To commemorate our 150th Anniversary, the CBA has launched a Monthly Video Series featuring short, engaging segments on timely and important topics for both members and the public. From the rule of law and judicial independence to access to justice, ethics, and legal innovation, each video will spark conversation and connect our mission to the broader community.
Have an idea for a topic? We welcome submissions from members for future videos. Please contact Lina at llee@ctbar.org.
Attorney John Logan (Logan Vance Sullivan & Kores LLP) interviews Attorneys Wesley Horton (McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP) and Stanley Twardy (Day Pitney LLP) about the the importance of an independent judiciary bound only to the rule of law.
Panelists
John Logan, Logan Vance Sullivan & Kores LLP
John Logan is an attorney at Logan Vance Sullivan & Kores LLP. Over the course of his career, Mr. Logan has successfully settled, mediated, arbitrated, tried and won a number of high-stakes matters before both judge and jury. When he briefed and fought cases before the Supreme Court of Connecticut, he succeeded in establishing new law in the state, which was crucial in securing justice for his injured client and for the general public. Mr. Logan is a well-respected leader in the legal community of Connecticut, having served as chairman of the Connecticut Bar Association's (CBA) Standing Committee in Professional Ethics and as a current member of the committee. He was a longtime representative from the Litchfield Judicial District to the CBA's governing bodies, the Board of Governors and the House of Delegates, and he served on and/or chaired a wide variety of CBA committees, commissions, and task forces. He served for nine years as a director of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, where he helped monitor grants to nonprofits in Connecticut that provide pro bono legal services. He is a prolific writer, having contributed to various Connecticut law journals.
Wesley Horton, McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP
Of Counsel in McElroy Deutsch Mulvaney & Carpenter LLP's Hartford office. Mr. Horton’s appellate practice covers a wide variety of legal issues, from constitutional matters, to domestic relations, insurance, personal injury, and land use. He began his law career as the law clerk to Justice Charles House of the Connecticut Supreme Court (1970 to 1971). Building on that experience, he has participated in some of the most notable cases in Connecticut, representing individuals and corporations. The list of cases on which he appears as counsel, either at argument or on the brief, spans 50 years and numbers in the hundreds. He has argued more than 135 cases to the Connecticut Supreme Court and is well-known for representing the City of New London in Kelo v. New London before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005.
Moderator
Stanley Twardy, Day Pitney LLP
Stanley (Stan) Twardy is a leading corporate litigator. His practice is focused on helping clients with criminal, civil and regulatory investigations conducted by federal and state agencies. Clients have included Fortune 500 companies, executives of these companies and others involved in federal and state criminal, regulatory and Securities and Exchange Commission investigations. Stan has argued many civil and criminal cases in both federal and state appellate courts. In addition, he has been counsel of record in several cases before the Supreme Court of the United States. Before entering private practice, Stan was a United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut and Chief of Staff to Connecticut Governor Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
Attorney and past CBA President Livia DeFilippis Barndollar (Pullman & Comley LLC) interviews Attorneys Leander A. Dolphin (Shipman & Goodwin LLP) and Moy N. Ogilvie (McCarter & English LLP) about how individuals become state court judges in Connecticut and speaks with them generally about the judicial appointment and reappointment process.
Panelists
Leander A. Dolphin, Shipman & Goodwin LLP
Leander Dolphin is a managing partner at Shipman & Goodwin LLP and a partner in the School Law Practice Group. Her work focuses on advising schools, universities, and nonprofits on education law, employment matters, and policy development. A former VP of HR and general counsel for the Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Leander brings both practical and legal insight to her work. She has represented clients in state and federal courts and administrative forums across Connecticut. Attorney Dolphin is chair of the Connecticut Judicial Selection Commission, and a sought-after speaker and educator in areas such as discrimination law, student rights, and school policy. She was named Attorney of the Year by the Connecticut Law Tribune in 2022 and is widely recognized for her leadership in the legal community.
Moy N. Ogilvie, McCarter & English LLP
Moy Ogilvie is the managing partner of McCarter & English's Hartford office and a seasoned litigator with deep experience in product liability, toxic tort, and pharmaceutical defense. She has represented clients in complex litigation involving chemical exposures and has served as national coordinating counsel for a major international company. Attorney Ogilvie also handles business litigation and regularly takes on pro bono cases through organizations such as Lawyers for Children America. Appointed by Governor Ned Lamont, she currently serves on the Connecticut Criminal Justice Commission. In addition, she sits on the boards of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, Lawyers Collaborative for Diversity, and Hartford Youth Scholars. Attorney Ogilvie is widely respected for her litigation skill and her commitment to community and professional service.
Moderator
Retired Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers (Day Pitney LLP) and retired Connecticut Supreme Court Justice Joette Katz (Shipman & Goodwin LLP) are interviewed by Attorney Aaron S. Bayer (Wiggin and Dana LLP) about how judges make decisions and what measures and protections are built into the judicial system to help ensure fair and impartial decision making by judges.
Panelists
Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers (Ret.), Connecticut Supreme Court
Justice Chase T. Rogers served as the Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court from 2007 to 2018, becoming only the second woman to hold that position. Her judicial career began in 1998 when she was appointed to the superior court, followed by service on the appellate court before joining the supreme court.
As chief justice, she led a period of significant modernization within the state judiciary, including expanding the use of technology in courtrooms, improving transparency and efficiency, and launching initiatives to increase access to justice for self-represented and underserved populations.
Justice Rogers is currently a distinguished jurist-in-residence at Quinnipiac University School of Law, where she teaches and mentors students. In addition to her teaching, she continues to serve the legal community through board work and speaking engagements. She is widely admired for her leadership, intellect, and commitment to ensuring the judiciary serves the public with integrity and fairness.
Justice Joette Katz (Ret.), Connecticut Supreme Court
Justice Joette Katz has had an extraordinary career in both the judiciary and public service. She served as an associate justice on the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1992 to 2011, where she authored numerous influential opinions on constitutional, civil, and criminal matters. Following her judicial tenure, she was appointed commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF), a role she held for eight years. During her time at DCF, she led a major overhaul of the agency, focusing on keeping children with families whenever safely possible, reducing reliance on institutional care, and improving outcomes for children in state custody.
Now a partner at Shipman & Goodwin LLP, Justice Katz advises clients on complex litigation, regulatory issues, and public policy matters. She is frequently called upon to speak about child welfare reform, leadership in government, and judicial perspectives on decision-making. Justice Katz is recognized not only for her brilliant legal mind but also for her courage, compassion, and tireless dedication to justice and systemic change.
Moderator
Aaron Bayer, Wiggin and Dana LLP
Aaron Bayer is Special Counsel and co-chair of his firm’s Education Practice Group, advising colleges, universities, private schools, and nonprofits on legal, regulatory, and reputational matters. He brings valuable insight from prior roles as general counsel and secretary of Connecticut College and deputy attorney general of Connecticut. He also served as counsel to U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman and the U.S. Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.
An accomplished appellate attorney and fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, Attorney Bayer has argued numerous complex appeals nationwide. He previously chaired the firm’s Appellate Practice Group and has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Benchmark Litigation for excellence in appellate, commercial, and higher education law.
He is a longtime advocate for government transparency and has led statewide efforts to expand public access to the courts. Attorney Bayer also serves on multiple nonprofit boards and has been honored for his leadership in the legal and civic communities.
CBA President Emily A. Gianquinto (McCarter & English LLP), Hartford County Bar Association President-Elect Meghan M. Burns (Ruel Burns Feldman Kuckucka & Britt LLC), and CBA DEI Committee Co-Chair Mallori D. Thompson (Robinson & Cole LLP) are interviewed by Connecticut Superior Court Judge A. Susan Peck (Ret.) about their experiences and observations as women practicing law in Connecticut.
In preparation for the upcoming
Status of Connecticut Women in the Law Symposium on
Friday, October 17,
at Quinnipiac School of Law, we're sharing a
Timeline of Connecticut Women in the Legal Profession. This detailed timeline traces the history of women attorneys in our state from 1882, when Mary Hall became the first woman admitted the Connecticut Bar all the way through to the present day.
Panelists
Emily A. Gianquinto, CBA President, McCarter & English LLP
Emily Gianquinto counsels employers on day-to-day employment matters and represents them in federal and state litigation. She has helped resolve disputes for clients across numerous industries, including healthcare, energy, manufacturing, professional services, banking, and nonprofits. Emily has experience with all aspects of litigation, from pre-suit negotiations through bench and jury trials and the appeals process, and regularly defends clients before administrative bodies and courts and in domestic and international mediations and arbitrations. She has defended employers against claims of discrimination, harassment and retaliation and helped them navigate wage and hour disputes and matters concerning the enforcement of non-compete and non-solicitation agreements. She has defended hospitals and physician groups in litigation involving termination of physicians’ privileges and employment.
In addition to her employment experience, Emily has handled litigation covering complex contractual disputes, products liability litigation, environmental litigation, shareholder fiduciary duty and business dissolution disputes, unfair trade practice claims, trademark and copyright lawsuits, litigation arising out of fraudulent transfers, and insurance litigation. She has also advised clients concerning responding to government inquiries and subpoenas and addressing government regulation and licensing matters. This varied background enables her to effectively counsel clients concerning the broader implications surrounding a particular employment dispute.
Before entering private practice, Emily served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Flemming L. Norcott, Jr. of the Connecticut Supreme Court and worked as a technical editor in the pharmaceutical industry before obtaining her law degree.
Emily is active in the bar community and in the Hartford community. She has been heavily involved in the Connecticut Bar Association, including holding leadership positions on the Board of Governors and House of Delegates, and currently serves as its President, co-chair of the Pro Bono Committee, chair of the Legislative Policy and Review Committee, and chair of the Connecticut Council of Bar Presidents. She is also a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates and a Fellow of both the Connecticut Bar Foundation and the American Bar Foundation. Since 2017, Emily has also been a member of the board of KNOX, Inc., a nonprofit urban greening organization that has been in operation for more than 50 years. She served as its president for more than six years.
Meghan M. Burns, Hartford County Bar Association President-Elect, Ruel Burns Feldman Kuckucka & Britt LLC
Meghan M. Burns is a partner and family law attorney at Ruel Burns Feldman Kukucka & Britt, LLC. Meghan represents clients across Connecticut in litigation and alternative dispute resolution options, such as collaborative divorce and mediation. She assists clients in navigating the sensitive and complex aspects of divorce, custody, and visitation petitions and works in the courtroom and conference room to resolve parenting disputes and financial issues associated with alimony, child support, property division, and premarital agreements.
Meghan received her B.A. with distinction from the University of Virginia in 2007 and her J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2010. She is admitted to practice in Connecticut and Maryland. Meghan has received the Judge Maxwell Heiman Memorial Award from the Hartford County Bar Association and has been recognized as a New Leader in the Law by the Connecticut Law Tribune. Meghan is a James W. Cooper Fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation, Chair of the History of Women in the Legal Profession Project for the Connecticut Bar Foundation, and the President-Elect of the Hartford County Bar Association. Meghan is also the Immediate Past Board Chair and Board Member of the Aurora Foundation for Women & Girls, a non-profit focused on increasing economic security, educational attainment, and leadership for women and girls in the Greater Hartford region.
Mallori D. Thompson, CBA DEI Committee Co-Chair, Robinson & Cole LLP
Mallori Deanna Thompson is an associate attorney in the business litigation practice group at Robinson & Cole LLP and serves as a faculty member for the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Civics Academy. Previously, she was a judicial law clerk for Chief Justice Richard A. Robinson (Ret.) of the Connecticut Supreme Court and Judge Victor A. Bolden of the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. Mallori received her B.A. from Spelman College and her J.D. and Human Rights Certificate from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
While a student at UConn Law, she successfully represented an asylum seeker in a removal proceeding, completed the Community Justice Fellowship at Greater Hartford Legal Aid, and published articles in the Michigan Journal of Race & Law, the Georgetown Journal of Law and Modern Critical Race Perspectives, and various other journals on a variety of subjects such as maternal mortality, reparations, and economic justice. She also served as the first Black Editor-in-Chief of the Connecticut Law Review. She is the Chair of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee and the Immediate Past President of the George W. Crawford Black Bar Association. Mallori has been awarded the 2024 Graduates of the Last Decade Impact Award from the UConn Law Alumni Association, the 2023 Robinson & Cole LLP Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award, the 2021 American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Scholarship & Leadership Award, and was a Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence 2019 First 100 Plus Honoree. She also recently completed over ten years of service as a Captain in the United States Army Reserves Medical Service Corps.
Moderator
Hon. A. Susan Peck (Ret.), Connecticut Superior Court
Judge A. Susan Peck is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (B.A.), Boston University (M.S.) and the University of Connecticut Law School (J.D.). She served as law clerk to United States District Judge Robert C. Zampano in New Haven, and, for eighteen years, was engaged in the private practice of law in Hartford, specializing in employment law, criminal defense, commercial and victim’s rights litigation. She has been a lecturer at the University of Connecticut Law School and a faculty member at numerous legal and judicial continuing education seminars. Appointed to the Superior Court in March 1996, Judge Peck has presided in the criminal, juvenile and civil divisions of the Superior Court, including the Civil Complex Litigation Docket. After serving twenty-six years as a judge, she retired from the bench as of July 1, 2022. Judge Peck is a sustaining life fellow of the Connecticut Bar Foundation and founder and former longtime chair of its History of Connecticut Women in the Legal Profession (HOWLP) Project, including the Women Judges Portrait Project, “Women in Black,” currently on exhibit at the Quinnipiac University School of Law. She is presently the chair of a Symposium on the Status of Connecticut Women in the Legal Profession, scheduled for October 17, 2025, at the Quinnipiac University School of Law.