 1202600643854 Imagine a hospital's assistant administrator submits millions of dollars in false claims to the Medicare program. Would the administrator face criminal liability if he had no knowledge of the criminal conduct of the assistant? The answer to this question is likely "yes." http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600643894&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 13:01:01 EDT 1202600643894 In light of recent health-care reform and reductions in reimbursement, more and more physicians are entertaining the possibility of selling their practices to a hospital. However, another potential suitor could include a sale to a large publicly-traded or venture-capital backed physician practice group. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600643934&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 12:31:12 EDT 1202600643934 Now readers can view news stories, special section articles, opinion pieces and case digests on their digital devices with much more ease, thanks to the launch of new mobile versions of our websites. Although a separate app is in the works, for now all you have to do is call up ctlawtribune.com on your phone or tablet and you'll see our new, cleaner look. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600644014&rss=rss_ct Mon, 20 May 2013 11:34:56 EDT 1202600644014 Every attorney is familiar with the term pro bono for donated legal work, but several recent Quinnipiac University School of Law grads are hoping the term "low bono" is the next buzz-phrase to catch on. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600647294&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:44:48 EDT 1202600647294 The owners of a Pennsylvania power plant have agreed to stop burning coal in two generating units and to provide $1 million towards environmental mitigation in Connecticut and New Jersey as part of a clean air settlement announced by Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen and Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel C. Esty. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600625261&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:43:13 EDT 1202600625261 Connecticut stands to receive about $1 million as part of a $500 million settlement agreement between the subsidiary of a drug manufacturer from India, the U.S. federal government, all 50 states and the District of Columbia. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600649585&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:28:32 EDT 1202600649585 In 2005, Middletown High School student Jasmon Vereen was injured while roughhousing in a locker room at the school. He cut his arm on a locker he claimed was damaged. His family filed a lawsuit and a jury awarded a $30,000 plaintiff's verdict. Because Vereen was found 33 percent to blame, his share would be $20,100 http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600647179&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:19:00 EDT 1202600647179 A pair of lawyers worked hard to win a malpractice lawsuit against one of their own, but it's very likely they won't see a dime for their efforts. The reason: The attorney whose actions warranted the malpractice verdict of $537,787 did not have malpractice insurance. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600647217&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:17:30 EDT 1202600647217 Judges and litigators agree that discovery disputes stop the adjudication of cases in their tracks. The disputes arise from many sources ? overbroad and unspecific production requests, unnecessary depositions, voluminous document dumping, mixing up the order of documents, outright failure or refusal to produce relevant documents ? just to name a few. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600623956&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:12:45 EDT 1202600623956 When a sales executive for a French power company appeared in a New Haven federal courtroom this month, he joined a growing number of businesses and their employees charged recently with making bribes overseas. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600643974&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:43 EDT 1202600643974 The Connecticut Bar Examining Committee recently released the names of the applicants who passed the February 2013 Bar Examination. This year, there also will be graduates from the state's three law schools ? University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac and Yale ? seeking to join the ranks of the legal profession in Connecticut. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600623744&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 14:57:36 EDT 1202600623744 When Rowayton divorcee Donna Simms petitioned to have her alimony payments increased in 2004, on the grounds that she was in dire economic straits, she and her lawyers didn't disclose to the court that she was just about to inherit $359,000 from a wealthy uncle. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600639897&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 14:36:38 EDT 1202600639897 On March 20, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Decker v. Northwest Environmental Defense Center. On its surface, the case concerned whether runoff from logging roads required a permit under the Clean Water Act. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600623670&rss=rss_ct Fri, 17 May 2013 14:36:28 EDT 1202600623670 For the first time in Connecticut, a federal judge has ruled that attorneys with the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Council should be granted the same immunity from lawsuits as judges and state prosecutors. http://www.ctlawtribune.com/PubArticleCT.jsp?id=1202600444327&rss=rss_ct Thu, 16 May 2013 16:39:35 EDT 1202600444327