Local Counsel Services

When an action is brought in federal or state courts in Connecticut and a party’s lead counsel does not have a Connecticut office or is not admitted to practice in Connecticut, the party usually must also retain Connecticut, or local, counsel to represent it along with its lead counsel.

The attorneys at Hurwitz Sagarin Slossberg & Knuff LLC practice in federal and state courts throughout the State of Connecticut and frequently serve as local counsel to out-of-state firms litigating in Connecticut. Our lawyers can advise clients and lead counsel concerning the peculiarities of local procedure and acquaint them with the judges to whom the case is assigned. This is especially important with respect to actions in the Connecticut state courts, which have rules of procedure significantly different from the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

HSSK’s lawyers are also able to contribute their considerable knowledge and experience in litigating claims peculiar to Connecticut law, such as those arising under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (“CUTPA”), which are frequently asserted in Connecticut business litigation. HSSK has frequently appeared as local counsel in reinsurance litigation in Connecticut federal and state courts.

Representative matters

Matters in which attorneys at HSSK have served as local counsel have included:

• Connecticut counsel working with New York firm representing the sons of Andrew Madoff in action brought by town pension fund for damages resulting from the placing of pension funds with Bernard Madoff for investment. See Retirement Program for Employees of Town of Fairfield v. Madoff, 2010 WL 2106654 (Conn. Super. Ct. Jul. 16, 2010), aff’d, 130 Conn. App. 710, 26 A.3d 93 (2011).
• Local counsel for plaintiff in patent infringement litigation in federal court concerning medical device patents.
• Connecticut counsel working with New York law firm representing plaintiff interventional radiologist in antitrust action against hospital for terminating his practice privileges.
• Connecticut counsel working with New York law firm in antitrust action brought by manufacturer of copy machines alleging monopolization of plain paper office copying by Xerox Corporation. See SCM v. Xerox Corp., 463 F.Supp. 983 (D.Conn. 1978), aff’d, 645 F.2d 1195 (2d Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 1026 (1982); SCM Corp. v. Xerox Corp., 77 F.R.D. 10 (D. Conn. 1977); SCM Corp. v. Xerox Corp., 70 F.R.D. 508 (D. Conn. 1976).
• Connecticut counsel working with New York law firm representing a major national law firm in action by Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority alleging that law firm was negligent in issuing opinion letter regarding termination between plaintiff and Enron Corporation. See Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority v. Murtha Cullina, LLP, 40 Conn. L. Rptr. 239, 2005 WL 3291920 (Conn. Super. Ct. Oct. 31, 2005).
• Connecticut counsel working with New York law firm representing underwriters at Lloyds of London and Freemont Indemnity Co. in action by insurer to recover from reinsurers a portion of $1.15 billion the insurer had paid to resolve approximately 17,000 asbestos-related claims. See Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. v. Ace American Reinsurance Co., 40 Conn. L. Rptr. 480, 2005 WL 3663930 (Conn. Super. Ct. Dec. 14, 2005).
• Connecticut counsel working with Chicago law firm representing video game manufacturer in action by administratrix of estate of minor alleging that video game caused son’s friend to stab him, claiming violation of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Connecticut Product Liability Act. See Wilson v. Midway Games, Inc., 198 F.Supp.3d 167, 106 ALR 5th 709 (D. Conn. 2002).
• Local counsel in class action wage and hour cases.
• Local counsel for a host of national reinsurance companies, including XL re, Odyssey Re, TIG Insurance Co., Phil Re, Fremont Indemnity and Gerling Global.
• Local counsel in defense of life insurance trust action.
• Local counsel in trade name infringement case.