R+C Lawyers Serve as Presenters and Panelist at Connecticut Association of Water Pollution Control Authorities Workshop

Public Finance lawyers Christie Jean, Keisha Palmer, and Glenn Santoro were presenters and panelists at the Connecticut Association of Water Pollution Control Authorities (CAWPCA) Spring Workshop, on May 18, 2017 at the Aqua Turf in Plantsville. Ms. Jean, Ms. Palmer, and Mr. Santoro presented on the topic of long term management contracts for bond financed facilities. They discussed the 2016 and 2017 release of new management contract rules by the Internal Revenue Service that brought  new provisions and changed prior rules. Their presentation delved into the new rules and their potential impact on service contracts entered into by WPCAs. Additionally, Mr. Santoro served as a panelist at the event on the topic of “The Current Trend in Regionalization.” Mr. Santoro and the panel discussed how utility regionalization can take many forms, such as inter-municipal cooperation, acquisitions, and the establishment of new regional authorities. The three member panel also focused on potential drivers for establishing a new regional authority or district and the tools needed for success.

Robinson+Cole Lawyer Serves as Judge at ABA Regional Client Counseling Competition

Public Finance Group lawyer Christie D. Jean served as a judge for the ABA's Regional Client Counseling Competition at Quinnipiac university School of Law on February 4, 2017. Hosted by the law school's Society for Dispute Resolution, the competition included eight teams from five law schools that participated in mock client interviews. The Client Counseling Competition promotes the fundamental skills necessary to become successful lawyers, specifically, being able to interview, counsel, and support clients through their legal issues. 

Hartford Lawyer Speaks to Incoming Law Students at the University of Connecticut School of Law

Public finance lawyer Christie D. Jean presented at the University of Connecticut School of Law's 2016 Incoming Student Orientation on August 25, 2016. Ms. Jean talked about the importance of maintaining individualism while in law school and encouraged the students to use their personal and professional voices to speak out against injustice throughout the remainder of their legal careers. She also discussed the power of individual narratives and how the use of story and truth telling transforms their collective experience and provides richer and more meaningful conversations in the classroom. 

With a faculty of diverse backgrounds, specialties, and intellectual talents, the University of Connecticut School of Law offers multiple teaching styles and approaches, resulting in a rich selection of courses, including clinical instruction, skills training, and interdisciplinary work.

Hartford Lawyers Teach about Leadership at YWLC Summer Institute

Christie D. Jean led a three-part seminar at the 2016 Young Women's Leadership Corporation (YWLC) Summer Institute, a teaching and training course of study sponsored by the YWCA Hartford Region. This five-week academic program helps teenage girls develop leadership skills, prepare for college and careers, and establish an active, healthy lifestyle. Ms. Jean’s presentations covered the following: on July 14, 2016, they taught the students about the fundamentals of effective debating; on July 21, they instructed them on the importance of mutual respect and graciously challenging one another while debating; and on August 4, they hosted a formal debate at the University of Connecticut School of Law and gave the students the opportunity to employ all the tools and strategies discussed in the prior sessions.

Robinson+Cole Sponsors George W. Crawford Black Bar Association's 2016 Annual Dinner

Robinson+Cole was a sponsor of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association's 2016 Annual Dinner, held on May 19, 2016, in Hartford, Connecticut. The Honorable Alvin W. Thompson, a former managing partner at Robinson+Cole, was presented with Crawford's Trailblazer Award. Firm turnout marked an all-time high, with the following people in attendance: Stephen E. Goldman, Keisha S. Palmer, David M. Panico, Kelly Frye Barnett, Joshua S. Mirer, Joey Lee Miranda, Andrea Donovan Napp, Britt-Marie K. Cole-Johnson, Dwight H. Merriam, Christie D. Jean, Sandra Marin, John B. Lynch, Jr., Michael R. Enright, incoming summer associate Je’Quana Orr, Richard Martinez, Brian C. Freeman, and Natale v. DiNatale.

The George W. Crawford Black Bar Association, a statewide volunteer organization of attorneys, judges, and law students in Connecticut, represents the collective body of black attorneys in the state, including both the criminal and civil bar, public and private sector employees, law firms, and corporate and nonprofit affiliations.

Robinson+Cole Employees Lend a Hand to Foodshare

On March 20, fourteen Robinson+Cole lawyers and staff members volunteered their time to help package food for local families at Foodshare's satellite facility at the Hartford Regional Market. Environmental, Energy + Telecommunications Group lawyer Emily C. Deans coordinated the effort on behalf of the firm's Associates' Council. Volunteers included both lawyers and staff who, together, helped provide safe food to the community by inspecting and sorting donated produce. Founded in 1982, Foodshare is the regional food bank serving Connecticut's Hartford and Tolland counties, where 127,000 people struggle with hunger. Read more in the press release.

Robinson+Cole Welcomes New Lawyers

Robinson+Cole continues to expand its lawyer roster with the addition of seven new associates across its practice areas and offices, including an associate in the firm's recently opened Miami office. Lisa B. Andrzejewski, Kelly A. Frye, Sandra Marin, and Jonathan E. Small join the firm's Hartford office; Christie D. Jean joins the Stamford office; Katherine C. Bailey joins the Boston office; and Laura Farach joins the Miami office.