Education lawyers within 300 miles of Vernon Rockville Connecticut

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.

Annemette enjoys criminal defense work, family law and personal injury work. She regularly appears in all Connecticut courts defending those charged with committing a criminal offense, handling contested family cases, and handling personal injury trials. Annemette excels at cross examination of witnesses, jury selection and personal injury litigation. She has represented children and parents in the juvenile and criminal courts, special education proceedings, before the Department of Children and Families and regularly appears in all Connecticut courts. She excels at highly contested cases, and contentious matters, and is admitted to practice in all Connecticut state courts and was admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut in 2002. Annemette graduated from Quinnipiac School of Law where she was an active participant in the volunteer tax assistance program. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Connecticut State University in 1998. She is active with the Connecticut Pro Bono Network, and is multilingual, speaking English and German.Annemette enjoys spending time with her family, including karate tournaments with her children, walking her dog, and time at the beach. Her interests include animal rights, vegetarianism, and child protection, among others.

With over four and a half decades of practicing law, Attorney Brian J. Woolf, Esq. brings a wealth of legal knowledge and vast experience to his practice, having advocated for countless defendants in criminal proceedings and assisted many individuals in securing compensation for significant and life-altering injuries. Brian offers comprehensive legal services across a broad spectrum of areas including criminal defense matters. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Brian moved on to complete his undergraduate studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, in 1972. He then furthered his education at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a master's degree in 1974, and achieved his law degree with honors from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1977. Throughout his distinguished career, Attorney Woolf has been acknowledged for his professionalism and dedication to the field of law. His accolades include being named a Top Attorney in North America and receiving the Outstanding Service to the Criminal Defense Bar Award from the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He actively participates in several key legal organizations, such as the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Connecticut Bar Association. Attorney Woolf's dedication to both the legal field and his clients is reflected in his continued commitment to justice and excellence in every aspect of his career and community contributions.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Mr. Adler received a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and was awarded Special Distinction in Business. Mr. Adler was also awarded scholarship memberships in Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma Phi, a National Professional Business Fraternity. Prior to entering law school, Mr. Adler, who graduated from college 6 months early, worked as an Alternate Funding Analyst for Aetna Life and Casualty in Hartford, Connecticut. Mr. Adler attended Western New England College of Law and graduated Cum Laude, and thereafter entered private practice. Mr. Adler’s practice is concentrated in the areas of civil litigation including personal injury; wrongful death; premises liability; all insurance and coverage matters; product liability; cases involving every form of motor vehicle and boat; and business and commercial matters. Mr. Adler regularly and successfully tries the cases in State and Federal courthouses throughout the State of Connecticut. Attorney Adler serves as a member of the “Counsel on Litigation Management” and the law firm is recommended counsel by “A.M. Best” rated insurance attorneys. In addition to a wide range of community and charitable activities, Mr. Adler is on the Board of Advisors of the University Of Connecticut School Of Business.

Matthew F. Dolan is a lifelong resident of Connecticut. Attorney Dolan handles the firm’s Family Law matters, with a particular focus on high asset divorce cases. Attorney Dolan has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 for the State of Connecticut, he has been selected as a New England Super Lawyers Rising Star in the area of Family Law from 2015 through 2019 (each year, no more than 2.5% are named to the Rising Stars list), and he received the 2017 Connecticut Law Tribune New Leader in the Law Award. Attorney Dolan obtained both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degrees from the University of Connecticut. While in law school, Attorney Dolan served as an intern for the Center for Children’s Advocacy, where he represented abused children in family law matters. Attorney Dolan held clerkships with the New Haven law firm Lynch, Traub, Keefe, & Errante, as well as the State of Connecticut Superior Court Family Division. Throughout his various clerkships, Attorney Dolan played an active role in dozens of Family Law trials. After graduating from law school, and prior to the founding of Dolan Divorce Lawyers, PLLC, Attorney Dolan worked as an associate attorney at the Bristol law firm of Furey, Donovan, Tracy & Daly, with a focus in Family Law. Attorney Dolan is on the Board of Directors of the Jeremy Saxe Foundation for Education and Development, a nonprofit organization aimed at educating underprivileged youth in Nepal. Attorney Dolan resides in Milford.

Richard H. Raphael, Attorney at Law, practices in family law, personal injury, and litigation in the Westport, Connecticut area. He prides himself in providing personalized, professional representation to all of his clients. Mr. Raphael has practiced in Connecticut since 1979, first in New Canaan and since 1991 in his own firm in Westport. While in New Canaan, he enjoyed a term as president of the New Canaan Bar Association. Currently he is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association and the American Bar Association.Mr. Raphael completed his undergraduate education in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania. He received his J.D. (law degree) from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., and was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1979. Since that time, he has been practicing in Connecticut primarily in family law, and other litigation including personal injury and commercial litigation.Mr. Raphael prides himself on is his personal approach to representation. He provides his clients with individual, one-on-one attention.Mr. Raphael offers a free initial consultation, to answer your questions, discuss the issues of your case, and explain the relevant law.