Biography
Mike focuses his practice on complex insurance defense litigation from pre-suit investigations through trial. Mike is board certified in civil practice by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He obtained this designation in 2021. This certification required peer review from colleagues and judges, proof of sustained work in his practice, as well as an examination of his ethics and skills in advocacy.
In serving clients, Mike has taken 27 cases to verdict and many more mediations and arbitrations to their conclusion. He also has a proven record during pre-trial oral argument, having successfully argued many matters to a favorable conclusion for his clients. As a result, Mike was recognized in back-to-back years of 2020 and 2021 as a rising star among insurance defense attorneys.
Over the course of his career, Mike has accumulated background knowledge and experience in a variety of different practice areas. He began his career as a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney which continues to offer valuable insight to understanding the full case dynamic. Afterward, he worked as a litigator on complex personal injury cases for a Fortune 100 global insurer and was often called upon to parachute into pending litigation matters that developed a higher level of exposure and complexity. More recently, he worked at a well-established boutique insurance defense firm providing representation to individuals, corporate, and not-for-profit organizations on claims for catastrophic and significant personal injury, professional liability, construction accidents, physical abuse and neglect liability, sexual abuse and molestation liability, fire loss, products liability, and wrongful death.
When he is not serving his clients Mike enjoys spending time with his family and coaching girls youth soccer. Mike is a sports enthusiast with a particular interest in European soccer, UCONN basketball, and Formula One racing.
Education
University of Connecticut School of Law, J.D., 2011
University of Connecticut, B.A., cum laude, 2008
Honors
Connecticut Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2021
Connecticut Defense Lawyers’ Association (CDLA) Rising Star Award, 2020
Professional Leadership
Connecticut Bar Association
Connecticut Defense Lawyers’ Association (CDLA)
Board of Directors, June 2022-2023
National Board of Trial Advocacy
Member, May 2021-May 2026
Defense Research Institute (DRI)
Representative Matters
Deojay v. Simon, R.N. et al (2022) – Mike obtained summary judgment in a wrongful death / medical malpractice case for his client facing a multi-million dollar exposure by demonstrating to the court that his client, who provided a fully array of daily living and residential services to the disabled decedent plaintiff, was not a healthcare provider for the purposes of the medical negligence claims even in the circumstances of an unfavorable pre-suit administrative investigation.
Gilbert v. Zabalsukas et al (2022) – Mike obtained summary judgment in a truck versus pedestrian accident on the plaintiff’s claims for punitive damages associated with allegations of unfair trade and business practices because the court was persuaded it had no subject matter jurisdiction to enforce violations of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Act; and even if it did, the evidence did not support a finding in favor of the plaintiff for causation of her injuries.
Martin v. CIL Realty Inc. et al (2022) – Mike obtained summary judgment in a snow/ice premises liability case after developing the discovery records demonstrating that his client did not have possession and control of the area where the plaintiff fell down.
Lachapelle v. Cheung et al (2022) – Mike obtained summary judgment on motor vehicle recklessness claims following an intersection accident at moderate speed after developing a discovery record to overcome the otherwise high burden to defeat these claims in Connecticut.
Myers v. Matera et al (2021) – Mike obtained a dismissal of an abuse and neglect claim of a minor for his clients in a case riddled with complex procedural history factors, and his motion was exemplary and adopted by the other defendants to also secure a dismissal of plaintiff’s claims.
Fronio v. Friends of LMG Programs, Inc. et al (2021) – Mike obtained summary judgment in a defective sidewalk premises liability case using professional survey evidence to demonstrate his client did not have possession and control of the area where the plaintiff invitee fell down even though it was adjacent to the client’s property frontage.
Case v. Connecticut Institute for the Blind et al (2021) – Mike precluded plaintiff’s use of an expert in a wrongful death claim on an issue of first impression in Connecticut where the plaintiff intended to use a state agency investigator as an expert witness; but he persuaded the court with the endorsement of the attorney general’s office who filed an amicus brief which agreed with his analysis that the investigation findings were privileged peer review conclusions subject to confidentiality normally reserved for medical malpractice claims which did not allow the investigator to testify against his client.
Ferrara v. Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park, Inc. (2020) – Mike obtained summary judgment for his client in a wrongful death claim arising from an alleged defective premises case in which it was claimed a tree was a dangerous condition of the premises due to lack of barricading and caused plaintiff’s death when the vehicle she occupied lost control and hit said tree.
Sodins v. Briaelee, Inc. et al (2020) – Mike was able to successfully strike the plaintiff’s wrongful death claim arising from a bee sting in a case of first impression in Connecticut on the theory of premises liability for injuries caused by wild animals (ferae naturae); and he persuaded the court to adopt law from other jurisdictions to create a rule of law that a property owner does not have a duty to warn invitees of stinging insects because it was common knowledge that stinging insects were part of the
State’s natural environments and there is also no duty to remove all natural animal threats as it would impose an undue burden on a landowner.
Hall v. Gulaid, 165 Conn. App. 857, 140 A.3d 396 (2016) – Mike obtained summary judgment for his client using nuanced evidence in the procedural history of the case to persuade the court to enter judgment on principles of res judicata; and then on appeal he successfully defended the appeal and judgment was affirmed.
Community
Volunteer Coach, Wallingford Youth Soccer 2020-2023