Joseph T. Coppola II is Polito & Harrington’s newest associate, joining the firm after working at a Fortune 500 insurance company, where he handled employment matters all across the United States, including cases involving discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and wrongful termination. Joe is the oldest of five children, born and raised in Madison, Connecticut. Joe is a graduate of Bryant University and Roger Williams University School of Law. At Roger Williams, Joe was awarded academic scholarships during each of his three years at the school based on academic merit. Joe also received recognition from the Feinstein Center for outstanding commitment to pro bono legal service, having performed over 100 pro-bono service hours within the community during his time in law school. In addition to his involvement within the school, Joe was fortunate enough to gain a great deal of experience through internships in his spare time. Joe served as a legal intern for the Rhode Island Department of Revenue, the Rhode Island Office of the General Treasurer, and as a law clerk for a firm focused on cases involving personal injury, products liability, and premises liability. During his third year in law school, Joe was accepted into two competitive programs which promote experiential education; The Roger Williams Business Start-up Clinic and the Corporate Counsel Externship Program. At the Business Start-up Clinic, Joe was one of only two students who worked at the clinic as an advanced student practitioner with a temporary license from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Joe not only gained valuable experience in advising and assisting clients with entity formation issues, contracts, articles of incorporation, trademark applications, as well as applications to form 501-(c)(3) corporations, but he also maintained a role as a supervisor and advisor to other clinic members and assisted them with their respective clients. In addition to his work with the Business Start-up Clinic, Joe simultaneously participated in Roger Williams’ Corporate Counsel Externship program, where he was offered a externship position in the legal department at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island under the company’s general counsel. Joe gained valuable exposure to the healthcare industry, medical claims, and general insurance knowledge that to this day allows him to better serve his clients who may be suffering from life changing injuries. Today, Joe proudly represents clients who have been injured in personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, and medical malpractices cases, both in Connecticut State Court and in the Tribal Courts for Connecticut’s two casinos, Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. In his spare time, Joe enjoys hiking, camping, archery, and restoring musical instruments.

Attorney Cameron L. Atkinson founded Atkinson Law, LLC in August 2022. He has earned the nickname “The Computer” from fellow lawyers for his memory and understanding of the U.S. Constitution, federal law, and the Connecticut law. His computer-like abilities do not just extend to his knowledge of the law. His memory and understanding of the law enables him to conceptualize and bring to life his clients’ stories to judges and juries in both written submissions and oral presentations. Cameron has represented celebrities, U.S. Cabinet officials, and average people and businesses across a wide variety of matters, including criminal defense, high-profile civil rights cases, employment discrimination cases, unfair and deceptive trade practice defense, medical malpractice, and various business law matters. He has also represented businesses navigating a variety of securities matters. Cam maintains an active appeals practice. He has been lead counsel in more than 30 appeals in federal and state appeals courts across the country in both criminal and civil cases. Cameron has served as counsel of record in several matters before the United States Supreme Court. Cameron dedicates a substantial portion of his time to defending religious liberty, free speech, gun rights, and privacy rights in various federal and state courts. In addition to his legal qualifications, Cam holds multiple degrees in business and has consulted start-ups, medium-sized companies, and various personalities on branding, operations, marketing, and various other business matters. He takes a special interest in cryptocurrency.

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.

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

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.

Polito & Harrington Personal Injury Lawyer, Humbert J. Polito, Jr. was recently selected as 2024 “Lawyer of the Year” for Personal Injury Litigation-Plaintiffs in the New London, CT area. Only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area is honored as the “Lawyer of the Year,” making this accolade particularly significant. These lawyers are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the peer-review assessments. Receiving this designation reflects the high level of respect a lawyer has earned among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism, and their integrity. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Bert has previously been named Best Lawyers’ New London Area Lawyer of the Year for Plaintiffs’ Personal Injury Litigation 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2024. Bert has also been designated as one of the top 50 attorneys in the State of Connecticut by Connecticut Super Lawyers®. In April of 2016, Bert was honored to be named a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which limits membership to 500 Fellows from the United States. Bert has been admitted to practice law in Connecticut since 1986, and in Rhode Island since 1987. His practice has focused exclusively on plaintiff’s personal injury litigation. In his work, Bert seeks to promote consumer and patient safety, and is particularly proud of two of his cases, one by verdict and the other by settlement. The former involved a product liability verdict in favor of a burn victim, wherein the Court ordered that product safety data in the possession of a non-party foreign manufacturer be produced over the objection of a defendant seller here in America. Bert also being designated as one of the top 50 attorneys in the State of Connecticut by Connecticut Super Lawyers® is involved the settlement of a hospital malpractice case on behalf of a family which included the hospital’s implementation of patient safety procedures, as well as the designation of a family member to a working hospital committee seeking to improve patient safety. A number of the cases Bert has resolved have been in excess of one million dollars. Bert is listed in Best Lawyers in America, in Connecticut and New England Super Lawyers, and admitted to the United States Supreme Court.

Joseph C. Maya believes in providing large firm experience but with small firm communication and attention. His practice areas of the law include divorce, employment, personal injury, criminal and tax law. Joseph is a Managing Partner of Maya Murphy, the firm he established in 1993 located in New York, NY and Westport, CT.

Attorney Melissa Needle is a lifetime Connecticut resident. She was born in New Haven, raised in Fairfield, and now resides in Westport with her family. Attorney Needle is a third generation attorney with deep family roots in Connecticut. Her father, Attorney Charles Needle, was a founder of the Connecticut firm Zeldes, Needle & Cooper in 1971. Since her admission to the Connecticut Bar in 1990, Melissa has exclusively practiced divorce and family law. Melissa started Needle | Cuda: Divorce and Family Law in 2010. The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys named Needle | Cuda a Connecticut Top 10 Best Firm in Client Satisfaction in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Attorney Needle is an active litigator with an impressive track record. Many of the cases in which Melissa appears involve high net worth divorce property division, complex business valuations, highly contested custody, and petitions for child relocation. She is well-known in Connecticut courts as a forceful, but fair fighter; an attorney with great integrity; and as a worthy adversary who does not shy away from litigation if that path is the best opportunity for her client to reach an equitable solution. Melissa understands that divorce is not just about the dissolution of marriage or stop-gap solutions but helping clients develop and negotiate a comprehensive plan for the rest of their lives.

Attorney Levin was admitted to practice law in the State of Connecticut beginning 1989 and in New York Federal district court beginning 1992. He is a member of the Connecticut Trial Lawyers Association, Connecticut Bar Association, and the National Association for American Justice. Prior to establishing his own law firm, Attorney Levin was associated with the Hartford based law firm of Calvocoressi & Gale. He is rated by AVVO (Independent Lawyer Research Organization) as “Superb” and has been recognized by Hartford Magazine as a Top Personal Injury Lawyer in the Greater Hartford, CT area (2010,2018), nominated as a “ Superlawyer” in the personal injury category multiple years(2013-2018) and recognized by the National Trial Lawyer's Association Top 100 on an invitation only membership basis( 2015-2018). Attorney Levin attended California Western School of Law in San Diego, CA. While in law school he was admitted to the National Order of Barristers for mock trial and moot court accomplishments in numerous competitions across the country. An undergraduate Bachelor's degree was earned with a major in accounting in 1985 from Nova University, located in Davie, Florida. Attorney Levin has focused his legal practice in the area of personal injury achieving significant jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients who brought cases related to medical malpractice, products liability, Construction, and serious motor vehicle accidents. Also, due to a longstanding commitment to workers' rights and the familiarity with workers' compensation issues, serious injuries falling into this category are also accepted. Attorney Levin has only lost one case tried to a jury in over twenty five years of practice. Statewide help for all personal injury, medical malpractice, and workers' compensation matters is a click or telephone call away. We are regularly retained to prosecute serious and complex Connecticut personal injury and work safety matters with residents from not only the counties of Hartford, Tolland, and Middlesex, but New London, New Haven, Litchfield, and Fairfield counties as well. Satellite conference facilities are available to meet you near where you live throughout Connecticut for this purpose. In addition, we have developed an extensive network of local-based counsel in virtually all regions of Connecticut to service you should that be your preference.

Alexander J. Cuda is a highly respected family and matrimonial law attorney. With numerous published articles and speaking engagements, Alex’s leadership in family law is well-known. He has been named one of the “Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in Southern Connecticut” by such organizations as the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys (2017). The Connecticut Law Tribune recognized him as a “New Leader in the Law,” in 2014. Attorney Cuda was recognized and rated as a SuperLawyers Honoree in both 2019 and 2020 was a SuperLawyers “Rising Star” from 2012 to 2018. The Connecticut Bar Association Family Law Section also recognized him as a “Rising Star” in 2010 and 2011. He was honored to receive the Connecticut Bar Association Pro Bono Award (2009) and has a 10 star “superb” featured attorney rating on Avvo. Alex is an experienced negotiator and advocate whether in litigation, mediation, or arbitration. He also provides skilled representation in family and matrimonial appeals. Alex is known for his forceful advocacy, responsiveness, and clear communication as well as his compassionate understanding of each client’s unique needs. He handles both custody and complex financial matters. Alex lives with his family in Fairfield County. Alex been extremely active with community service organizations focused on the prevension of Deomestic Violence, Spousal Abuuse, and Child Abuse. In October of 2020 Alex received the Purple Ribbon Award from the Greewich YWCA’s Center for Domestic Abuse Services for his outststanding commitment to the victims of dometic violence.