CBA News

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On Thursday, September 28, the Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) hosted the fundraiser Helping Hands for Hawaii to support disaster assistance for those affected by the recent wildfires in Hawaii. The fundraiser, which was created as an initiative of CBA President Maggie Castinado, was hosted at Salute Restaurant in Hartford, where attendees gathered to show support and contribute to this important cause.

On September 21 through 23, more than 50 attorneys from Connecticut and nearby states gathered at Mohegan Sun for the Northeast Regional Professional Development Conference for Young Lawyers. The conference was hosted by the Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section and provided the opportunity for young lawyers from throughout the northeast region to network and gain critical skills and knowledge to develop as leaders in the legal profession.

This year, CBA members continued to provide pro bono legal services to veterans at the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs’ annual Stand Down event, which the CBA has assisted with since 1998.

The Connecticut Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Section (YLS) hosted its annual leadership retreat on August 11-12 at Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard. The YLS Executive committee holds this event each summer to familiarize new members of the committee with the duties of their leadership roles and to present awards to members of the committee for their service during the previous bar year.

On July 25 and 26, The Connecticut Bar Association (CBA) Pro Bono Committee and Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut held a Free Legal Advice Clinic, where 20 volunteer attorneys met with 41 clients over Zoom meetings.

On the week of July 10-14, the CBA hosted the virtual 2023 LAW camp for a group of Connecticut high school students. LAW Camp exposes high school students to the legal profession and teaches them critical and analytical thinking to help them succeed in their educational and professional careers.

On Sunday, June 25, over 290 CBA members, officers, and their families and friends gathered at Holiday Hill in Prospect for a day packed with summer recreation.

On the morning of June 23 at the Connecticut Supreme Court building, 29 new attorneys were sworn into the Connecticut Bar. After the ceremony, CBA President Daniel J. Horgan presented a welcome speech to the new attorneys and they were invited to a reception, where they met with members of the CBA Young Lawyers Section and other bar associations from across Connecticut.

Hundreds of legal professionals gathered for the 2023 Connecticut Legal Conference on June 5 at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. The conference’s wide selection of educational content made it easy for attorneys from throughout the state, from solo practitioners to associates at large firms, to find informative practice area content.

Attorneys Roberta Napolitano and Robert E. Kaelin received CLABBY awards from the Connecticut Bar Association’s Commercial Law and Bankruptcy Section on May 17. The CLABBY awards, established in 2016, are presented by the section each year to honor the professional achievements of section members.

CBA President Daniel J. Horgan presented a check for $10,138 to Special Olympics Connecticut on May 17. The funds were raised by the association and its members as part of President Horgan’s Collaboration for a Cause presidential initiative.

The CBA Civics Education Committee held its annual Law Day Celebration at the Connecticut Appellate Court in Hartford on May 5. Law Day is a national celebration held annually to celebrate the role of law in our society and to help encourage a deeper understanding of the legal profession. The Law Day event also included the presentation of the 2023 Ralph J. Monaco Civics Education awards.

During the first week of May, to celebrate Lawyer Well-Being Week, the CBA Lawyer Well-Being Committee hosted a series of free events for CBA members that took place on each weekday between noon and 1:00 p.m.

Over 300 legal professionals, community members, families, and friends attended the tenth annual “Celebrate with the Stars” awards dinner on May 3 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville to honor individuals who have made an impact on the Connecticut Legal community.

CBA members, Special Olympics athletes, and their friends and family gathered for a 5k walk/run in support of Special Olympics Connecticut on April 30 at Kinsmen Brewing Company.

On April 27, the CBA YLS Section hosted the event “Diversity on the Pipeline” at Café Fiore in Cromwell, which featured a unique discussion from a panel of diverse attorneys on the impact and importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion during all stages of a legal career.

On March 27-29, a Connecticut Bar Association delegation traveled to Washington, DC to attend the American Bar Association’s 2023 ABA Day event. ABA Day is a three-day conference and is the legal profession’s largest lobbying event of the year, where thousands of professionals across the country advocate on behalf of issues of importance to the legal profession.

CBA Members Mark Altermatt, Moira L. Buckley, Patrick Caruso, Vikki Cooper, Gregory C. Davis, Lynn A. Dawson, Karen L. DeMeola, Paul R. Doyle, Daniel J. Fox, Walter A. Menjivar, Yamini Menon, Thomas J. O'Neill, and Thomas Saadi were among those nominated.

On March 3, the first CBA Well-Being Summit was held at the University of Connecticut School of Law. The summit was focused on physical and mental wellness practices and featured a diverse assortment of presentations and activities led by professionals in their areas.