It has always been my dream to be an attorney and help families. Graduating in the top ten of my high school class, I studied my first two years at Quinebaug Valley Community College. Then I earned a Bachelors degree from Eastern Connecticut State University with a dual major in Psychology and Political Science. After spending a few years in the real world, I attended Roger Williams School of Law in Bristol Rhode Island. In my first year of law school, I married my “hometown-hunnie” Josh, who was incredibly supportive of my dreams, and crazy study schedule. My law school internships included the Department of Labor and Training Legal Department, the Rhode Island Mediation Department, a small Connecticut law firm, and a Providence firm focusing on Wills. I also spent two years on the Moot Court, served on the Executive Moot Court Board, scored highly in a competition in New Orleans. I am a successful mediator, licensed attorney in Connecticut and Rhode Island, and member of the Windham Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association and Rhode Island Bar Association. Now it is time to take all that I have learned over the last decade and hang my own shingle. While focusing on estate planning, wills, probate, divorces, and family modifications, it is my goal to grow to a firm that can help you with all the needs of your family.

Jim Bergenn's practice is comprised of complex criminal and civil litigation, including white collar crime and government investigations, personal injury and wrongful death cases, and other trials involving significant consequences. With more than 40 years trial lawyer experience and a trial skills teacher at UConn Law for over 35 years, other lawyers and clients call Jim regularly to seek his trial skills, and experience with investigations and experts, in many different kinds of contested cases. Jim’s wide range of criminal cases includes representing targets of investigations, criminal defendants, grand jury and other witnesses, and crime victims. Because he handles personal injuries, he often helps victims during and after criminal cases are brought to obtain the right compensation for their harm. He works in cases prosecuted by all the various federal, state and local authorities, such as the US Attorney’s Office, The Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, State and Federal Grand Juries, the FBI, the State Police, the SEC, the DEA, the ATF, the DOD, the IRS, the FDA, the FTC, the Office of Inspector General for various Federal Agencies, state regulators such as the Attorney General, the DEP, the DOH, the DMR, the DCF, and the Office of Consumer Protection, and local police.

Daniel P. Weiner has served people in Fairfield County and throughout the state of Connecticut for nearly 40 years. He and his staff are committed to providing effective legal counsel and serious, aggressive representation to people dealing with a wide range of legal matters, including criminal charges, juvenile matters, personal injury or divorce and family law issues.

Attorney Jason C. Goddard is an experienced criminal defense lawyer who has handles serious criminal cases in Connecticut, New York and CT District Court.

Attorney John F. O’Brien has over 30 years of experience as a criminal defense lawyer. We’ve been protecting people’s rights in Hartford, CT since 1986. We have offices conveniently located across from the Manchester and Rockville courthouses. However, we service a number of courthouses, including but not limited to, Bristol, Enfield, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, and Rockville. We also do jail and home visits. If you’re in need of a criminal defense lawyer, DUI attorney, trial lawyer or personal injury lawyer, give us a call today. We’d be happy to discuss your case with you. We handle your legal emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you or your loved one is arrested for a DUI or needs a criminal defense attorney, we can help. Call us today and get the representation you need and deserve. We will fight for your rights. If you’re in need of a criminal defense lawyer, DUI attorney or a trial lawyer, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ve been protecting people’s rights in Hartford, CT since 1986, and we’d be happy to discuss your case with you. We also handle personal injury cases. John F. O’Brien promises you straight answers you can understand, practical advice you can follow, honest fees you can afford, and aggressive representation you can count on.

Attorney Levy earned his B.A. from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his J.D. from Antioch School of Law. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1984 and the U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut in 1985. Attorney Levy is a member of the Litchfield County Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association, the American Bar Association (Family Law Section) and the American Association for Justice. An author of articles on various aspects of family law, Attorney Levy's work has been published in the Connecticut Family Law Journal and the American Bar Association's Family Advocate. Attorney Levy has participated as a Special Master in the Litchfield, Waterbury and Hartford Judicial Districts as well as the Regional Family Trial Docket in Middletown, Connecticut. Attorney Levy has been responsible for the operation of the Special Masters Pretrial Program in the Litchfield Judicial District since 2005. Attorney Levy has been in private practice since 1984, and his areas of practice include Family Law, Civil Litigation, Residential Real Estate Transactions, Personal Injury and Probate Matters.

Attorney Kimmel is a Senior Partner whose primary practice area is civil litigation with a focus on family law and general civil litigation including personal injury. Attorney Kimmel is admitted to practice law in the courts of the State of Connecticut as well as the Connecticut federal district courts. He is a member of the Connecticut, Milford and Fairfield County Bar Associations, as well as the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association and the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). Greg Kimmel is a graduate of Roger Williams University School of Law (J.D. 1997). He received his M.B.A. in management from Sacred Heart University in 1997 and his undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island (B.A. 1991). Greg currently serves as the Chairman of the Pension and Retirement Board of the City of Milford of which he has been a member for the past 7 years. He previously served as the Vice Chairman of the building committee for the Orange Avenue Athletic Complex. Greg is the former president and long time board member of Birchwood Country Club. In his spare time Greg has been actively involved in coaching youth athletics in Milford.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.

Admitted to the Connecticut and New York bars, attorney Jeffrey L. Ment has 26 years of experience helping injured clients, defending and representing police officers with virtually every legal issue that an officer may encounter, representing travel companies and hospitality groups, representing and defending insurers, companies and manufacturers of equipment in personal injury and civil litigation. He has tried more than 34 cases to verdict, and many more proceedings that were resolved in arbitration and/or mediation. He is passionate about his clients’ rights, and will fight to ensure that you are informed every step of the way. With an undergraduate degree in management from the University of Connecticut and a Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, attorney Ment is uniquely qualified to handle your legal needs. Attorney Ment has represented over 1,000 law enforcement officers in different parts of Connecticut, including Westport, West Hartford, Middletown, Coventry, New Britain, East Haven, UCONN, and more. He has defended members of the Connecticut State Police, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With over 25 years of police practice, attorney Ment has assisted law enforcement officials involved in fatal shootings, providing thoughtful legal help to his clients.

Daniel is a decorated police officer who spent 9 years in law enforcement, where he received an academic award of excellence from the Milford Police Academy, as well as the Samuel Luciano Award and the Daniel S. Wasson Award. Daniel proceeded with his education, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of New Haven, Investigative Sciences, and was a Dean's Scholar Award Recipient at the Quinnipiac University School of Law. Afterward, he started Daniel A. Esposito Attorney at Law LLC.