Murtha Cullina Llp

Mr. Smith serves as the firm's Managing Partner. His practice focuses in all areas of environmental law. Mr. Smith is an adjunct professor at the University of New Haven Graduate School, where he teaches environmental law. He regularly advises clients with respect to regulatory compliance issues and in connection with environmental issues associated with real estate and corporate transactions. Mr. Smith has written and spoken on many environmental law issues including the impact of bankruptcy proceedings, fiduciary liability under environmental laws, employee and community "right-to-know," air quality and "Brownfields" redevelopment.

Andrew Lord's practice is comprised of a variety of environmental matters. Mr. Lord works with energy clients in connection with the permitting and acquisition of electric generation facilities and appurtenant assets including electric interconnections, natural gas transmission line-taps and fuel storage tanks. Mr. Lord also routinely assists business clients with all aspects of transactions involving contaminated properties, from pre-acquisition due diligence to post-closing environmental remediation. Additionally, he has significant experience assisting municipal clients with issues arising from the construction or acquisition of sanitary sewer systems.

Mr. Waters' practice is focused on employment, non-compete and trade secret litigation. He has tried cases in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He has written and has lectured extensively on employment law issues, including to the Connecticut Bar Association, Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, the New Haven Chamber of Commerce, the Council on Education in Management, the Professional Development Institute and the Manufacturers' Association of New Haven County. Mr. Waters has tried several covenant not-to-compete and trade secret cases, including Elm City Cheese Co. v. Federico, 251 Conn. 59 (1999) which he successfully argued on appeal after winning in the trial court. Other published cases include: 3M v. Francavilla, 191 F. Supp. 2d 270 (D. Conn. 2002); United Rentals, inc. v. Pruett, 296 F. Supp. 2d 220 (D. Conn. 2003); Risdon-AMS (USA), Inc. v. Levine, 2004 Conn. Super. LEXIS 580 (2004); Pop Radio, LP v. News America Marketing In-Store, Inc., X08CV054002814, 49 Conn. Supp. 566, 898 A.2d 863, 2005 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2982 (Sept. 15, 2005).

Mr. Cohen has practiced for over 20 years in the areas of communications, regulatory and administrative law and related federal and state court litigation. He represents the communications and other regulated industries in matters involving commercial litigation, state tax, and general corporate and business law. He has represented cable television systems in transfer, franchise renewal and other compliance proceedings before the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control, the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, the Delaware Public Service Commission and the Massachusetts Cable Television Commission. Mr. Cohen has represented the cable television industry, the gas industry, and other significant taxpayers before the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. He has also represented cable television systems and programmers in federal and state court litigation involving franchise compliance issues, protection of programming from private and commercial party piracy, state tax and franchise fee issues, and other communications related issues. Mr. Cohen has worked extensively with the National Cable & Telecommunication Association's (NCTA) Office of Cable Signal Theft and federal and state law enforcement officials to enforce the intellectual property rights of cable operators and programming services in cases of unauthorized reception and exhibition of programming. He has participated in numerous panel discussions on combatting theft of service at NCTA convention and regional trade shows. He also is an associate member of the Cable Television Tax Professionals Institute to which he has made presentations on issues of tax litigation involving cable and telecommunications services.

Mr. Platt also has an active land conservation practice, including projects in which he assists land owners, municipalities and non-profit organizations in conserving open space, agricultural and farm lands. This practice involves numerous conservation easement projects in Connecticut, Massachusetts and other parts of New England. In the American Bar Association, Mr. Platt served as Vice Chair of the Section of Environment, Energy and Resources, Superfund and Hazardous Waste Committee (2002/2003) and Site Remediation Committee (2003/2004), and served two terms as Chair of the Site Remediation Committee (2004/2006).

Mr. Werner represents general contractors, construction managers, design-builders, subcontractors, owners, and design professionals. This representation has included negotiation and drafting of contracts, consultation in connection with preparation of claims, securing rights under mechanic's lien statutes and payment bonds, and the negotiation and litigation of construction disputes.

Mr. Johnson counsels both regulated and unregulated businesses in the corporate, financial and regulatory aspects of their businesses, providing assistance that ranges from advice concerning the appropriate form of a new entity to the negotiation of acquisitions and mergers. A substantial portion of Mr. Johnson's practice involves the representation of regulated companies, including electric generators, water and gas utilities and communications providers. Mr. Johnson also represents a variety of closely-held businesses, including manufacturers, service providers and restaurants. He is also active in the community, currently serving as a member of the executive committees of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and the Charter Oak (Greater Hartford) Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Edward B. Whittemore practices in the areas of general corporate law, federal and state securities regulation and mergers and acquisitions. In the securities law area, Mr. Whittemore has represented issuers and investors in public and private offerings of debt and equity securities and has advised securities professionals (broker-dealers, investment advisers, and their personnel) on registration, reporting and other compliance matters. He also assists public company clients with ongoing securities regulatory matters, including periodic reporting with the SEC, corporate disclosure, compliance with stock exchange listing standards, short-swing and insider trading matters, proxy regulation and deregistration issues. Mr. Whittemore has represented buyers and sellers in merger, acquisition and divestiture transactions and has advised directors and officers with respect to their fiduciary obligations under state corporate laws. He also advises clients with respect to the formation and management of privately-held business entities. Mr. Whittemore has authored or co-authored a number of articles and book chapters on topics including insider trading, securities offerings, financial privacy issues and electronic financial services.

Ms. Stewart is a trial lawyer principally handling insurance coverage and complex commercial litigation. She represents policyholders seeking insurance coverage for large liabilities, including directors and officers, environmental, construction, products liability and employment cases. Ms. Stewart has assisted many policyholders who have significant liabilities in their attempts to recover defense costs, judgments and settlements from insurance policies. Ms. Stewart has handled both negotiations and lawsuits against insurance companies to recover these insurance proceeds. Ms. Stewart also handles other types of complex commercial disputes, including antitrust and unfair trade practice claims, securities, RICO, breach of contract and various business tort cases. In many of these cases, Ms. Stewart has gone to court at the outset to obtain or to block an injunction or a prejudgment remedy. She also frequently has litigated class action issues. When it is in the best interest of her clients, Ms. Stewart has tried these cases to verdict. She also has resolved matters through arbitration, mediation and informal settlement discussions. Ms. Stewart was the Chair of the Litigation Department from 1998 through 2006. Ms. Stewart leads Murtha Cullina's E-Discovery Practice Group. In that capacity, she has spoken at a number of seminars and presentations on the new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and has counseled clients about e-discovery issues. As chair of the Local Rules Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Federal Practice Section, Ms. Stewart coordinated the drafting of the federal local rules on e-discovery, which rules were recently adopted by the federal judges. Ms. Stewart also serves on the Connecticut Bar Association's Litigation Section Task Force on Electronic Discovery.

Mr. DiLuna has devoted a significant portion of his practice to representing the agricultural community, primarily in connection with compliance with federal, state and local regulations concerning agriculture, land use, marketing, and acquisition and sale of agriculture facilities. A substantial part of his practice also concerns municipal land use permitting and environmental issues including but not limited to wetlands, hazardous materials and the use of such materials. Mr. DiLuna also represents clients concerning educational rights of the learning disabled pursuant to Public Law 94-142 and Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 766. Mr. DiLuna also has experience in prosecuting patent applications and trademark applications before the Patent and Trademark Office. Mr. DiLuna is an adjunct professor of law at Southern New England School of Law. Mr. DiLuna was associated with the Woburn City Solicitor's Office and later with the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs, Department of Fish and Wildlife and Department of Food and Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Mr. Brady joined Murtha Cullina in 1974 and is a former Chair of its Litigation Department. He has a broad base of business litigation experience. That experience includes the representation of corporate policyholders in insurance coverage litigation. He has represented policyholders in a wide range of complex insurance coverage disputes including claims involving environmental, directors and officers and professional liability. As a representative case, Mr. Brady served as the principal appellate attorney in the successful environmental coverage case of R.T. Vanderbilt Co. v. Continental Casualty Co., 273 Conn. 448 (2005). There, in a case of first impression, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed the trial court and held that insurance carriers must provide corporate policyholders with a defense to certain administrative proceedings (e.g., "PRP" letters issued by the Environmental Protection Agency) under the "suit" provisions of general liability policies. As to general corporate litigation, Mr. Brady has a wide range of experience representing corporations and their officers and directors. That experience includes litigation in connection with the banking laws, securities laws, corporate take-over practices and unfair trade practices. As a representative case, Mr. Brady successfully served as the principal trial attorney for the corporate defendant in Mason Capital, Ltd. v. Kaman Corporation, et al., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25900 (D. Conn. Oct. 31, 2005). There, also in a case of first impression, the United States District Court rejected plaintiff's challenge under a Connecticut corporate statute and allowed the consummation of a transaction that greatly expanded the public stock ownership of the corporation.

Mr. Saccomandi is a Partner in the Firm's Commercial Law and Real Estate Department and is Co-Chairman of the Firm's Opinion Committee. Mr. Saccomandi is active in business acquisitions, asset-based financing, real estate financing, real estate development, conveyancing and leasing matters. He has extensive experience in negotiating workouts and in restructuring such transactions. He joined the firm in 1984 after practicing for three years with a large law firm in Philadelphia.

Mr. Sharp is a partner in the Environmental Practice Department where he practices in the area of environment law. His practice is focused on the full spectrum of environmental law. He represents clients in permit and enforcement matters arising from state and federal clean water and hazardous waste regulatory programs, including the Connecticut Clean Water Act, Federal Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ("RCRA"), and Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act ("CERCLA"). He has done extensive work in assisting clients with site remediation problems and brownfields re-development, particularly under the Connecticut Transfer Act. In addition, he frequently represents clients in obtaining state and federal wetlands permits under Connecticut's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act and Section 404 of the Federal Clean Water Act, as well as related Section 401 Water Quality Certifications. He also has significant experience assisting clients with diversion permit applications under Connecticut's Water Diversion Policy Act. In addition, he often assists clients in obtaining permits for docks and other structures under Connecticut's Tidal Wetlands Act and Structures, Dredging and Fill statutes. He has written and spoken widely on planning and zoning law in Connecticut, and has represented private clients and municipal agencies in appeals from decisions of local planning and zoning commissions. In addition, he has authored numerous papers and presented many seminars for attorneys and local officials on Connecticut's Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act. He is a frequent contributor to The Habitat, the newsletter of the Connecticut Association of Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commissions. As Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality, he was closely involved in drafting of the comprehensive amendments to the law in 1987.

Irwin J. Hausman is a partner at Murtha Cullina LLP and began his legal career with a general practice in Hartford and eventually concentrated in real estate law and arbitration. His active real estate practice has included large residential developments, office building construction and rehabilitation, development of elderly housing and assisted living projects, retail and office leasing, syndications, planning and zoning, financing, and advising distressed development. Mr. Hausman co-authored "Discovery in Arbitration Have It Your Way" published in Currents The Newsletter of Dispute Resolution Law and Practice. He also co-authored "Workouts for Distressed Continuing Care Retirement Communities," published by The Practical Real Estate Lawyer. He also lectured on that topic at the annual meeting of the American Bar Association. In addition, he authored "Efficient Arbitration--Discovery Issues" published by The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel.

During his twenty-five years of private practice in Boston, Mr. Wyman has concentrated in civil litigation, trial and appellate practice with an emphasis upon business and related litigation. He has represented plaintiffs and defendants including E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Eastman Kodak Company, and General Motors Corporation in product liability claims; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Foster Grant Corporation, American Hoechst Corporation, and E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company in patent and intellectual property litigation; employers and employees in employment litigation including civil rights cases, wrongful termination claims and benefit claims; the National Collegiate Athletic Association in civil rights, athletic eligibility and drug testing litigation; banks in complex commercial litigation; and owners, contractors and suppliers in construction litigation. His practice has included trials in state and federal courts in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Delaware. Mr. Wyman joined the firm in 1975 and has been a partner in the firm since 1976.

Mr. Gahan has concentrated his practice in the areas of real estate acquisition, financing and development involving commercial transactions. Mr. Gahan has spent over twenty years litigating matters of all kinds, including eminent domain cases, employment discrimination and termination matters, as well as all aspects of commercial transactions. He handles complex real estate leasing transactions which range from drafting leases for large commercial developments to representing landlords in litigation with commercial and residential tenants. Mr. Gahan also concentrates his practice in permitting matters relating to land use, ranging from permitting a site for landfill purposes to trials of zoning cases in the Land and Superior Courts. Mr. Gahan has been with Murtha Cullina (formerly Roche, Carens & DeGiacomo) since 1971. In connection with the Firm's former affiliation with Commercial Law Affiliates, Mr. Gahan has participated in several peer reviews of law firms throughout the country, bringing his experience in office management and administration to bear in evaluating the policies and practices of other CLA affiliates. Mr. Gahan has been a member of the Board of Appeals in the Town of Belmont for twenty years and served as the Board Chairman during most of those years. He is the President of Winchester Country Club, a corporator of the Belmont Savings Bank and has served in various capacities at Mount Auburn Hospital.

Mr. Tarby is a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group and concentrates his practice in zoning law, land use law, real estate law and liquor license law. Mr. Tarby is legal counsel to the 99 Restaurant chain responsible for negotiating leases and obtaining liquor license approvals. He represents many national, regional and local shopping center developers, retailers and restaurants on leasing, zoning, land use and liquor license matters. Mr. Tarby is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), National Association of Alcoholic Beverage Licensing Attorneys and the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. Mr. Tarby is active in many community organizations, including the Woburn Business Association (Past President); Board of Incorporators, Boys Club of Woburn; Woburn Rotary Club (Past President); Board of Directors, Winchester Hospital; Woburn Pee Wee Football Association and Woburn Youth Hockey.

In addition to land use issues, Ms. Olson also has represented municipalities and individuals in significant property tax appeals, as well as other matters that uniquely affect municipalities, such as local public health issues. Ms. Olson is experienced in probate litigation and has represented fiduciaries and creditor's in significant probate matters and probate appeals in courts located throughout the state. Ms. Olson has represented clients in numerous insurance coverage and business contract disputes. A significant aspect of Ms. Olson's commercial and creditor's rights practice is her representation of multiple skilled nursing home and home care companies in all aspects of private pay collections and litigation. She handles all phases of collection litigation, including pre- and post-judgment remedies, Medicare/Medicaid issues, and probate litigation involving conservatorships and estate claims.

Mr. Levine has extensive experience in partnership taxation, including partnership operations, distributions and transfers, and the drafting of limited liability company agreements and partnership agreements. Mr. Levine also has extensive experience in corporate taxation, including taxable and tax-free stock and asset acquisitions, corporate divisions, recapitalizations, and reincorporations. Mr. Levine's experience includes the organization of, and tax planning and audits for, hospitals and other health care organizations and their joint ventures and subsidiaries. He represents health care organizations in connection with their development and implementation of joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, conversions to and from exempt status, corporate reorganizations, physician recruitment and retention programs, alternative delivery systems, integrated delivery systems, and development programs. Mr. Levine has a substantial background in tax issues that apply to exempt organizations. He works on issues involving public charity and private foundation status, the unrelated trade or business income tax, intermediate sanction penalties and other excise taxes, the private inurement and benefit prohibitions, the proscription on political and legislative activities, charitable contributions, reorganizations, compensation, and payments between related organizations. Mr. Levine has written and lectured extensively on tax and business issues. He has been a speaker at seminars sponsored by the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys, National Health Lawyers Association, Connecticut Hospital Association, Massachusetts Hospital Association, Hospital Association of Rhode Island, Healthcare Financial Management Association, Rhode Island Medical Society, Connecticut Society of Certified Public Accountants, and Lorman Educational Services. His articles havae appeared in the Journal of Taxation, Tax Notes, Taxes, The Exempt Organization Tax Review, The Journal of Taxation of Exempt Organizations, Journal of Health and Hospital Law, DePaul Journal of Health Care Law, and Health Care and Taxation.

From early in his career, Mr. Cook has concentrated his practice on commercial law and civil litigation (trial and appellate) with an emphasis on business and construction litigation. Mr. Cook's civil litigation experience includes trials in the Massachusetts Superior Court, the Rhode Island Superior Court, U. S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, arbitrations throughout the United States and mediations involving both court-appointed and private mediators. His representation has included individuals, banks, businesses, high technology companies, manufacturers, owners, developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals and surety companies in complex commercial, construction and civil litigation. With respect to the construction industry, Mr. Cook's representation has focused primarily on representing owners (public and private), general contractors and sureties. This representation has included business planning, negotiation and drafting of contracts, overseeing completion of construction projects by sureties, consultation in connection with and preparation of claims and the negotiation/litigation of construction disputes. Mr. Cook has represented construction clients in several hundred cases involving public and private construction of buildings as well as public works projects. Projects in which he has been involved include renovations projects at the Chelsea Naval Shipyard, renovation of the Old State House and Faneuil Hall, construction of schools, hotels, banks, multi-unit housing and medical office buildings, the MBTA Orange Line Extension, Boston's Big Dig, airport, bridge and road work and construction of the new Patriots Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. In addition to his representation of clients, Mr. Cook frequently serves as an arbitrator, mediator and master in connection with various disputes. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of the American Arbitration Association and its Construction Advisory Council.

Mr. Bernier has extensive experience in corporate, limited liability company and tax law. He serves as general counsel to many businesses and provides advice with respect to forming and structuring new business entities and joint ventures, corporate reorganizations, mergers, acquisitions and sales and business succession planning. His accounting and tax background are particularly helpful in structuring and negotiating business transactions. He also represents many professional service firms, including accounting, law, engineering and physician practices, with respect to practice acquisitions and sales, the admission of partners, the retirement of partners, employment agreements, operating agreements, practice succession planning and buy-sell agreements.

Mr. Korber works extensively with clients on a broad range of business matters, including legal issues of health care providers. He has substantial experience counseling corporations and other business entities on mergers, acquisitions, dissolutions and other changes of control, particularly in the closely-held business and family-owned business settings. He has worked with many clients on complex and unique corporate succession plans in a variety of family situations. His work with health care providers has included the development of physician-owned surgical centers, physician/hospital joint ventures, and transactions involving the acquisition and divestiture of physicians' practices. His health care corporate background has provided him with substantial experience in various regulatory issues as those affect entrepreneurial efforts of physicians and hospitals, including the Anti-Kickback Act, the Stark II Physician Anti-Referral Act and IRS intermediate sanctions. In addition to his business law experience, Mr. Korber regularly works with clients on a broad range of estate planning issues, including gift and estate tax planning, charitable giving and the special needs of beneficiaries. In particular, he has assisted owners of closely-held businesses with succession planning and wealth-transfer planning. He has substantial experience creating family limited partnerships and limited liability companies, including planning and implementation of lifetime gift programs involving liability entities.

Mr. DeGiacomo's practice is dedicated primarily to bankruptcy matters and to a lesser extent, civil litigation matters. He supervises all bankruptcy related matters in our Massachusetts offices. He has served as a member of the Boston Trustee Panel since 1995 and has represented debtors and creditors in Chapter 7, 13 and 11 cases, as well as trustees and creditor committees. Mr. DeGiacomo joined the firm in 1981 and became a partner in 1988. Mr. DeGiacomo has published two books and numerous articles concerning bankruptcy issues. He has presented lectures to the members of the bar on numerous occasions and is frequently quoted in national publications.

Maury Lederman has focused his legal practice for the past twenty-one years primarily on construction law and litigation. He has represented public and private owners, general contractors, subcontractors, materials suppliers, architects, and sureties in numerous construction disputes alleging breach of contract, negligence, disruption and delay, breach of warranty, defective work, mechanic's lien rights, and Chapter 93A violations in Massachusetts and Federal courts and before the American Arbitration Association. He has extensive experience analyzing and evaluating construction claims, has served as an arbitrator and has represented clients in many successful mediations. He also has represented parties in numerous public bid protests and has drafted, analyzed and negotiated hundreds of construction contracts on behalf of owners, contractors, subcontractors, materials' suppliers and architects. Mr. Lederman has lectured and written on construction law issues for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc., the American Bar Association's Public Law Section and Lorman Educational Services.

Mr. Harrington is a member of the Litigation Department and represents employers in public and private sector labor and employment related litigation. He has represented clients at the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights "(CHRO"), the Connecticut Security Review Board (Unemployment Compensation Benefits), the Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission and the National Labor Relation Board ("NLRB"), the Occupational Safety and Health Commission ("OSHA"), State Labor Board, and the Federal and State Department of Labor. In addition, he has represented clients in arbitration and in both federal and state court.

Mr. McDonough chairs the firm's Public Finance Law Practice Group and is a member of the firm's Health Care Department. Mr. McDonough represents issuers, national and regional investment banks, non-profit institutions and trustees in tax-exempt financings. Mr. McDonough has extensive experience representing underwriters and non-profit institutions in conduit financings through the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority and the Connecticut Development Authority. He also represents participants in Massachusetts Development Finance Agency and New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities bond financings. He regularly participates in the financing of hospital systems, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, universities, colleges, private secondary schools, utilities and governmental entities. Mr. McDonough has worked as a member of financing teams which have created unique pool-financing vehicles designed for the ease and efficiency of conduit issuers and borrowers. He also acts as general counsel to political subdivisions and non-profit corporations. Mr. McDonough is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers and serves as a panelist on Health Care Finance at NABL's annual Bond Attorneys Workshop.

Michael Connolly is a partner in the firm's Litigation Department. He focuses his practice on representing businesses and individuals in complex commercial litigation matters, including director and officer liability claims, closely held corporation shareholder disputes, and disputes concerning intellectual property, business asset purchase and sale agreements, financing and franchise agreements, and land use and real estate matters.

Mr. Kogut has a broad range of health care litigation, enforcement and regulatory experience in both public and private sectors. With a background in health care fraud and abuse prosecutions, he represents a variety of national and regional owners of long term care facilities, assisted living and retirement communities and individual and group physician practices as well as other licensed health care professionals.

Midhat H. Syed, a partner in the Stamford office, advises clients in corporate and cross border transactions. He serves as co-chair of the Firm's Islamic Finance Group. Mr. Syed's International business practice focuses on advising and assisting IT companies, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) service providers and customers, emerging technology companies, import/export firms, consulting firms and manufacturing enterprises. With a concentration in the South Asian markets, he routinely deals with transactions involving cross border mergers and acquisitions, technology development agreements, strategic joint ventures, Master Services Agreements (MSA), consulting and professional services engagements, and business immigration matters.

Mr. Messina serves as Chair of the Privately Owned Business Practice Group and concentrates his practice in the areas of tax, business and corporate law (nationally and internationally), trust and estate planning and estate administration. His client base consists of privately-owned businesses and business owners, high net worth individuals, corporate executives, and professionals. He assists clients with business mergers, acquisitions and dispositions, reorganizations and other tax-related transactions. He counsels family-owned businesses with all aspects of business succession planning while coordinating with related personal estate and trust planning. He provides high net worth clients with sophisticated individual tax, estate, gift trust and financial planning. He has acted as an adjunct professor in taxation at the University of Hartford and Quinnipiac University.

Ms. Bogdanov concentrates her practice in the area of bankruptcy matters representing corporate and individual debtors and secured and unsecured creditors in Chapter 7 and 11 cases. Ms. Bogdanov's practice also includes representation of creditors committees and debtors and creditors in Chapter 13 cases. Ms. Bogdanov has written and lectured on bankruptcy issues.

Paul Knag practices in the areas of health care and litigation. He has built a reputation among hospitals, nursing homes and other providers for practical assistance in a broad spectrum of health care regulatory, business transaction and litigation issues. On the litigation side, for over thirty years, he has handled some of New England's most high profile cases, representing an array of major corporations, as well as smaller companies and individuals.

Paul G. Hughes has been a lawyer for over 30 years and concentrates his practice primarily in corporate law, including securities, corporate governance, acquisitions and bank regulatory matters. In addition to his substantial general lending experience, Mr. Hughes advises clients on internal financial institution regulations, supervisory matters and applications for regulatory approvals.

Mr. McCary has twenty years of experience as an energy attorney. He has negotiated power sales agreements involving cogeneration or small power production projects. He frequently represents thermal hosts and third party developers in negotiations with local electric utilities and turnkey construction contractors. In the regulatory arena, in addition to numerous traditional electric and gas utility regulatory proceedings, he has appeared on behalf of cogenerators challenging standby rates before the Connecticut and New Hampshire Public Utility Commissions. Before the Maine Public Utilities Commission, he has represented a power marketer in administrative proceedings concerning electric restructuring. In addition, he has represented buyers and sellers of steam and chilled water, negotiating long-term contracts including contracts associated with district heating and cooling systems. He has also represented end users and gas utilities with respect to firm and interruptible gas purchase and transportation agreements. On behalf of large electric users, he has negotiated long-term discount contracts with electric utilities. He was an active participant in the electric industry restructuring effort, representing a power marketer seeking to implement customer choice at the retail level and an independent power producer seeking to design, permit, finance and construct a merchant power plant. Mr. McCary is the author of several articles concerning cogeneration, including "Cogeneration in Connecticut" which appeared in the Connecticut Bar Journal and "Interconnection Costs: Avoiding the CIAC Trap" which appeared in The Cogeneration Journal. He has appeared on a panel discussing electric restructuring sponsored by the public utility section of the Connecticut Bar Association. He has addressed the New England Energy and Commerce Association and the Connecticut Power and Energy Society on regional developments in restructuring. He has chaired a two-day industry conference examining the competitive New England energy markets.

Richard Marone advises individuals, families and private businesses in the areas of wealth transfer planning, business law and taxation. He assists individuals and private businesses with sophisticated estate planning, trust and estate administration, tax planning and compliance, family business succession planning, and business transactions. Richard is an ACTEC-certified probate and trust dispute mediator. Richard also advises exempt organizations on taxation and governance issues.

Richard S. Smith, Jr. is the current chair of the firm's Securities Law Practice Group and a former chair of the firm's Corporate Department. He practices in the areas of general corporate and securities law matters, with an emphasis on business formations, venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities, joint ventures and other general business transactions. He represents numerous closely held businesses, as well as several large, publicly held corporations. Mr. Smith currently serves as a member of the Secretary of State's Business Advisory Committee, and he previously served as a member of three Advisory Committees to the Connecticut Law Revision Commission, one of which was established to consider and recommend legislation with respect to the adoption of the Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Act, one of which was established to draft legislation with respect to the complete recodification of the banking laws of the State of Connecticut, and the last of which was established to consider and recommend legislation with respect to professional corporations.

Mr. White is the co-chair of the Business Reorganization and Creditors' Rights Group. He has worked primarily in the areas of bankruptcy, creditors' rights and commercial litigation. Mr. White has represented secured and unsecured creditors and creditors' committees in bankruptcy as well as purchasers of assets from distressed companies in many industries including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, telecommunications, construction and real estate. He has also represented debtors in some of the largest bankruptcies in Connecticut. In civil litigation he has generally represented creditors in business disputes, foreclosure and collection actions. Recently, he has been active in assisting potential purchasers of nursing homes in receiverships. He has also represented clients in several mediations. He serves on the Chairs and Vice Chairs Committee of the American Bar Association Business Bankruptcy Committee, and is chair of the Sub-committee on Mass Torts and Environmental Claims. He is a member of the executive committee of the Connecticut Bar Association's Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section. He also maintains membership in the American Bankruptcy Institute. He previously served as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan investigating fraud and white collar crime. Mr. White has been certified in business bankruptcy law by the American Board of Certification. He has lectured extensively on bankruptcy and insolvency topics.

Mr. Kaelin also handles various landlord/tenant law matters, representing landlords and tenant. Mr. Kaelin regularly appears in the Housing Courts on eviction matters and landlord collection matters. He has also handled such other matters as enforcement of exclusive use provisions and CAM audit claims. He has written and lectured on Connecticut's Summary Process Eviction Statute.

Mr. Giunta is a partner who concentrates his practice in the representation of organizations in project development and capital formation matters. He regularly counsels clients on all manner of issues which arise in the context of loan transactions and business or capital expansions, including joint venture participation, formation of affiliates and contractual affiliations. Mr. Giunta co-chairs the Firm's Islamic Banking and Financing Practice Group. He is a member of Murtha's Not for Profit Group and Public Finance Group. Bob is a former chairman of the Elderly Housing Committee of the Real Property Section of the American Bar Association (ABA) and a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), the ABA Forum Committee on Affordable Housing. His specific areas of focus include financing and development for the health care and housing industries as well as representing lending institutions in real estate, asset based and specialized financing. Mr. Giunta has lectured frequently on a variety of real estate, financing, healthcare and housing topics.

Ms. Stadler concentrates her practice in estate planning, estate settlement, retirement planning, estate and gift tax planning and trust administration for clients of wealth, including planning with family limited partnerships, planning with charitable lead trusts and charitable remainder trusts, and succession planning for closely held businesses. Ms. Stadler also advises high net worth individuals in ways to transfer assets to the next generation with a minimum of estate or gift tax.

In the area of product liability, Ms. Baronoff has represented clients in the chemical, medical products, office technology and other industries. Having defended several lawsuits involving fires and explosions and cancer causation claims, she is accustomed to addressing issues such as product identification, applicable statutes of limitations, admissibility of expert testimony, proof of economic damages and personal injury, and contribution and indemnification. In addition, Ms. Baronoff has experience in professional liability matters, principally involving claims of legal malpractice. She has defended lawyers in cases arising from failed real estate transactions, business negotiations, and disputes between partners. She has handled related litigation concerning the administration of an estate and service as a title insurance agent. As part of her practice, she has also addressed professional responsibility, bar discipline, and loss prevention issues. Over the years, Ms. Baronoff has litigated a variety of commercial and business disputes. Many have involved dealer and supplier terminations, or construction and real estate projects. In handling such disputes, as well as in the other areas of her litigation practice, Ms. Baronoff has used techniques such as early case assessment, task-based billing, strategic budgeting, and alternative dispute resolution to help clients achieve their business goals and contain litigation costs. Ms. Baronoff's appellate experience cuts across the substantive areas of her practice. She has handled dozens of civil and criminal appeals in the state and federal courts. Some of the cases in which she has been involved have led to noteworthy rulings concerning the application of the discovery rule to statutes of limitations in product liability cases, the scope of the attorney-client relationship and the responsibilities of law partners to each other, and jury instructions in criminal cases. She also has familiarity with single justice practice in the Massachusetts appellate courts, and with interlocutory procedures in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Ms. Baronoff has participated as a faculty member at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education and Lorman Education Services seminars and as a moot court judge and trial advocacy advisor at Harvard Law School. In addition, she has served for several years on the Board of Directors of the Greater Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras (GBYSO).

Thomas M. Daniells serves as Chairman of the Commercial Law and Real Estate Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in real estate and land use planning, commercial financing, and general corporate and commercial representation. He has had extensive experience in virtually all areas associated with commercial real estate development, including retail, office and manufacturing uses and including acquisition and sale, permitting and zoning, environmental law as it relates to land and land use, construction and commercial leasing (representing both landlord and tenant). In the commercial lending area, he has significant experience representing banks and other lending institutions as well as borrowers, encompassing both real estate based and asset based lending transactions. He has further represented corporations, partnerships and other business entities in a variety of contexts and disciplines, including environmental law, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, contract, and syndications.

Mr. Vangel's practice is concentrated in the areas of business litigation and bankruptcy. Mr. Vangel chairs the firm's Business Litigation Practice Group and served as the partner in charge of the Boston office. He has a diverse litigation practice which includes: commercial litigation, franchise litigation, director and officer liability, landlord/tenant, real estate related litigation, automotive, lender liability.

Mr. Largay has practiced for 34 years as a business lawyer with particular emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and securities laws matters. He has served as a director of several publicly held companies.

Mr. Pinney practices in the general corporate and securities law areas, including extensive experience with mergers and acquisitions. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the firm's Private Equity Group. Mr. Pinney is a past chair of the firm's Corporate Department and Executive Committee.

Ms. Roberto is an Associate in the firm's Commercial Law and Real Estate Practice Group. Ms. Roberto's practice focuses on real estate development, financing, affordable housing, land use and public finance.

Mr. Willert has twenty years of experience handling commercial real estate and general corporate matters. Mr. Willert has represented numerous public and private clients in a wide array of industries with particular expertise in matters involving debt and equity investments and similar strategic transactions, real estate acquisition and management and the hospitality industry.

David created the award-winning Environmental Law Net.com Web site and Law Net News.com to "better serve my firm's clients and to demonstrate the power of the Internet for lawyers and environmental compliance managers." David is an environmental lawyer with Murtha Cullina LLP.

Ms. Castricone works primarily in the areas of construction and business litigation. As a construction litigator, she represents contractors and owners, both public and private, in connection with construction disputes.

Diana M. Kleefeld is an Associate in the firm's energy practice where she represents merchant generators, retail electricity suppliers and end users of electricity in regulatory proceedings before the public utility commissions of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine. Ms. Kleefeld is also a member of the Corporate Department, assisting clients with matters pertaining to entity formation and sales of privately-owned businesses. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a law clerk for the Honorable Peter T. Zarella, Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court. Ms. Kleefeld has significant business experience from her longstanding career at Yale University where she served as Controller. Ms. Kleefeld received her J.D. Degree from the Quinnipiac University School of Law and was the research and symposium editor for the Quinnipiac Law Review.

Elizabeth Gioia advises clients on employee benefits issues, including plan design, plan administration and compliance issues, including development of plan documents. Ms. Gioia also advises clients on matters involving nonqualified deferred compensation plans and executive compensation. Ms. Gioia assists clients in designing and administering flexible spending plans, health plans and cafeteria plans. She also advises clients on the employee benefits issues involved in corporate transactions, such as acquisitions. In addition to her work on employee benefits, Ms. Gioia practices general corporate and tax law, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

Elizabeth Neuwirth provides assistance to numerous health clients. She has handled medical staff bylaws, corrective actions and credentialing issues for a number of hospitals. Much of Ms. Neuwirth's practice focuses on devising physician and hospital financial relationships which will comply with the Stark and Anti-kickback statutes. She advises clients on corporate compliance issues, EMTALA, and HIPAA obligations under both the Privacy and Security Rules. She has drafted and negotiated contracts of all kinds, including physician recruitment arrangements, the building of a medical office building and the outsourcing of a hospital IS department. Ms. Neuwirth is General Counsel to Saint Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York. Before becoming an attorney Ms. Neuwirth worked in behavioral healthcare, and has a unique understanding of hospital psychiatric and substance abuse treatment issues and hospital-managed care relationships.

Ms. Berchem advises long term care providers, physicians and other health care clients regarding a wide range of regulatory and reimbursement issues. She has represented numerous nursing home clients in proceedings before the Department of Public Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Ms. Berchem has extensive experience in analysis and application of the laws governing health care fraud and abuse and corporate compliance to issues affecting physicians, nursing homes and other providers, and has represented providers in civil and agency fraud and abuse proceedings. She also assists in criminal investigations and proceedings against health care clients. Ms. Berchem has extensive experience regarding the new privacy rules (HIPAA) and has presented numerous seminars on HIPAA. She advises health care clients on the legal and practical effects of HIPAA on their operations. Prior to joining Murtha Cullina in 1998, Ms. Berchem served as an Associate with a Health Care specialty law firm in Boston.

Mr. McGee has represented clients in a wide range of business corporation, non-profit corporation and commercial law work. He has extensive experience counseling clients in many types of corporate and financial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, secured and unsecured loans and equipment leasing. He also works extensively in the nonstock, nonprofit corporate area, counseling many Connecticut nonprofit entities with respect to their governing documents.

Jennifer M. Rockwell represents developers, contractors and real estate professionals in all aspects of development of real estate law, including purchases, sales, due diligence, zoning approvals, joint ventures and syndications. She has also represented developers and builders in housing discrimination charges brought against them in state and federal agencies.

Before joining Murtha Cullina LLP, Mr. Monahan served as Adjunct Professor at Indiana University School of Law. He concentrates his practice in estate planning, probate, trust, gift and estate tax law, with a focus upon estate planning as it affects small businesses.

As our Special Topics Editor covering the federal courts, Marvin provides expert analysis and commentary on key environmental law opinions. Marvin is an environmental lawyer with Murtha Cullina LLP.

Since joining the firm in 1970, Mr. Putziger has devoted a large portion of his time to representing Massachusetts banks, national banks and bank holding companies, both as to general corporate matters and in connection with major transactions such as mergers and acquisitions. He has also represented such banks in connection with their real estate lending activities both residential and commercial. He has represented corporate clients in connection with raising capital and planning of overall financing, as well as in connection with mergers and acquisitions. Another large portion of Mr. Putziger's practice has consisted of representing real estate developers in connection with commercial and residential projects and in general business law matters. His representation of developers has included advising them with regard to the regulatory approvals required in connection with their projects and as to issues surrounding the financing of such projects. He has also represented developers in connection with equity financing, including syndication of specific projects and overall equity financing. Mr. Putziger has served as a Trustee of Nazareth, a charitable organization for children and as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Town of Cohasset.

Ms. Birdwhistell was formerly the three-term First Selectwoman of the Town of Woodbridge. She is resident part-time in the firm's New Haven office, working as part of the Municipal Law Practice Group, which provides legal counsel to towns on matters ranging from land use planning and employment and labor issues to contracts, commercial matters and other general legal matters. Ms. Birdwhistell was the Chair of the South Central Regional Council of Governments, a member of the Board of the Connecticut Council of Municipalities, and a member of the Board and Vice President of the Council of Small Towns.

Ms. Meekins is an associate in the Firm's Real Estate Practice Group. Her practice focuses on real estate development, financing, and affordable housing. Ms. Meekins also has experience in a broad range of commercial litigation, including the areas of products liability, employment, and unfair trade practices matters.

Paul B. Edelberg is resident in the Stamford office. His practice focuses on corporate and commercial law, corporate and international transactions, and commercial real estate, particularly in the areas of privately owned business and entrepreneurial counseling, banking and bank regulatory matters, commercial financing, mergers and acquisitions, loan work out and international business law. His corporate and business practice encompasses a broad range of business and corporate matters. His banking practice includes bank finance and lending, bank compliance work, de novo banking, and bank mergers and acquisitions. His international practice encompasses international trade, joint ventures, wholly-owned foreign enterprises, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act compliance, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Edelberg has a strong China practice. Mr. Edelberg also represents companies, venture capital firms and private equity firms in corporate finance and commercial finance transactions, including angel funding, private placements, venture capital transactions, private equity transactions and strategic investment transactions. His commercial real estate practice includes real estate acquisitions and sales, leasing and real estate financing.

Richard "Dick" Rose represents U.S. and foreign-based business organizations and their affiliates located in the U.S. with respect to: secured and unsecured public, private and governmental financing transactions; mergers and acquisitions; product sales and distribution transactions; corporate governance and other business and legal issues; federal and state securities law transactions; foreign trade zone operations, Connecticut port authority and bank regulatory matters.

Richard "Dick" McGrath concentrates his practice in the areas of securities law, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance. He also serves as Secretary and General Counsel of the International Executive Service Corps. Mr. McGrath is co-author of Proxy Regulation (Matthew Bender, 2004).

Mr. Trowbridge's experience includes numerous civil court and jury trials, as well as appeals, arbitrations and administrative proceedings. His area of concentration is construction law, which includes extensive experience in contract drafting, contract review and revision, bond claims and litigation, bid law, mechanic's lien law and construction litigation. He has also litigated as plaintiff/defendant in personal injury claims, death cases, products liability and real estate matters.

Mr. Sullivan has practiced real estate law for over 25 years, and from 1983-1993 served as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel and Real Estate Counsel to First National Supermarkets, Inc. in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

Mr. MacDonald concentrates his practice in construction law and bankruptcy matters. In his construction law practice, he represents general contractors and subcontractors in connection with litigation relating to mechanic's lien and contract disputes. In his bankruptcy practice, Mr. MacDonald represents debtors, creditors and trustees in Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy cases.

Sara Taylor, an associate in the Real Estate and Retail and Hospitality practice areas, has experience representing a variety of clients in all types of commercial real estate transactions. She has handled a broad range of acquisitions and sales of commercial property and commercial retail and office leasing matters (representing both landlords and tenants). Sara has also represented banks and other lending institutions in a variety of real estate based and asset based lending transactions.

Stephanie Sprague practices in the areas of general corporate law and securities regulation. She assists corporate clients with entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, and federal and state securities laws matters, with a focus on representing buyers and sellers of privately owned businesses and medical practices. She also represents physicians and long term care providers, advising them on a variety of regulatory issues, including Medicare administrative appeals.

Mr. Ronai is of counsel to the firm and has served as chairman of the firm's Health Care Department. For more than twenty-five years he has provided strategic business planning as well as regulatory and litigation assistance to a broad spectrum of health care providers including hospitals, nursing homes and physician groups and has enabled providers to surmount regulatory hurdles to reach the health care market and to obtain maximum third party government and managed care reimbursement. Mr. Ronai's regulatory experience has resulted in the establishment of precedents favorable to health care providers on a wide range of regulatory issues including licensure and certification sanctions, medical staff credentialing matters, certificate of need proceedings, third party reimbursement litigation, representational standing for provider associations, and other issues. He has also joined with other Health Care Department members who concentrate in Commercial Law and Real Estate transactions, bond financing, and in Environmental and Labor and Employment law issues to service the full spectrum of the construction and development needs of the firm's institutional health care clients. Mr. Ronai's recent experience has extended to a wide spectrum of Integrated Delivery System ("IDS") and provider joint venture issues involving hospitals and physician groups, including corporate reorganizations, affiliations, and the regulatory and fraud and abuse issues, including Stark and Anti-Kickback statutory concerns, related to those combinations.